AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CAPPING DAY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 9 June 1906, Page 23

AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CAPPING DAY.

AN INTERESTING CEREMONY.

The ceremony of capping the graduates of the year of the ArckL itd University College took place at the Choral Hall on May 31, and was very largely attended. in spite of the unpleasant weather. The students hsd th ir fun, but everything was goed-humored, and although the interjections were calculated to be discomposing to the speakers, they were apparently amusing to the audience. The majority of the students occupied the gallery at the rear of the hall, and whenever a squeak was heard as from a child’s penny trump: t. it was the sign that the note was being sounded by the conductor, prior to an outburst of what might perhaps l-.e termed melody. When the Hen. C. U. Bowen. M.L.C.. Vice-Chancellor i f the University, arrived, accompanied by the Registrar. the Professorial Board, and the members of the College Council, the students sang to the tune of "A Pirate King ' the following verses: — SALVE. PRAECLARISSIME. I'm the Chancellor of the Varsity. A personage of high degree, I sit here in my regal state. And cap each humble graduate. I represent you (exes free). At places over the Tasman Sea, (But they did not show much honour for) Your very majestic Chancellor. CHOKES. SOLO. For I am the Chancellor. CHORUS. You are. Hurrah for our Chancellor! SOLO AND CHORUS. And it is. it is a glorious thing. To be (yonr) Chancellor. (our) I strive to preserve my dignity. For I’m Lord High Boss of the ’Varsity Ou students’ songs and noise I frown. I try to put their revels down. And rules are passed at my dictate. To curb the undergraduate. For I’ll lei them see as I’ve said before. That 1 am the Varsity Chancellor. CHORI’S. You’ll be overwhelmed to hear me say. Last year you behaved in a proper way. 1 backed the Profs, in the Cant. Coll, row (A proper course you’il all allow) One word before I end my song. When I am dead you can't go wrong. In making Mick (so learned in Law) The N.Z. 'Varsity’s Chancellor. CHORUS. The Vice-Cha neellor made an able speech, in the course of which lie dwelt on the advantages of a classical e lucation. MR JOYNT’S REMARKS. . The Registrar of the New Zealand University then arose to speak, but when a meek voice from the gallery said, “Please we want to sing,” he resumed his seat, and the students sang the “Haere tnai” again.

The Registrar then said that fur the first time in the history of the New Zealand University a degree had been conferred on a bland student. This evoked prolonged applause, during which the students gave ‘•Three Cheers for Chitty,” and sang “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.’’ The Registrar said the examiners in England, on whose reports the degree was awarded, were quite unaware that they had been judging the work of a blind student. With regard to the degrees of Master of Science and Master of Uws. the Registrar explained that they had not the full value of the other degrees until the charter was received showing they were recognised by the Crown. The diplomas were given on that occasion for what they were worth, and would receive their full value when the usual recognition by charter was received. The graduates for the year then marched up to the front, the students singing in good time, to the tune of '•Tramp. Tramp, the Boys are Marching.” the following verses: — VITA NOSTRA TRAVIS EST. Undergraduates are we or the Auckland Varsity. XV e have spent ourselves in building up the brain. As we burn the midnight oil, worn with intellectual toil. We are haunted by this dolorous refrain— Cram. cram. cram, for that diploma: Cram. cram. cram, for that degree When each hoary-headed Prof, has been duly pensioned off We shall stil! be cramming at the ’Varsity. We've experienced the woes of concocting La ti n prose To be mauled about by Tubby’s ruthless pen: We have heard his bitter jibes, as our errors he describes With a grim. Satanic humour now and then. With Prof. Thomas in the lab., we have studied how to stab Horrid things that, slowly dying, squirm and kick: Jabbing scaijKds in and out. we have groped our way about In the palpitating vitals of a chick. Then the young but gloomy Max. with his languages will tax What remains to us of sanity, until With his Goethe apd Ravine we are slowly turning green. And in dreams with Andromaque we grapple still. Tbongh so terrible onr lot with the Profs, -that we - had got We were meek, but yet the Council spoke our doom. Though our misery they saw. they have brought along two more Will the schoolroom or the coatmine Im? our tomb? THE CAPPING: The. following graduates of the year were then presented to the Vice-Chan-cellor by Professor Talbot Tubbs, and were presented with their diplomas:— Bachelor of Arts: Hector Kenneth Burns. Truest (. h;,t y, Anne Forsyth Ironside. Lionel John Mytton Mackay, Charles Frederick .Chipman Miller. May Bloxsome Robertson, Thomas Francis Warren. Bachelor of Science: James Henry Arams. Edward Caradus, Frederick Palliser Worley. Bachelor of Laws: William Phillips Endean, William Ernest Moore, Leonard Travers Pick mere. Bachelor of Music: Florence Bertha Williams. Master of Science: Colin Fraser, John Ernest Holloway, Frederick Palliser Worley. Honours in Science: Colin Fraser, first-class honours in geology. Master of Arts: Mona Martha Brown, Fergus Gale Dunlop, Elsie Mary Griffin. Honours in Arts: Mona Martha Brown, third-class honours in political science, also third-class honours in mental science; Fergus Gale Dunlop, firstclass honours in languages and literatue (English and French); Elsie Mary Griffin, first-class honours in natural science (botany). Master of Laws: Robert Norman Moody.

