Encaenia Procession 2015

From the Oxford English Dictionary....

EncaeniaLine breaks: En|cae¦nia

Pronunciation: /ɛnˈsiːnɪə/

Definition of Encaenia in English:

noun

An annual celebration at Oxford University in memory of founders and benefactors.

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

Origin

Late 17th century: via Latin from Greek enkainia 'dedication festival' (based on kainos 'new').

2015 Encaenia

For everything you want to know about the Encaenia, go to: 

www.ox.ac.uk/news-and-events/The-University-Year/Encaenia

 It is held annually on the Wednesday of ninth week during Trinity Term. The ceremony starts at 11:30 am at the Sheldonian.  The procession passes through Radcliffe Square at 11:20 am.  

Even the police are a bit star struck with the distinguished recipients

On the morning of the ceremony, the Heads of Colleges, university dignitaries and the honorands assemble, in full academic dress, in one of the colleges near the Radcliffe Camera.  There they  enjoy Lord Crewe's benefaction of peaches, strawberries and champagne. They then walk in procession down Brasenose Lane through Radcliffe Square to the Sheldonian Theatre on Broad Street.

This year's honorands were: 

 1. Professor Sir Richard Evans, Regius Professor of History emeritus and President of Wolfson College, University of Cambridge. He is best known for his work on the modern history of Germany. 

 2. Dame Hilary Mantel, novelist, the author of fourteen books, including Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies. 

3. Professor Ruth Simmons, former President of Brown University from 2001 to 2012, and continues there as Professor of Comparative Literature and Africana Studies. 

4. Professor Dame Ann Dowling, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cambridge, and President of the Royal Academy of Engineering. 

5. Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub, OM, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London. 

6. Jessye Norman, operatic soprano and recitalist who has performed around the world.  She was not able to attend this year.

Professor Wallace Broecker was also be awarded an honorary degree. Professor Broecker was due to receive the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, last year, but was unable to attend the ceremony.

The post ceremony luncheon was held in the library at All Soul's College

The Garden Party was held at Wadham College in the fellow's garden and hosted by Vice Chancellor Andrew Hamilton and his wonderful wife Jenny.

Recipe for Strawberry and Cream: 

Ingredients: 

Strawberries
sugar
Cream

Wash and remove the top of strawberries.  Serve strawberries in bowls at room temperature.  Sprinkle some sugar  on top and cover with fresh cream. Enjoy!

Beating of the Bounds, Oxford 2015

Through out the year Oxford celebrates all kinds of eccentric traditions that are centuries old, strange, and delightful. Today was Ascension Day -- one of those unique and wonderful days that makes one shake one's head and say, "Only in Oxford!"   

Since medieval times, on Ascension day small parishes around England enact the annual “beating of the bounds” and mark their parish’s boundaries and jurisdiction. Only two Oxford churches now keep up the century-old custom, the City Church of St Michael-at-the-Northgate, and the University Church of St Mary the Virgin.  

I met up with a small group of women from the Oxford Newcomers group at St. Michael at North Gate for a lovely Ascension Day service and to "beat the bounds". After the service, we were given a long willow rods with which to beat the bounds.   We followed the wonderful Reverend Bob Wilkes throughout Oxford as told us a bit about the history of the marker and area and he marked each surviving parish boundary stones and parish marker with chalk. We in turn beat the marker and shouted "Mark, Mark, Mark!" 

When we passed through Brasenose College, we were served hot tea an coffee with brownies and cake in the great hall.  At that point we were all rather damp from the pouring rain and it was a delightful break. After  marking 29 boundary markers in about 2 hours, we ended up at Lincoln College and we were served a delicious lunch in their great Hall. 

After lunch there were two more century-old tradition to watch:

1: The door between Brasenose and Lincoln College was opened for 10 minutes -- the only time in the year when the door is open. Students from Brasenose were welcomed at Lincoln and offered ivy beer.

2.  The Hot Penny Toss. Since the middle ages, the heads of the colleges would invite the children of Oxford to come to the Lincoln Quad.  They would then toss scalding hot pennies from the Lincoln College Tower and if the children scampered to pick up the pennies, their fingers would get burned. This was supposed to teach them that greed was not good and would burn you.

Today, pennies are still tossed from the tower but they are no longer heated. Young students from Combe School scampered to gather as many as they could all-the-while squealing as they were being pelted with pennies from the height of the tower.   It was a sight to behold and a memorable ending to a delightfully eccentric day in Oxford.

Women from the Newcomers Club with their willow sticks

 Walking down Cornmarket Street with Vicar Wilkes

The first boundary marker was on the wall by Boots.  You can see the marking from last year, "SMNG 2014"  which means St. Michael North Gate 2014.

 One of the most meaningful parts of the tradition were the short prayers offered at the various markings, giving thanks for and asking for blessing upon Oxford and the people who live and work here. 

