Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-11-26
Che family Cirele.
Blue Coat Bows.

Blue Coat Boys.
The blue coat boys were not United
States soldiers in uniform, not any soldiers
in uniform, but boys of all ages between
seven and fifteen, and this was the uniform
they wore-a blue coat or tunic, bright
yellow petticoat, yellow stockings, red
leathern girdle about the waist, white
cravat about the neck, and on the head "a
little round, black WOODEN cap.
How many of these boys were there
where did they live? why did they wear
so strange dress? They lived in London,
about hundred years ago, dozens upon
dozens of them they were all members of
a school known as Christ's Hospital "a
strange name for a school, and their pecu-
liar dress was the REGULAR school uniform
they were charity scholars, brought from
poor and respectable homes, to receive as
good advantages as England could give
even to her wea!thest sons, and to be fitted
for entrance into the highest universities OF
the land The school still exists in Lon
don, and blue coat boys may be seen there
to-day, but those Of whom | am going to
tell you belonged TO the old time.
The little seven year-old boy, fresh from
the home love and petting, here found
himself surrounded by a multitude of
strange faces, numbering five and six hum
dred, sometimes as many as oight hundred.
How awkward it must have seemed to him
at first, when the familiar garments which
mothers hands had made must be laid
aside and the quaint school garb assumed
| can fancy such one, going over the
great building for the first time, accompa-
MED by an older scholar, who would ex
plain to him the wonders of the place.
Then be would he told how, after the
monks had been suppressed, the boy-king,
Edward VI. (whose memory all little stu
dents of English history learn to love-,
had, just few months before his death,
established in those extensive old build
ings, this school for boys he would have
his attention drawn to the brass medal
like buckle which fastened his red leathern
girdie and the boy face on it would al
ways thereafter be associated in his mind
with Edward VI, whom it was intended
to represent He would be taught to dis
tinguish the monitors by their badge.
Guess what this monitors badge was You
never will SO give it up, and | will tell
you. 1t was and still is superior sort of
shoe strang!
Had these blue coat boys any holidays
Yes; there was Christmas, when they
dubbed their funds together and bought
such refreshments as their means would
allow, when even the penniless ones came
in for share Of the good things, as they
sat around the ire and told stories then
on Christmas night, when the little ones
had retired at their usual hour, seven
o'clock, the monitors and older BOYS went
through the halls and bed rooms, singing
their Christmas carols, until, as one of
their number wrote years alterward, when
he was no longer boy" | seemed to be
transported to Bethlehem, and to hear the
voices Of the angel as they sang to the
Shepherds"
There was Easter, when the whole
school marched in solemn procession
through the streets of London, and were
received by the Lord Mayor in his stately
robes, who dispensed to each child cake,
wine and a shilling. That was red-letter
day, you may be sure. Then there were
several days preceding Good Friday, when
they supped in public" and any person
IN the city might come in to witness their
proceedings; not so very stately per
Torrance one would think, when he is told
that they ate from wooden trenchers and
the meal to which the public was invited
as spectators was simply neal Of bread
and cheese.
Lastly, there were the holidays known
among them as whole leave days, when
there were no studies and no dinner. This
suited admirably the boys who were within
walking distances of friends and parents,
but those who had no other retreat but the
school may well be excused if they longed
for night and supper. 1t was bright
enough at first; breakfast over they wan
dered to the famous bathing place, known
as the New River here they bathed and
swan, getting themselves appetites; then
they came out of the water and watched
the cattle feeding in the meadows, the
bees gathering their stores of sweets from
the flowers, the birds finding their supply
Of seeds and grubs all things around
had something to eat-the very sight
made them the hungrier. How long the
afternoons were; they looked in at the
bright shop windows, and then went to the
Tower, where was a famous menagerie,
and where they might watch the lions, for
the keeper of the menagerie understood
that the blue coat boys were always to be
admitted free Of charge. whenever they
applied for such favor, cannot think
those holidays without dinner were red
letter days.
Did they make much progress in their
studies =? Some of the brightest names in
English literature belonged to men, who in
their childhood, were blue coat boys. 1t
would be an interesting study for those of
you who have taste and leisure for these
things, to hunt up some of the names. Let
me give you few hints. One of them
became prominent English bishop. The
initials of three, who became famous as
poets and prose writer's. we're, G. L., S. T. /
c. and l.. M.-Mrs. Virginia C. .Phe6us,
IN st. Nicholas for Norewber.