COLLEGE (Fr. colh'llc, Lat. eollcgium, as sembly. from contort, associate. from con-, with legarc, to send on an embassy, from lex, law, connected with lt ['ere, AS. Hearin, (:er. Herrn, Engl. lie, GI:. Nexos, itch's, couch). In its early Roman use, 'college' signified any association of persons having a common purpose or performing a specific function. In sonic respects it was synonymous with corpus, a corporation or body of members, with unirersitas, a whole as con trasted with its parts, and with soeictas, a part nership. The Roman college was required to be incorporated by public authority, could possess common property, and could sue or be sued in the name of its manager. "Many of these col leges were mercantile in character or were organ izations of artisans similar to the guilds; but there were others having religious or political objects, such as the college of augurs, pontiffs, etc. In modern usage the term has similar applications, as college of cardinals, col lege of bishops, college of presidential electors, etc. It is also, especially in Great Britain, ap plied to associations of scientific or literary pur poses, such as College of Physicians, College of Surgeons. College of Heraldry.
In educational usage the term 'college' com monly indicates a stage of instruction inter mediate between the high school or preparatory school and the university; hot there are some noteworthy exceptions, especially the College de France in Paris. The word 'college' in this sense is nearly equivalent to lycee and gymnasium. The early colleges grew out of the monastic care of the indigent, sick, and feeble, and were at first, in connection with hospitia, established by the various orders. In 1180 a foundation for
eighteen 'scholar-clerks' was made hi the 'Hospi tal of the Blessed Mary of Paris.' commonly known as the Hotel-Dieu. Other foundations devoted solely to this purpose soon followed. During the same period it was customary for groups of students to organize for the purpose of renting rooms, providing hoard. etc. Such organizations were self-governing, though ordi narily, and soon by compulsion, their governors were masters in the university. Sometimes, too, as at Bologna, alien needy students had national boarding-houses under this name, as the College of Spain, etc. Under the influence of the men dicant orders and the example of Robert de So• bonne, who about 125,5 founded the college which bears his name for students who land already taken the earlier degree, colleges became more numerous, assumed the teaching function within their own walls, and tended to become coex tensive with the university. In time, both in Paris and in the English; universities. every mem ber of the university had to attach himself to some college. and every person admitted to a college had to matriculate at the nniversitv. In this way the colleges became the constituent members of the university, supportin,g not only the students and fellows, lint the professors as well. For a more detailed account, see CAM