"Who would not place this precious boon
Above the Greek Oration?
Who would not choose the wooden spoon
Before a dissertation?
Then, let, &c.
"Some pore o'er classic works jejune,
Through all their life at College,—
I would not pour, but use the spoon
To fill my mind with knowledge.
So let, &c.
"And if I ever have a son
Upon my knee to dandle,
I'll feed him with a wooden spoon
Of elongated handle.
Then let, &c.
"Most college honors vanish soon,
Alas! returning never,
But such a noble wooden spoon
Is tangible for ever.
So let, &c.
"Now give, in honor of the spoon,
Three cheers, long, loud, and hearty,
And three for every honored June
In coch-le-au-re-a-ti.[88]
Yes! let us, Juniors, shout and sing
The spoon and all its glory,—
Until the welkin loudly ring
And echo back the story."
Songs of Yale, 1853, p. 37.
WRANGLER. In the University of Cambridge, Eng., at the conclusion of the tenth term, the final examination in the Senate-House takes place. A certain number of those who pass this examination in the best manner are called Wranglers.
The usual number of Wranglers—whatever Wrangler may have meant once, it now implies a First Class man in Mathematics—is thirty-seven or thirty-eight. Sometimes it falls to thirty-five, and occasionally rises above forty.—Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ., Ed. 2d, p. 227.
See SENIOR WRANGLER.
WRANGLERSHIP. The office of a Wrangler.
He may be considered pretty safe for the highest Wranglership out of Trinity.—Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ., Ed. 2d, p. 103.