CAPPING DAY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13941, 29 June 1909, Page 3

CAPPING DAY.

A NOISY CEREMONY. - An interesting and probably useful suuject to wiiicu to devote one of the Research Scholarships ol'i the New Zealand University would be "Tne origin of the discourtesy shown by students to respectable and aged Senators and University officials on uappiug ijay." 'J. in. students of Victoria. University* College, on their Capping JJay last Thursday, appear to have missed the benefit oi tne expenditure of the "Tuppence ex"tra for Manners," winch usea to be, it is said, one of the "extras," ■at some schools at Home long ago. The "Evening Post" says that for some time before the Vice-Chancellor (Hon. C. C. Bowen) took his seat the students made themselves heard. Their exuberance found expressions through the medium of megaphone or peawhistle, bugle or cow-bell, as die humour took them. Stamping of feet, clapping of hands, pounding of seats, and other percussive means, were adopted to relieve the tedium of waiting or to render speakers inaudible. The students manifestly missed their old and esteemed friend, the Chancellor, Sir Robert Stout. Their humour was generally crude, certainly obvious, and wanting in sparkle, like long-open-ed soda-water; but it was expressed in a kindly sort of way, and was taken in good part. The fortitude of the Vice-Chancellor in the exceedingly trying position of chairman was a matter of admiration." Mr JBowen was speaking of the work of JDarwin, but owing to the din "it became a little difficult to hear him."

The Registrar, Mr Joynt, rose to read\the list of names of students upon whom degrees had been conferred, and who had gained distinctions. He was greeted witli loud, mastiff-like barks, and a battery of detonators was lired off when he began to speak At the same time a placard was exhibited on the balcony of the gallery intimating that speakers would bs allowed eight minutes to speak; after that the bell would ring. It rang frequently during the speaking. . . . Mr Joynt's appeal to "some of the people in the gallery" was overwhelmed by long, rhythmic stamping of feet, and his closing words could not be heard.

. The "Dominion,'' referring to the proceedings, says that students are allowed a certain .icense on such occasions, but if they ;.re to override authority they should do so with address, and not rudely. If they must take upon themselves to order off the solid fare they should at least provide good light refreshment in its place, but the speeches which the Victoria College students refused to hear yesterday were not so dull as their remarks, which were noiser thai: usual, but were never witty. Whistling, obvious interjections, and the screeching of weird instruments usrped the place of humour. It would have been a courtesy to concede to the venerable vicechancellor of the University immunity from i'torruptions, but the few words which Mr Bowen uttered were drowned in a sea of noise. The registrar (Mr •Joynt) hardly attempted to make bis voice heard against the din, and the popularity of Professor Picken was of no avail to him.