These exercises were, besides an oration usually made by the President, orations both salutatory and valedictory, made by some or other of the commencers.—­Mather’s Magnalia, B. IV. p. 128.

The Corporation with the Tutors shall visit the chambers of the commencers to see that this law be well observed.—­Peirce’s Hist.  Harv.  Univ., App., p. 137.

Thirty commencers, besides Mr. Rogers, &c.—­Ibid., App., p. 150.

COMMERS.  In the German universities, a party of students assembled for the purpose of making an excursion to some place in the country for a day’s jollification.  On such an occasion, the students usually go “in a long train of carriages with outriders”; generally, a festive gathering of the students.—­Howitt’s Student Life of Germany, Am. ed., p. 56; see also Chap.  XVI.

COMMISSARY.  In the University of Cambridge, Eng., an officer under the Chancellor, and appointed by him, who holds a court of record for all privileged persons and scholars under the degree of M.A.  In this court, all causes are tried and determined by the civil and statute law, and by the custom of the University.—­Cam.  Cal.

COMMON.  To board together; to eat at a table in common.

COMMONER.  A student of the second rank in the University of Oxford, Eng., who is not dependent on the foundation for support, but pays for his board or commons, together with all other charges.  Corresponds to a PENSIONER at Cambridge.  See GENTLEMAN COMMONER.

2.  One who boards in commons.

In all cases where those who do damage to the table furniture, or in the steward’s kitchen, cannot be detected, the amount shall be charged to the commoners.—­Laws Union Coll., 1807, p. 34.

The steward shall keep an accurate list of the commoners.—­Ibid., 1807, p. 34.

COMMON ROOM.  The room to which all the members of the college have access.  There is sometimes one common room for graduates, and another for undergraduates.—­Crabb’s Tech.  Dict.

  Oh, could the days once more but come,
  When calm I smoak’d in common room.
    The Student, Oxf. and Cam., 1750, Vol.  I. p. 237.

COMMONS. Food provided at a common table, as in colleges, where many persons eat at the same table, or in the same hall.—­Webster.

Commons were introduced into Harvard College at its first establishment, in the year 1636, in imitation of the English universities, and from that time until the year 1849, when they were abolished, seem to have been a never-failing source of uneasiness and disturbance.  While the infant College with the title only of “school,” was under the superintendence of Mr. Nathaniel Eaton, its first “master,” the badness of commons was one of the principal causes of complaint.  “At no subsequent period of the College history,”