Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-13
HarbarIsm in English schools.

The ingrained brutality and sayagery of the
English character is nowhere more conspicuous
than in the great public schools, not public
schools in our sense of the term. that is, sup
ported by the town or state and free to all, but
great foundations, established by the generosity
of some possessor of riches aud lover of learning
centuries ago, and public in the sense that they
are permanent institutions, not managed for pri-
yatsvs4foft. For the same reasons and with
ab$ut the same proprety, Yale and Harvard col
NBges and the technical school in this city might
<be called public institutions. Readers of En-.
glsh books, and especially of some novelists,
Thackeray for example, know something
OF the curious and by no means admir-
able system of Tagging" Tom Hughes
delightful "School Days at Rugby" shows it in
some of its best as well as its worse aspects
The discipline of the school is to some extent
entrusted to the older scholars, and they have
not very well defined but extensive authority
over the younger boys, of whom they require
the performance of all sorts Of mental service,
Furnishing disobedience or any show of disre-
speet at their discretion, and often with extreme
severity and cruelty. This authority is some
times, perhaps generally, used fairly and rea-
sonably enough, but in mean and cruel hands,
and there are not few such among English
school boys, it becomes most memorable and
cxasperating tyranny.
This odius system has retained apparently
more of It's ancient yigor at Winchester than at
the other schools, although it is bad enough at
all Of them, and late occurrence there has pro-
voked avery free discussion of the matter in the
London newspapers The case is admitted to be
pretty bad one, not only IN the severity of the
punishment inflicted, but in the want of any
adequate cause for it. The victim was boy in
the senior division of the fifth hook, J" that is to
say, in the class next to the highest and
by virtue of his standing in the
school regarded himself as free from
hoggmg, or Sweating" as it is there
called. The senior "prefect" as the boys of the
highest class are styled, required this boy to be
examined in the slang of the school, an utterly
useless exercise imposed for no other reason
but to crafty the "prelecrs" tyrannical DISPOSE
ton. The younger boy appealed to the head
master, who decided that it was cease of disci-
pline," to be left wholly to the discretion of the
projects. So the fifth book" boy had 10 take
for the henious crime Of daring to dispute the
authority of his petty tyrant.
At Winchester il seems that such process is
called funding" and is administered with an
instrument called in the slang of the school
ground ASH described by one who is familiar
with it as an ash stick three or four feet long,
and tough whalebone from the seasoning it
receives. The same authority describes the
punishment as follows:
Fifteen cuts from such weapon will leave
the shoulders-u is given across the shoulder
hlades-so sore that the strongest boy will not
be a0le TO bear the hand passed roughly over
the injured parts for at least week after with
out ilnchlng. Now, this boy who am writing
to you about received thirty cuts. What state
he must have been in ! shudder TO think Of
and should think that four ground-asheS must
have been broken across his shoulders, if not
more"
An account of this case was published in one
OF the London papers, and straigltway dozeus
Of correspondents appeared in defense or con-
demnatiou Of the practice. The apologists were
all former Winchester scholars, whom a kind Of
ateetionate loyalty TO old associations moved to
defend the school where they had been trained.
These men took pleasure in telling how many
tunes they had been logged, how well they de-
served it, and how much better they were for it.
Some Of them, if their memory is to be trusted,
rather enjoyed having ash sticks broken over
their backs, and firmly believe to this day that
there is nothing more wholesome for an English
boy than to break such sticks actively or pas
slyely, according as he happens at the time to
DC senior or junior boy.
For those who really like it, and feel them
selves the better for it, perhaps "tunding" may
be well enough, although something might be
said in favor of training them to a higher stand
ard OF physical enjoyment and moral culture:
but for the boys who haze tyranny and cruelty,
who shrink from infctng or suffering needless
pain, we are glad to see that even in England
somebody can speak and denounce these brutal
and degrading practices as they deserve. Many
writers in the Times and other London Journals
nauate barbanties at Winchester and other
schools not less wantOn than that which Occa-
stoned the controversy, ana the subject
was made the staple Of newspaper
discussion for some days. Public sOpinion, as
indicated by the press, set strongly against this
cruelty and the system which loerates and en-
coofagesit. Even the head master Of Winches.
Nf' Dr. Kidding, was forced TO an explanation
III Tue Times, in which he promised that the
governing body of the school would inquire
inlly INTO the case aud consider the regulations
VI TUG 'upJeet bat he did not express ady re-
gret Or any dissatisfaction with the system,
Both in this country aud in Eurone The ,,os-
emf season is time Of terrible disasters invol,.
ing loss Of life and properly and ineredibie
suffering The great calamites ON this side oe
the Atlantic seem 10 have been due to lack or
human skill, care and foresight, but in Eurone
TO the Irresistible force Of the elements. HE
Boston Gre, the wreck Of thes steamers Of
tne faelne Mail company, the railroad disasters
o. the last few weeks, aud the fearful sacrifice
o. iis ny me Dire 10 The Fifth Avenue hotel. were
al P'shenlloie' Or could At least have been
i,'''i'so y lhef extent and deprived Of most Of
ulelf power for mischief by the use Of pre.
cautions, which every one can now ,ugaes,