Over his first term at Oxford, in the fall of 1905, Charlie shared a little about his academic experiences and how things worked at St. John’s College. His main emphasis is a great desire to qualify to try for the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.).
I’ve gotten started a little on lectures and have one or two remarkably good men. They outline an enormous amount of reading for a fellow to do. [10/19/05]
Unlike our colleges, Oxford students didn’t have classes, they attended about 3 lectures a week, and they had individual instruction and assignments from several tutors. Students typically spent the rest of their study time doing their reading and writing assignments. And though Charlie showed plenty of maturity and seriousness, Oxford was set up for raucous undergraduates—they each were assigned a “morals tutor” as well.
Went to tea yesterday P.M. at the home of my morals tutor so called i.e. I don’t have any work under him but he sort of looks after my welfare. I have to get permission from him among other numerous officials if I want to do anything the least bit out of the ordinary. Have a session with the law tutor tonight at 8. He has me write out papers on the work I’ve been over and criticizes it pretty severely and then asks questions awhile. [10/30/05]
I skipped a lecture today and have been having to write it up tonight. Makes no dif. if you cut so you have some one to get the notes from. Take down verbatim usually. [10/30/05]
Oxford students had a volume of work assigned them towards overall progress for exams and their degree. They worked on it during as well as between terms. Charlie ultimately took about 500 pages of Roman Law, in Latin, to translate during his winter break.
This term is over half gone already. I readily see where one has to work in vacs. alright. [11/12/05]
Charlie was keenly interested in taking the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.). He and a number of other American Rhodes Scholars pushed for the right to take this degree—it better fit their aspirations for law careers back in the States.
I’m finding out more about this B.C.L. every day. For one thing, it’s supposed to take from 4 to 7 years, and its the hardest exam to pass in Oxford. A man with an Oxf. A.B. who takes it gets his M.A. thrown in at the same time as a sort of compliment. Besides they are sore at so many Americans trying for it and my tutor tells me that it will increase in stiffness every year on that account. Last year of 10 who tried 7 got through and the year before 3 out of 18. So you see what we are “up against”. [11/19/05]
I’d like mighty well to take a degree from here but even if I can’t am sure I like the work for the B.C.L. rather better than any of the other schools and so shall not feel so terribly sat upon even if they shouldn’t give me that degree. Can tell a lot more about it in the spring tho for one or two of the Americans who had had a good deal of law school work before they came and have been working pretty steadily since. If they get through there will be some hope for the rest of us. [11/19/05]
The dons here are quite hospitable. I was out to breakfast with two of them last week. [11/26/05]
“Dons” referred then as it does now to the professors, lecturers, and tutors in the Oxford colleges.
I’m gathering up my papers etc. to apply for B.C.L. this morning. Shan’t know for anywhere from a week to 3 months whether I’m admitted or not, but as there is £5 entrance fee and the degree if one takes it costs about 10 more it looks like a good proposition for them to let me have. Certainly hope they do.[about 12/04/05]
At the end of term at St. John’s they have Collections i.e. everyone alone has to go up and take a chair on one side of a table on the other side of which are the [?] and Dons and then they ask any questions they see fit and say what they please about you, discuss your misdeeds etc. They let me off easy this time tho. I’d been admitted to B.C.L. The day before and I guess they thought that was about enough. [12/10/05]
I’m mighty glad I got that B.C.L. Lets me out of scripture exam and all preliminary exams. Means no Greek and only 500 pages of Latin from now. Am going to try to get over that Latin this vac. too. [12/10/05]
Also I have forgotten whether I said I have been admitted to B.C.L. Means that I get out of a lot of work but get into a great deal more. Stuff I’d rather do tho. The other fellows put in 1 hr. per day on Greek Bible that I don’t have. [ca 12/15/05]
Am going to start ‘06 right anyhow by grinding out a big lot of Latin to make up for what I lost out on Fri. & Sat. As for that B.C.L. I think I’ll try for it in June ‘07 and if I fall down then will still have another chance. [12/31/05]
Aside from these excerpts, Charlie’s letters home focused far more on sports, daily life, and observations of England. More on all that to come…
