Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-22
At FAMOUS RUGBY.
Edgar L. Wakeman Visits the Town
known Throughout the World
for Its Great School.
ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
How the Institution Was Founded and the
Broad Principles Adopted in
Its Government.
TIE WORK OF KINDLY DR.. ARNOLD.
ECw the Building Lccks ind the Sights That Delighted
Ton hughes Tem Brown.
ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
The WORK OF KINDLY DR.. ARNOLD.
Ecw the Building Lccks ind the Sights That Delighted
Ten hughes Ten Brown.
rcoRRLsroxpEScE OF THE p1srArcH.I

very heart OF England, and In the sunnlest OF
all its midland shires. closely surrounded
by scenes of the most romantic and historic
interest, stands the fine old town of Rugby.
ROche-berie from roche a rock or stone
quarry, and berie, court or habitation OF
note, you will see it called in King William S
Domesday Book; but in the Dictionaire
Celtique its photography became Rokeby,
from rue, river, and bye. a town, that is, a
river town, or town near or by stream,
which name prevailed for many centuries.
Its environment is historically remark
able. 1t stands at what was once the edge OF
the great and historic forest of Arden which
lay between the banks of the Avon, Trent and
Severn. In the seventeenth century the first
great battle between the kings and the par
Gamentary forces was fought at Edge Hill, %
miles to the south, to which the lads of the
Rugby school often make excursions; and
distant from Edge Hill but SIX miles is
Banbury, of the cherished pursery-rhvme
memory, and to whose toothsome cheese
Shakespeare likened Falstaff, because of
his rat and rich habit. Not two miles away
from Rugby the Avon is enlarged by the
river Swift, memorable for having borne to
ocean wastes the ashes of Wickliffe, when
his bones were burned BY order of the coun-
cilIof Sienna,
The Old Romans Built It.
Quite as near is Waiting street, the most
stupendous OF the Roman works in Britain
and an S0-mile tramp will take YOU over it,
in the very track of the ancient legions, into
London. Not far away, in the adjoining
shire of Northampton, is Fotheringhay,
notably connected with the lives and fates
of princes, and famous and infamous as the
place of execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.
The grand old ruin of KeniIworth, with its
memories OF jousts, tournaments and revel-
ries Of Elizabeth, is but dozen miles to the
west. While but a summer-dav's walk
down the gently-fowing Avon is Stratford,
tomb and shrine of the worlds immortal
bard.
Rugby was never widely noted-for 1t had
founded no abbeys, built no cathedrals,
originated no pilgrlmages, and cut off the
head of no great prince-until one big
hearted, big-brained Englishman, Tom
Hughes. told or his boyish experiences in
TON Browns School Days at Rugby" in
such winsome way, that he drew the heart
OF every boy, young and old, 50 tenderly to
the brick quadrangle here that, in
reminiscence and affection, it has become
genuine shrine for any manly sort of fel-
own, throughout all Christendom.
Origin of the Famous School
Outside OF the fortuitous fame given
Rugby town and school by Tom Browns
School DAYS, the present great Importance
OF the school as an educational factor in
England had its origin in almost an acci-
dent. and its gr&ndest development in an
equally fortunate incident Its founder was
as fanatical old pudge as ever lived in
England. His uame was Laurence Sheriff
He was born of lowly parentase at Rugby,
and became an ordinary nimble-fisted green
grocer of the time in London, freuueutipp
the Rose Tavern and exciting religious
brawls while in his cups On one of these
occasions an equally Anticipated haberdash-
er whom Sheriff had incensea with his
maudlIn harangues about himself the Lord
and good layde Observation-Disclosures Queen
Bess-had the audacity to call Princess
Elizabeth "a Jill" On this monstrous
ofense Sheriff ran away as fast as his dumpy
legs could carry him; had an Information"
laid against the haberdasher be ore the
Bishop OF London; for which the witless
purveyor OF ancient iurbelows "got flap
with fox tail, " and Sheriff got his Iumin-
Gus name in Fox's Book of Martyrs.
This valiant grocer died in London in
156I, bequeathing mite of property in and
and near Rugby, and, originally, $3.50 in
money, the value of the total beouest at that
time not exceeding G4OO-for the purpose of
building "a fayre and convenient school
house" in the then village of Rugby. The
master was, IF 1t conveniently might be, TO
be ever Master of Arts" There was also
10 be d lodging for four almsmen.
How the Legacy Grew.
Out of this munificent bequest the trus-
tees were enabled, about 100 years later, in
1863 to solemnly decree payment to the
schoolmaster Of salary of e3 per quarter,
and 10 the almsmen gift OF shillings and
pence per quarter According to Green
Grocer Laurence Sher!f's "will and in
tent, " Rugby school would have remained
to this day precisely this manner
OF ha'peny charity. At the last moment
the wary old miser repented of wasting so
much money on grammar scholars and alms-
men, and, bv codicil, substituted in lien of
the grant Of $780, one-third of "a then
valueless acres of land belonging to him in
Middlesex. The field was an uusightlv
waste in the Conduit Close of Grav's Inn
Fields. Alter many years, mighty London
oyerran the spot; Conduit Fields became
one Of its most ariStocratic districts; the
present income from the property must ex-
coed &20, 900 per annum; aud this is how
Rugby School became one of the most
splendid, and undoubtedly the richest nom
sectarian bows schools in the world.
But better than Its accidental wealth was
Rugby's Incidental transformation from the
old system of hammering and bullying to
ore guided by intelligence of humanity. In
1928 along came demure and kindly-faced
man, whom the world now knows as the
famous DIR. Arnold. He became head
master of Rugby.
Methods of Dr. Arnold.
He was quiet, unassuming man, who. |
While he happened to embrace Christianity
and become a great scholar, seemed not to
have forgotten that portion of his life had |
been passed in boyhood and youthtime. He
fought great though silent battle at Rugby |
with the old feudal forms Of sneering dignity, |
LOFTY eEclusiveness and relentlesSness on the |
part oi unuer-masters, and with the de- |
tenders OF the bludgeon generally. He got |
together men who would teach languages |
and mathematics sin hours" and practice |
morality outside of them. He took the |
boarding nails away from venal wretches, |
sno put them In charge of under-masters
themselves, whom be compelled to make
homes OF the halls or resign,
Then be turned his attention IN the bovs
He told them plainly that their days of
fogging like wild beasts were mast He in
sisted that they were gentlemen, and should
he treated oy everyone connected with
Rugby School as such. He became one of
them, and made them know his trust in
them was absolute. ut you saw il ia so:
your word is quite enoughI" was his in
variable answer to the most preposterout
school-boy romance. II soon became |
positive crime at Rugby to lie To DR. Ar
mold, and il meant ostracism, or worse from