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Senior orations

 Collection
Identifier: UA283

Biographical/Historical note

The senior oration was for decades a prominent feature of the commencement ceremony. The guidelines for the first University of Rochester graduating class in 1851 established that the oration would first be critiqued by the faculty two weeks prior to graduation. They should be no more than ten minutes in length and in English, with the exception of a few students who would speak Greek. By 1867, however, orations in Greek and Latin were discontinued.

As the century progressed, the oratory tradition came under increasing scrutiny. In the late 1880s a group of students petitioned the Board of Trustees for the orations to be abolished on the grounds that the ramblings of "sixteen embryonic Websters" was overly tiresome. Their request was denied but a need to brighten up commencement had been voiced. By the twentieth century the growth in class size had limited orations to only a select few exemplary scholars. Many students opted instead to do a senior essay.

Scope and Contents note

The Senior Orations held by the University Archives run from 1868 to 1877. The collection also contains several senior essays from 1913 and 1914 by female students, who were first admitted to the University of Rochester in 1900.

Creator

Dates

  • Creation: 1868-1877
  • Creation: 1913-1914

Language of Materials

English

Extent

0.93 cubic feet (3 containers)

Restrictions on Access

For access to this collection, please contact the University of Rochester Archives (archives@library.rochester.edu) at least two business days prior to your planned visit.

Please note: Some materials may be restricted or require permission for use.

Restrictions on Use

To request reproductions or permission to publish materials from the collection, please contact the University of Rochester Archives (archives@library.rochester.edu). Researchers may be responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], Senior Orations, UA283, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Title
Senior orations
Author
Finding aid prepared by Rare Books and Special Collections staff
Date
undated
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Library Details

Part of the University of Rochester Archives Library

Contact:
Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation
River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester
500 Joseph C. Wilson Blvd.
Rochester New York 14627-0055 USA