Honours in I-*w: Robert NurmaJi Moody, second class honours in contracts and torts, jurisprudence. and trusts.

Senior scholarship hate been won by Edward Caradus, in chemistry. and Anne Forsyth Ironside, in natural science ’(botany). Professor Talbot Tubbs stepped forward to say a few words when the capping ceremony was over, but was compelled to resume hi> seat and wait while the students sang, to the tunc of ’’Listen to My Talc of Woe.” the following verses: — CARMEN DOLOROSUM Down tr Christ church we to*>k unr flight/ Listen to my tale of woe! Our hopes were high, and our prospects bright. Bui we didn't win — though of cotirse wc Hiigilt Quite right! We might! Listen to my tale of woe! Our efforts made the spectators smile: Listen to my tale of woe! We lost in pace what we gained in styk Witness the walk and Dunlup's mile Let’s smile Awhile! Listen to my tale of woe! Chorus: That’s how it is. you’ll find. Auckland College gets left behind. Just because we do not mind Don’t mind - Don't mind. Listen to my tale of wee! Though Dick has promise<l a grant alright. Listen to my taie of woe! We cannot hit on a decent site. And public men to the dailies write And skite. And fight! Listen to my tale of woe! And I’m as sure as I'm sure that I’m Telling you this taie of woe! That the sun will set in the morning prime. Ere we got a Coll, in this sunny clime— No rhyme—This time. Listen to my tale of woe! The College paper has come once more Listen to my tale of woe! And its much the same as it was of yore With its •‘Social LiXe” and “Esprit de corps’’ And more—Galore! Listen to my tale of woe! A perfect knack these rags have got Of printing stuff that interests not: And students say ‘’Great Scott, Oh what A Lot—Of rot." Listen to my tale of woeCHAIRMAN OF PROFESSOR!AI BOARD. Professor Tubbs referred to the progress of the University College of Auckland. In ICB6 the number of students was 32. in 1594 it reached 56, in 1902 the total was 102. and in 1906 they had 140, which he considered marked very material progress. It also marked the increased popularity of—(a voice. “It’s Latin, professor”)—University education, for that was voluntary. Primary education was compulsory, by the expression of the will of the State. Secondary education was to a great extent a iso compulsory, by the will of the business community, therefore the higher education of the University was the popular one. because it must rest upon the public recognition of its value. (Applause. The Auckland College had an uphill battle at first, as it was not the direct outcome of popular demand. For a long time its work was unknown to the general public, as was also the actual location of the building. It was only a few years ago that a gentleman who got into a cab an<l asked to be driven to the Auckland University College was taken up to Surrey Hills. Since then the college had progressed, as was shown bv the figures quoted, and it looked forward now to a larger sphere of usefulness, but that meant dependence upon the co-operation of the public. If the public desired higher education. there must be adequate provision - made lor the Auckland College. It was hard for people to understand that what appeared the most useless study was often the most useful. (Chorus from gallery: “ When it rains, we put out our tubs. ’) For instance, higher mathematics were not of direct service in ordinary life, for in business what might l>e termed the trickery of figures was requited, making them check themselves. (Chorus, “ Second lap.’’) The degree of

Ma-'er of Arts. though 5t w»i;-ht seem in appearance the Most useless. vis still the most ns*fub and most popular. The University ixing removed from political and business life, might be said to re-t ‘u the shade of baek-water. A univet-.’i was not required to pr«*lnce •n epic poet, for instance. Infant life the State had claimed for its own. but he felt that the three years that could te ckutnej under a eeaseriptioa *y -tern ior military service might I. .•’ -med to a small percentage of the poplatiou able to recognise the Ve.'H- <>f university education Let them of education i- the noble employment of bi—ire." ‘Chorus: ‘Last Lap.**) Pro f —or Ttsbos e—minded with the followJ!at cf ■ .se attenttan. thluktas heads—k m-.re rare. as education spreads. Tt . . i e" aul entertain us er we die. The students then sang anot-er song with a :‘-nI line, "And my name is Talbot Tabbs,* 7 after which three eheers were given for Professor Tubbs and " For he's a jolty good fellow” was sung. TV V■.■’k.iiwlk-r said they would lik. a f v re-tsarts from one of the Sto-?ee’s. ‘Applause.) Ur. E. de C. t tarke, rising in the gallery. said that the students felt much gratified at being allowed a legalised v.-i s’ in these proceedings. On their behalf he would like to eal! attention to the feel that the. Auckland University C’-'.’ . wss ’seitsg rather neglected by the b"sit>-».s r-c-ol<-. who should take an inc» r. -t in it. The University was a place where business men mL t trained, and for that reason he thought the burine-s men of Auckland should V.- a: r interest in the College. The vs of a proper site for a college was of the absence of real for h.-.-s- r cd ation. Though athletics w : n-t the main object of university 11' " A :ek’.ind, as evidenced by their exploits at the Christchurch carnival still it would do them no fear:;-, t pay some attention to athletics, but 1 not even a playground at the College. - Laughter.) Yet ail prin“’.y — - «ds had them. Mr. Clarke the- r» .erred to tae great courage and aseloy - —r, b_. their blind student. Mr. > l.ty. and said he felt sure next yra.* i. . .11 take the next step. App'.s - Thsr ceremony then terminated as U-- . . . - _ _ ... tlret-t:.'