Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-23

They wear jackets and knee breeches of dark
brown cloth, long yellow stockings (exactly
the color OF mustard) and low Shoes Over all
| Is long-tailed blue coat the skirts of which
reach learly to the ankles. This is held at the
waist by leather belt or strap. At the neck
are worn lawn or linen bands similar to those
| worn by Episcopal clergymen. and to add to
their remarkable appearance they wear never
| cap On their head. They are allowed to carry
! a small cap IN their pockets. but they never BY
| any chance put them on even when they scat
! ter to their homes for the holidays. They are
| proud OF their costume and no doubt glory in
| their uncovered polls. There are LOO boys in
| this old foundation, $50 of them being
at an auxiliary school in HEREFORD, about
twenty miles from London, from which
the ranks Of the London school are re-
| crulted. Here have been educated some
of England's famous men-Charles Lamb.
| Samuel Coleridge (still called the 'insplred
charity boy" from his having been a pupil
| here) and Leigh Hunt. As we looked at that
crowd OF n odern boys tucking their long coat
tails under their leather belts SO that they
could kick the foot ball better we knew that
| among them must be some of England's future
great men. whose fame may yet fill the world
The school was originally intended for
charity institution. but many well-to-do citi-
zens are glad Of the opportunity of having
| their sons educated there. Old London is
| allowed to be represented by only eleven
pupils. but probably the homes Of the majority
are in the London OF today. They are allowed
| to go home twice a week, but always wear the
| school uniform. Some OF the little fellows we
saw seemed almost too young to be deprived of
parents care. The entering age is from eight
to ten years and the course if completed. fits
the pupils for the university. The blue coats
| are as bright-faced. intelligent looking and
well hammered a lot of boys as one would wish
to look upon.
THE REFEcToRY
is an immense room containing sixteen long
narrow oak tables on each side of which is a
crude settle. The tables and benches both
bear witness to the unconquerable boys habit
OF cutting their names, notwithstanding the
hardness OF the wood Each ward has its own
able, with a matron to do the carving. At the
tead of each table hangs muslin bag contain
b the bread board, carving knife and crumb
thrush. The matrons attend to the distribution
bot the food only. All the table service is at
tended to by the boys themselves. At the meal
hour the boys troop in to the refectory, one
bearing the CLOTH another the bread, another
the mugs, and SO on, each having his appointed
task, and they have the table ready In jiffy
At the conclusion of the meal the table is
cleared as quickly as it was laid.
MANY OF THE QUAINT CUSTOMS
OF olden times survive in this school, one Of
them being the visits of the lord mayor during
Lent. The boys lay their own tables in the hall
or di ming room. Then enters the lord mayor,
who sits at the top of the room, and other
visitors admitted by tickets issued by the va
rious governors of the school After the
singing OF hymn, accompanied by the organ
IN the gallery, Grecian Zone of the advanced
puplis) takes his place in queer little pulpit
| at one side OF the hall and reads prayers. After
prayers the boys begin their meal while the
visitors walk up and down the alleys between
the long tables. When the meal is finished the
visitors return to their seats, the boys take up
the baskets, bowls, bread platters and candle
| sticks and lastly fold the table cloths Then
the 700 boys pass in procession before
the lord mayor, "toeng the mark
strip of brass inserted in the
aoor-and bowling profoundly then retire.
Once year all the boys 60 to the Mansion
house according to ancient custom. The lord
mayor then presents each Grecian with a SOW
erelgn, each sub-Grecian with half-sovereign
| and the younger boys each with a new shilling,
hours certain wards are allowed to have hot
baths. The numbers of the wards which are
| accorded the bath privilege are marked in
chalk on the main door, SO that all know when
their turn comes.
The swimming pool adjoins the bath rooms.
and splendid one 1t is It is about 2l0 feet
by 20 feet and about feet 8 inces deep at the
deepest end. 1t is tile paved and the water is
clear as crystal. triangular piece of metal
sunk in the bottom at the deepest end marks
the conjunction of three famous parishes.
The boys have no dressing rooms, but the
pool Is surrounded with doorless stalls with
benches Just wide enough for q small boy to sit
upon and remove his clothes, which are hung
on hook above. From these stalls the pool is
reached by step and plunge.
THE DoRMIToRIEs
are divided into wards. Each ward is q large.
fairly well-lighted room, beautifully neat and
orderly. Every boy has his own little cot with
G. II. in big letters on the cover lid At the
foot Of the cot is box for school books The
clothes are kept in wardrobes in other rooms,
A bright fire burns in CRATE at the entrance
end of each room. On one side is q desk for
the monitor and In front of the fire is q long
table with pen and ink at which the boys may
do their writing or reading. These comfort
able rooms present o strong contrast to the
stone-paved corridors and dining hall, which
are cold and cheerless. 1t Is but a step from
these monastic-like corridors to the rush and
roar Of old Newgate street, and one wonders at
the great contrast a. he passes out through the
archway and under the presiding statue of
King Edward VI. R.K.
Mr.. Cambridge-"Miss Lakeside, have you
aa1 3 L..