Apple-pie Day, subs. (Winchester).—The day on which Six-and-Six (q.v.) is played—the Thursday after the first Tuesday in December. [Because hot apple-pies were served on GOMERS (q.v.) in College for dinner.]
Aquatics, subs. (Eton).—Where boys “in the boats” play cricket; also the Wet-bob cricket team.
Archdeacon, subs. (Oxford).—Merton strong ale.
Armoury, The (Harrow).—The room under the Old Schools where rifles, belonging to the Rifle Corps, are kept.
Arrow, subs. (Harrow).—A challenge arrow, of silver: given to the Cock-house (q.v.) at shooting.
Arundel Day (The Leys).—The choir summer holiday.
Ascension-day. See Ascensio Scholarum.
Ascensio Scholarum, subs. phr. (Stonyhurst).—The opening ceremony of the school year. The whole house assembles in the Study-place (q.v.), and the Prefect of Studies reads out the new forms, prefixing the formula “Maneant in” or “Ascendant in” as the case may be. The day is known as “Ascension Day.”
1843. Stonyhurst Mag., Nov. 1883, p. 232. The Ascensio Scholarum was managed quite otherwise then than now [1843-83].... Ascension Day.—The opening day of schools. Mass of the Holy Ghost is said in the church, after breakfast. The different schools, headed by their masters, then return to the schoolrooms which they occupied the preceding scholastic year. Presently the large bell tolls, and then the Prefect of Studies opens the door of Poetry (q.v.), and announces that “Rhetoric (q.v.) is empty.” The Poets (q.v.) leave their room and ascend to Rhetoric, and forthwith become Rhetoricians, with all their privileges. Then the (late) Poet’s doorkeeper knocks at Syntax’ (q.v.) door and sings out that “Poetry is empty”; and so on through the different schools. The little fellows newly arrived have to wait in the gallery until “Little Figures” (q.v.) is vacant, when they become Little Figuricians, “Little Figures,” it will be observed, being what we [1883] call “Elements” (q.v.).
Ash-planting, subs. (Rugby).—See quot.