AN OLD SCHOOL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9934, 24 August 1910, Page 2

AN OLD SCHOOL.

WIN CHESTER II ] STORY

The Earl of Selborne List month presided tit the Wykehamist anniversary dinner, an occasion which served to illustrate onco more the distinguishI od connection of his family with " the College of St Mary of Winchester." I Though Winchester in its later years gave! England two other Lord Chancellors, Lord C'ottenham and Lord Hat-her-ley, there can be no doubt that the name of the first Lord Selborne is one of the most famous in its annals. It is, moreover, the late Bishop of Southwell, Dr Ridding, who married Lady Laura Palmer, the eldest daughter of the first Lord Selborne, whom Winchester acclaims as its second founder. If all tales are true there was need enough for the reforming zeal of Dr Ridding. Though the wavs of Winchester in the early nineteenth century were thore which inspired Arnold for the renaissance of the English public schools which dates from his work at Rugby, tho Wykehamists of 1820, and for years later as well as earlier, seem to have had little reason to bo r atisfied. The first Lord Selborne has left it on record that tho "state of discipline was low, and the state or moral opinion 'and practice far from good." Somo years before there had been a rebellion against the headmaster which " was only quelled with the aid of a detachment frmp the Winchester garrison," and which'involved tho expulsion of another of Winchester's Lord Chancellors, Lord Hatherley. Perhaps there was of a tradition of revolt in the school, for in the "iffhteonth century the hovs had rebelled with "f"-ords and bludgeons" "nd driven Dr Wnrton to resign. The Winchester of 1820 was no' bed of roses. Tho commoners had no studies, and lived and moved and had their bein? in a In mo dining-ronm, not well lighted and " not for sweetness nqr cleanliness." Breakfast was an hour too late for comfort, dinner an hour too sonn, and the food was with verv " disagreeable accessories." But the boys, as is tho wav "f boys, were against improvement, The old svstem allowed them for breakfast a portion of bread, butter and milk. Everything else they had to prepare for themselves, the small boys fagging for their elders and betters. The headmaster. Dr Williams, resolved upon reform, and one morning the boys found themselves confronted with a breakfast-table properly laid and food decently prepared. Tbev were so indignant that they proceeded to break up tho crockery. Too curriculum, of course, was severely classical. While he was at Winchester, the first Lord Selborne I'ead the whole of Homer, Virgil and Horace twice over. Tho authors next in favour were Cicero, Livy and Juvenal. The school were also introduced to Pindai and -.'lvschyhis, Sophocles and Euripides. Learning bv heart was much encouraged, so that somo boys before .leaving could repeat the whole of the iEueid, and one prodigy at least was letter-perfect in the Iliad. It was lelt for Dr XRidding's reform to temper this monstrous deal of Latin and Greek, with a modicum of French, mathematics and science. But it is the ancient records of Winchester that are of most' interest to those who are not Wykehamists. It seems to be established that the ultimate cause of its foundation was the plaguo of the Black Death which devastated England in the fourteenth century. That made such gaps in the ™" ks , of tll( > clergy that William of \Yykenani determined to provide institutions which should train reinforcements. New Collego was established for that purpose, and for the education of boys who were to proceed to New College, ho founded Winchester. The buildings wore completed and opened before the end of the fourteenth century, and Winchester claims the honour of being the first of English schools. It is worth noting that its warden and ten fellows were designed to represent the oleven faithf"' Apostles, its seventy scholars tho seventy disciples. Of school life in those far-oir times we know little, but it is probable that the elaborate record of a day's work in 1050 faithfully represents the customs of at least & coutury earlier. At five in the morning the bell sounded a first peal, aiul to the prefect's cry of " SurS it°"J'!, G G et up the h °y s scurried, often half-dressed, to their class to sing a >. ' n nin * Afterwards they swept chambers, brushed their hair, washed faces and hands (no more), made their beds, and scurried to chapel. At six the small bell "called to the muses," that is, to lessons. Not till nine did they get any breakfast. Three hours more lessons prepared them for a dinner of beet and ale. More lessons again, and at half-past- three they were allowed " lie vers," more ale, with, we may hope, some bread. Prayers at fivo, supper at six, chapel at eight, filled up the rest of the day. On several days in the week there were not so many lessons, but some kind of compulsory games. We have a moving reference to " the bloody day of Friday," so called because "if you have sinned during the week, oil that day you {:uft'er cruel pain." A week's bill of fare preserved from the eighteenth century shows what the ykehamist had to live on for many a year. It is worth setting out in full prices and all, ior the edification of nervous mothers and greedy small boys. We ought to note that before the eighteenth century Mas over it was reformed to the extent of breakino- tho' appalling fast which left the boys" half starved for two days, from Thursday night till Sunday morning. WINCHESTER DIET. Cost. Sunday Morning Beef broth . . Noon Roast mutton and beef . . oa Night Boi ed mutton , and broth . o Monday Morning Beef broth . Noon Boiled beef, cold or sodden . 1J Night Boiled ' mutton and broth . 2 Tuesday . Morning Beef broth . . Noon Boiled beef, 'cold' or sodden . 1* Night Boiled mutton , and broth . 2 Wednesday Morning Beef broth . ■ Noon Boiled beet, cold' or sodden . lj Night Boiled mutton and broth . 2 Thursday Morning- Beef »broth . . Noon Bcilcd beef, cold or sodden . H Night Boiled mutton and broth . 2 Friday Morning Nothing , . Noon Cheese and butter 1 Night Nothing . . Saturday Morning Nothing .. j _■ Noon Cheese and butter 1 Niaht Baked pudding made with water 1J Thus tho total cost of 'keeping a boy for a week was brought down to Is 9|d. It is to be admitted that this does not include the beer. Three pints a day were considered a fair allowance for a boy. The chaplains had three quarts or something more. The mere mention of such things is enough to drive our scientific food reformers into hysterics. But such was the way of lifo in the brave days of old. It seems to have turned out capable men. Perhaps the most interesting fact about this eighteenth century programme is that its faro of unvarying sodden beef and mutton and beer is what Englishmen lived oil for a thousand years? There was hardly a change from the day of Alfred to the day of Dr Johnson. "Tho whole of tho reforms which have brought the modern very varied dietary are of the last centnrv and a half.