1) What are students “sconced” [штрафовать] for?

In the old days when Colleges were religious institutions the students were clergymen [священник], and their life was much more strict and disciplined than now. Friendship with young ladies was not allowed and the only women inside the college were washerwomen. The legend is that these had to be “old and ugly”.

The students eat their meals in the College dining-hall. At some Colleges there is an interesting tradition. It is known as “sconcing” [наложение штрафа на студентов за нарушение правил]. If a student comes late to dinner or he is not correctly dressed, or if he breaks one of the laws of behavior, then the senior student orders him to be “sconced”. A large silver cup, known as «sconce cup», filled with beer is brought and placed in front of him and he must drink it in one attempt without taking the cup from his lips (it holds two and a half pints, or 1,5 liters). If he can do it, then the senior student pays for it, if not, the cup is passed round and the student who has been “sconced” must pay for it.