Timesquare – the Blackstone chair
Becky at The Life of B has a new square picture challenge for December – #timesquare. Follow the link for guidance if you have a timely contribution. As for me, I don’t have time to take part every day (well, it’s already on Day 7) but I’ll pop in when I have a minute to spare.
Last night, we attended an evening event for Glasgow University staff in the Hunterian Museum. On the way out, I spotted the Blackstone Chair. (Forgive the fuzzy photos – the light was poor and I’d had prosecco.) Can you believe that until the mid-19th century, all examinations took place orally on this chair? Your time was up when the sand ran through. Click on the gallery below for a full explanation.
The Blackstone Chair
The Blackstone Chair
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Oral examinations are still a key part of the PhD defence here. However, they are not rigidly timed and usually take around two hours.
Jude
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PhD students have vivas here too. Imagine if every undergraduate had to be examined that way! Universities would grind to a halt 😀 How times change (fortunately).
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