7 ms·
> Around 30 townsfolk were killed, as were up to 63 members of the university. > Violent disagreements between townspeople and students had arisen several time
by akiselev 4y ago
> Around 30 townsfolk were killed, as were up to 63 members of the university.
> Violent disagreements between townspeople and students had arisen several times previously, and 12 of the 29 coroners' courts held in Oxford between 1297 and 1322 concerned murders by students. The University of Cambridge was established in 1209 by scholars who left Oxford following the lynching of two students by the town's citizens.
Man, college towns used to be so much more violent!
I never knew about the connection between a saint and the word/concept of scholastics, nor that a university as notable as Cambridge was started because the locals lynched students. That's pretty cool, TIL!
Edit: Sidenote, why does the graduation ceremony at Cambridge look like they're going to drown a witch? [1]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_and_gown#/media/File:Punting_cam_gown.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_and_gown#/media/File:Punt...
- gigfkb 4y agoThat is not a photo of the graduation ceremony. It shows a student punting. He is wearing the gown needed for the ceremony.
- edgineer 4y agoI had to look up "punting." It means boating in a punt (which is a small boat).
- spatulon 4y agoImportantly, the punt is propelled by having someone stand at the back and push a pole against the river bed. It's popular with students and tourists in both Oxford and Cambridge, although the two cities disagree over which end of a punt is the back.
- RRWagner 4y agoAnd why do we recognize graduates of higher education in the 21st century by making them wear clothes from 500 years ago?? I know "why" but somehow it would be more forward-looking if they were even wearing Starfleet uniforms.
- akiselev 4y agoI'm guessing for one of the same reasons they were used originally. From that town and gown wiki article [1]: > The gown also served as a social symbol, as it was impractical for physical manual work. The gowns symbolize that graduates are now above physical manual labor and are destined for greater things (Starbucks barista) [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_and_gown https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_and_gown
- thinkingemote 4y agoI wonder what today's version of the gown would be. Something that would be impractical for both service work (barista) and brain work (prompt engineer). Maybe ski gloves or a sling or maybe a respirator with sunglasses.
- williamdclt 4y agoSimply a suit and tie, maybe?
- jrumbut 4y agoI think it's so important to keep universities connected to the tradition they arose out of in small ways like a gown. It's amazing, when you read the history, how much of today's discourse about the value of a university education, the conduct of students, and the antagonism between university faculty and intellectuals who exist outside the walls of the university is a replay of stuff that happened in the 14th century and every century in between.
- barry-cotter 4y agoSome people believe that things from the past have value, and that continuing traditions is good in itself, providing a sense of meaning and community.
- aaron695 4y ago[dead]
- 4y ago
- simonh 4y agoNot just college towns. Schools also. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1797_Rugby_School_rebellion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1797_Rugby_School_rebellion
- DeathArrow 4y ago>Man, college towns used to be so much more violent! I was expecting they riot on diversity grounds, not for such prosaic reasons. Those ancient students were so little politically and morally evolved!
- pjc50 4y agoOxbridge has never been especially diverse or progressive; there were riots against the admission of women: https://www.varsity.co.uk/features/15985 https://www.varsity.co.uk/features/15985 By 1988 this had diminished to resentful grumbling from Magdalene. (I'm not sure if there's even a UK counterpart to "absurdly progressive US university that gets mentioned by conservative culture war campaigners" all the time?)
- DubiousPusher 4y agoLoL, which one? Probably Evergreen State College in Washington or UC Berkeley? These are like catnip for conservative pundits.