of doctrinal sermons in the morning and in the afternoon preaches sermons of a more practical nature. The students are obliged to attend public worship in the chapel, except those who have permission to attend other congregations in town.

Members of the senior class (usually the best scholars) are appointed monitors over all the classes, at the exercises in the chapel; whose duty is to record the absences and cases of tardiness of all the students under their charge. These are reported to the officers of the different divisions, who likewise keep a similar record of the attendance of each student at the daily recitations. Excuses for absence are accepted in case of sickness or any other unavoidable necessity: but they are never granted on the following grounds, unless from some peculiarity in the circumstances of the case, (though leave of absence may be granted in some of these instances if asked beforehand ;) viz. not hearing the bell,-being out late the preceding evening,—being overtaken with sleep, after studying the lesson,—difficulty of the exercise, and reluctance to attend and fail,—writing letters, or preparing college or society exercises,—walking or riding abroad, and being unable to return in time,―arranging room at the commencement of the term, mislaying books or articles of apparel,-interruption by students or persons from

abroad, indisposition, when the student is not detained from meals, or prevented from walking abroad.

When the unexcused absences of any student are eight in number, he is reported to the Faculty and placed on the course of discipline; and a written notice of the fact is given to his parent or guardian. When they amount to twelve, he is placed on the second stage of the same course, and is admonished by the President, in the presence of the Faculty. When they amount to sixteen, he is placed on the last stage of this course, and notice of the fact is given to his parent or guardian. When they rise to twenty, he is removed from college. At the beginning of the second and third terms of each collegiate year, the unexcused absences of each student, after four are deducted, are charged over to him on the bills of the new term; but no such charge is made at the commencement of the year.-(Regulations of excuses published by the Faculty.)

There are three vacations in a year; one of six weeks, beginning at Commencement, the third Thursday in August; the second, two weeks from the first Wednesday in January; and the third, four weeks from the last Wednesday in April. No student is allowed to be absent, without special leave, except in vacations.

SECTION IV.

COLLEGE HONORS.

THE principal college honors are appointments as speakers to two public exhibitions the Junior Exhibition and Commencement. These appointments are given for excellence in scholarship, and are of different gradations, as in the following

The valedictory and salutatory orations are delivered at Commencement; the Greek and Latin orations take the place of these at the junior exhibition.

Commencement is held on the third Thursday in August annually. At an early hour of the morning, a procession is formed at the chapel, composed of the students, the faculty, the corporation, graduates of the institution, and other respectable gentlemen; which proceeds to the

Center Church. The exercises commence with a prayer by the President. The salutatory oration in Latin is then delivered, which is succeeded by the orations, disputations, colloquies, &c., interspersed with pieces of vocal and instrumental music. These exercises occupy both morning and afternoon, concluding with the valedictory oration. Then follows the conferring of degrees, after which the exercises of the day are closed by prayer.

The form used in conferring the degrees is the following: Pro auctoritate mihi commissâ, admitto vos ad primum gradum in artibus; pro more hujusce academiæ. Vobisque trado hunc librum, unà cum potestate publice prælegendi, quotiescumque ad isthoc munus evocati fueritis: cujus, haec instrumenta, membrana scripta, testimonio sint. The foregoing is the form for the candidates for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. With a little alteration the same form is used for the candidates for the degree of Master of Arts. The word secundum is used instead of primum, and profitendi instead of prælegendi.

Colloquies are written by any appointee who wishes, but the Professor of Rhetoric exercises his discretion as to the propriety of receiving or rejecting any colloquy presented. Theatrical pieces were formerly acted upon the stage, but

they are now very properly excluded from the Commencement exercises.

A person who receives the appointment of a colloquy, can either write or speak in a colloquy, or write a poem. Any other appointee can also write a poem.

The Junior exhibition is celebrated at the close of the second term of Junior year. The appointments are the same as at Commencement, except that there are no valedictory and salutatory orations. The exercises are held in the college Chapel. The arrangements for this exhibition are made by nine managers appointed by the Junior class.

At the middle of the third term of Senior Year, the class leaves College, to prepare for Commencement, and does not assemble together again, until a few days before the celebration of that anniversary. On this occasion, a valedictory oration and poem are delivered by members of the classes previously appointed. The two valedictorians of the class are to be carefully distinguished as this circumstance has not always been understood, some confusion has arisen with regard to them. The valedictorian who speaks at Commencement is appointed by the Faculty, for excellence in scholarship; the other is appointed by the class, talent being the requisite qualification.