A Collection of College Words and Customs

by Benjamin Homer Hall

HORSE-SHEDDING. At the University of Vermont, among secret and literary societies, this term is used to express the idea conveyed by the word electioneering.

HOUSE. A college. The word was formerly used with this signification in Harvard and Yale Colleges.

If any scholar shall transgress any of the laws of God, or the House, he shall be liable, &c.—Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ., Vol. I. p. 517.

If detriment come by any out of the society, then those officers [the butler and cook] themselves shall be responsible to the House.—Ibid., Vol. I. p. 583.

A member of the college was also called a Member of the House.

The steward is to see that one third part be reserved of all the payments to him by the members of the House quarterly made.—Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ., Vol. I. p. 582.

A college officer was called an Officer of the House.

The steward shall be bound to give an account of the necessary disbursements which have been issued out to the steward himself, butler, cook, or any other officer of the House.—Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ., Vol. I. p. 582.

Neither shall the butler or cook suffer any scholar or scholars whatever, except the Fellows, Masters of Art, Fellow-Commoners or officers of the House, to come into the butteries, &c.—Ibid., Vol. I. p. 584.

Before the year 1708, the term Fellows of the House was applied, at Harvard College, both to the members of the Corporation, and to the instructors who did not belong to the Corporation. The equivocal meaning of this title was noticed by President Leverett, for, in his duplicate record of the proceedings of the Corporation and the Overseers, he designated certain persons to whom he refers as "Fellows of the House, i.e. of the Corporation." Soon after this, an attempt was made to distinguish between these two classes of Fellows, and in 1711 the distinction was settled, when one Whiting, "who had been for several years known as Tutor and 'Fellow of the House,' but had never in consequence been deemed or pretended to be a member of the Corporation, was admitted to a seat in that board."—Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ., Vol. I. pp. 278, 279. See SCHOLAR OF THE HOUSE.