Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
College life at Durham in 1924 was still a very traditional and
British a¬air even though there was an increasing intake of
students on scholarships. Student 'rooms' were either a bed-
room and a sitting room or, for those that did not have both, a
room with a curtained-o¬ alcove known as the 'horse box' which
contained the bed and wash-stand. The room was heated by an
open coal fire and each morning a 'gyp' would come in before
breakfast to lay paper, sticks and coal in the fireplace and to
make sure the coal bucket was full. He then went on to serve
breakfast in hall. After breakfast 'bedders' came in to make the
bed, clean the room and bring fresh water for the wash stand.
Three meals a day were provided in hall, and every evening the
formal wearing of gowns and black ties was required at dinner.
Beer or cider could be ordered on 'battels', an account kept
for provisions from the kitchen, but wine was for special
occasions.
For o¬ences against the recognised practices of the college
the Senior Man had the power to 'sconce' any amount up to ten
shillings, a considerable sum, and failure to show a pass when
entering the college gate after it was closed at nine o'clock
incurred a substantial 'sconce'. Ritual initiation rites for first
year students were standard procedure and generally terrified
the unprepared: on the second night of term a group of second
and third year students would visit the first years in the small
hours of the morning, get them out of bed and make them take
o¬ their pyjama jackets. They were then stood on a table and
made to answer intimidating questions while a slimy red liquid,
looking much like blood but was only red ink, was poured over
them. In the morning the poor boy would probably find that his
trousers had been hidden so that he would be forced to go to
breakfast in his pyjama bottoms, whereupon he would see his
trousers hanging on a tree or some place else that was equally
di~cult to reach.
