The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-29
DAILY ROUTINE
AT RUGBY
How The Boys Are Taught at This School.
Distinctive C0I0TS.
The Rugby Games That Have Become Famous
the World Over Everybody in the School
Is Compelled to Play Cricket,
Special to THE SUNDAY CALL.

RUGBY England, March 9, 1S91.-My
hosts, guides and companions at Rugby
have been one OF the marshals and young
English friend, a lad in the Lower Mid
die" form, modern side; and some of the
things learned about the famous school are
worth. telling
Ali boys a Rugby School must enter be-
tween the ages of u and 10 years, and mus
leave the school at the end of the next term
after they have reached the age Of 10 years
There are ninety-six boys who are schOdole
free, or partially so, on behalf of the Lau-
renee Sheriff Foundation Fund.
The ninety-six fOundationers may com
pete with all other students for the many
Rugby prizes.
Probably no other boys school in the
world offers so many and such varied prizes.
To name them in the bTiefest manner would
require mere than columns space in this
paper. Aside from the Queens gold media
prize for an English essay on some hlstor-
ical subject, l have had counted out to me
by my companions upward of seyenty-fve
prizes. the value Of the lowest Of WHICH is
two gunpaS. On the line Of excellence in
scholarship there are numberleSS gTadings
and distinctions. The great goal to be
reached in Rugby school life is the Sixth
Form of the upper school, and the life Of
praposter in that. There are fifteen pre-
posters These constitute the upper
bench" of the upper. or highest, school in
Rugby.
In investigating all the more serious mat
tiers about Rugby School, the most delightful
thing which everywhere impressps one new
to its government and policies is the utter
absence Of what we Americans term
fiUukeyism and arStocTatic eXclusiveuess,
It's trustees and governing board COM
prise great and titled men, but the patronage
of the school, and the actual practical
regime and discipline which have been en-
forced from the days OF the famous DR..
Arnold To the present time under its equally
wise and answering head master, DR..
PeTcival, have been grandiy democratic TO
the core Among the thirteen trustees are
three earlS, one marquis, three lords, two
right hOnOTaOleS, two members of Pariia-
ment, one aTChdeacOn and one canon; while
the governing board Of twelve comprises
equally ms many from among the great and
titled Of England But Rugby students are
from English middle classes, the backbone
OF the realm.
In what we would term the faculty" of
Rugby School there are twenty-seven resi-
dent masters, or professors" as we would
call them, exclusive of the head master, the
Rev. j. Perciyal, LID. Besides these
there are several resident tutors. Every
school has its ogres; beings dreaded. hated,
proved upon, endlessly the butt of all devil
lsh ingenuity IN bOyiSh malevOlenCe. These !
are known at Rugby as ''marShals"; and
there are two OF them. Mr. Blake (our
cCmpaniOn) is all riFht-that is, for
marshall comedies my Rugby-bov friend in
an explanatory whisper; but old patey,'
the other ores a regular old grump, he is.
He hates 10 have boys live. he does!'
These maTshalS are sort Of bailItfS or high
constabes who keep very sharp eyes on the |
fw EaHTUr I'D
lads. They secretly report misconduct, and
are the dread bearers Of the awful summons
"tO The Doctors chambers"
Dr.. Arnold, as long ago as 1885, removed |
all the irresponsible clearinghouse vam- |
piTes who fattened upon Rugby scholars |
and put in their places masters of the |
school This not only created direct re-
spoons bilty, but insured good treatment to |
the boys. The more popular a master |
made his house, the higher be stood So
clauy in Rugby, with the students, with |
the governing board; ana besides 1t in |
creased his profits through an increase Of |
bOarders. The system has been maintain ed, !
and from time to time c0mmOdlous halls
have been built. There are now seven of
these exclusive of the "SchOOl House"
are distinguished
BY THEIR "CoLoBs,"
And each house takes the name Of the mas
ter in charge; while the boys at each board
inE-hall receive the house name rs general
sppellative. To illustrate: Whitelaw's,
purple and white; Donkin's, red and black
Collins, light blue and white; MOric-'s
green and white; Mr.. BOwden Smiths,
blue and black, on hat; Mr.. SCOTS, yellow
and black, on hat; MI Michelfs contingent
being "tellGw-"; and the boys are individu-
silly pointed out IN Rugby streets rs Don
kln's bOusenan, a BOwden Smiths house
man, SCOTS hOuSeman," etc.
give the everyday routine at Rugby Just
as my young Lower Middle" friend ratified
it off to me: well. the CHS morning bell
wakes US, but we don't want to get up
Then another bell rings at ten minutes of
for five minutes. We've got to get in
ouI places in chapel in that time to be
called over and if we're too Ivy to
make it, it means a Ticking that's all.
After service we march in order to our diff
feTent form rooms and say lessons till S:l5.
Then we have fifteen minutes to buy any lit
lie Injuries, like penny lOaVes-the house
breads pretty dry!-and then comes break
fast. From 915 to 1:15, lessons; and din
per's at !: 80. We get a rest spell from
dinner until s, and then lessons 90
on again until 6, except Tuesdays, Thurs
days and SATURDAYS. Them's half holidays.
Every boy has to join tie games then, I'M
less he's got good excuse. Sometimes we get
oil by shammIng sOreS foot, and many
other ways, well known to rs boys. But
whatever we're doing at o'clock, games,
sauntering or study, CYerything's dropped
and We give a grand rush for tea Alter
tea In winter, and after 7:15 in summer
comes locking up Nobody likes that
Then we have to pitch in on 'preparatiou'-
that's getting our lessons for the next fore
nOon-unul 9 o'clock, when they give us
very light supper that don't make anybody
dream. Then it's go to bed. and no fOoling,
or 1t means another licking, sure as fees
and marshals, that's al!'
Rugby school games are famous wner-
ever the heart of bOyhood throbs quicker
and stronger in the enjoyment of all manful
sport They comprise racquets, cricket,
steeplechasing, hare and hounds, or paper
chasing and football, for which Rugby gives
the rules for the world over.
The supervision of all Rugby games is
wholly IN the hands of the boys them
selves. This also includes the management
OF the great school Close" the unequaed
playground Of Rugby. The details OF the
management are delegated to a committee
Of five boys locally called the big
School Levee." This board consists of
the head Of the school, the head of
the schOol-hOuse, the captains of foot
ball and cricket and one other chosen by
these four. This games board levies taxes
10 be paid by all for the support of school
amusements, subject to approval by the
head master. 1t is also, from the boys
standpoint, the Grand Council or Senate
OF the school, to be called together at
any time to consider any matter per
stlgation Of all, or for ordering any action
where 1t is desirable the whole school shall
share such as rebellion against too dry
bread or ancient prunes, boycotts upon
tuck-shops for unsavory or underweight
penny loayes or for thrashing the indoent
"louts" (non-SchOolmenl of the village. The
head fellow Of the House arranges the
games, and, as my young friend apprises
me, by universal consent docs the
licking" If, when called on, boy
does not play, but funkS" and goes
botanizng, swimming, or fishing a note is
sent to him containing the dread words
See me at my study at 2:15" The boy
goes and is given 200 lines " to write;
terrible punishment to any lad. But if he
has committed the objectionable crime of
"minching" from cricket, in
THE LANGUAGE OF MY YOUNG FRIEND,
You are ordered to kneel on a stool, bend
ever chair, while Sixth Form fellow
Ietches out a sixpenny zane yard and
half long and gives you six rum cuts; so of
course you. amt In love with the Sixth
Formers !"
Nearly all Rugby games have their own
season. HaTe-and-hounds and broOk-iump-