 

 One of the stone markings

 Bonn Square

 St. Peter's College

 One of the markers in on the side of the Clarendon building 

 

Brasenose College

 Lunch at Lincoln College

 Lincoln Great Hall with students from Combe School

The Hot Penny toss

 Students from Brasenose at Lincoln Quad watching the penny toss and drinking ivy beer

The Route we followed:

• From St Michael’s Church down the west side of Cornmarket to the boundary stone on the wall of Boots 

• Across Cornmarket to the Clarendon Centre, through Zara to St Peter’s College

• Along the city wall behind the Old Boys’ High School, then beside O’Neill’s side passageway in New Inn Hall Street to George Street

• Along George Street and Broad Street, and then down Catte Street to Brasenose College

• Across the High and down King Edward Street and along Blue Boar Lane and into the back of the Town Hall

• Across St Aldate’s and along Pembroke Street and into Marks & Spencer via the back door to reach the above boundary stone

• Through Monsoon at 35 Queen Street and back into the Clarendon Centre, across Cornmarket, the City Tavern, and the covered market to lunch in Lincoln College.

More about the boundary stones and markers: 

http://www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/parish_marks/st_michael_boundary_markers.html 

More about Ascension Day at Oxford: 

http://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/about-brasenose/news/816-ascension-day-festivities

http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/9065629.Heaven_s_above_____it_s_Ascension_Day/

http://www.cherwell.org/sport/news/2013/05/09/students-celebrate-ascension-day

The End of Final Year Exams in Oxford

"Trashing" Oxford Style

Oxford is steeped in traditions and one of the more crazy and unusual tradition is that of "trashing" the final year students at the end of their exams.

Friends gather at the back of the Examination School on Merton Street armed with champagne, confetti,  silly string, flour, eggs, and glitter.

Upon leaving the Examination School, student are then bombarded by their waiting friends. 

At Oxford subfusc or formal academic dress is still worn. Students must wear their gown, cap, and white bow tie or black tie or black ribbon to take their exams. They also wear a carnation in their lapels: white for the first exam, pink thereafter, and red for the last of their final exams.

“Trashing” is a relatively new tradition -- it began about 25 years ago and traditionally involved throwing eggs, rotten fish, baked beans  and other  food at the graduating students.

By 2010 "trashing" was  a bit out of hand so the proctors at the examination school made new rules:  no rotten food, no eggs, no beans, ketchup, no fish, broken glass or excessive alcohol.

Now final year students spray one another with foam,  confetti, champagne and flour -- still a huge mess but at least no rotten food!

 Officially he University discourages the practice of trashing and many colleges have threatened fines and other sanctions for students caught engaged in the activity. That doesn't seem to deter most of the students though.   

It's now part of the rich tapestry of traditions that makes Oxford so unique.

.

Congratulations to the class of 2014!

To see more of the  shenanigans: Trashing Oxford Style

Encaenia -- The Venerable Wizard's Party

I made it back to Oxford this week just in time to attend the Encaenia -- the ceremony in which Oxford bestows honorary degrees on worthy recipients.

 Sometime mid-morning the Heads of Colleges, university dignitaries and the honorands gathered in their full academic dress, at one of the nearby colleges.  They then walked in formal procession to the Sheldonian Theatre. Since I was seated inside the Sheldonian, I missed the procession walk this year.

 The University dignitaries entered the theatre in procession; those who are to receive honorary degrees waited in the Divinity School where they signed their names in the Honorary Degrees Book. They were then escorted into the theatre by the Bedels, the folks with the large staffs.

The proceedings were opened by the Chancellor and each honorand was introduced by the Public Orator with a speech in Latin and admitted to his or her new degree by the Chancellor. This year's honorands included the playwright Tom Stoppard. 

 Also included were Honourable Andrew Li Kwok Nang, Dame Anne Owers, Professor Anthony Grafton, Professor Ingrid Daubechies, Baroness (Tanni) Grey-Thompson (one of Britain’s most successful Paralympic athletes), Mr Colin Smith, and Murray Perahi.

 Sir Tom Stoppard received his degree from the Chancellor.

 After the degrees were conferred, the Orator  delivered a very funny Creweian Oration (in English) on the events of the past year and in commemoration of the University's benefactors. This year (being an alternate year) the Professor of Poetry delivered the second part of this speech and it too was very witty.  Then everyone was off to the garden party...

 ....what I call the Venerable Wizard's Party, or Dress-up Day at Oxford.

 Case in point!

 My favorite wizard wore his Stanford robe.

 The party was held this year at Trinity College and the grounds were absolutely lovely. Tea, strawberries and cream, and small sandwiches were served, along with champagne and lemonade.

 I know the caps and gowns are supposed to make one look dignified and accomplished but who thought of a lamp shade  for a hat? 

 I used to think that J.K. Rowling was so creative and clever as she described the young wizards in training at Hogwarts.  Now I know that much of what she described came from what she saw at  Oxford and Cambridge.

Clayton and Christine Christensen and family (Anne, Kate and Mike) attended the garden party with us. It was such an honor to spend the afternoon with them!  Even Clayton got in on the act and wore his Harvard robe while Kate sported a lovely hat.

If you go down in the woods today you're sure of a big surprise
If you go down in the woods today you'd better go in disguise
For every Wizard that ever there was will gather there for certain
Because today's the day the Oxford Wizards have their picnic