The record-union., 1892-10-14
Among the Famous Schools of
England.
Winchester College and Its Plebeian
Of EngIand-Colorful Scenes In the
ties at the Quaint Old school -
ssDulce Domum.''
Especial Correspondence OF the RECORD
UNION. Copyright, 1921
WINCHESTER, Eng, Oct. 3, 1892.

There is very rich and eminent man
of my acquaintance who in moments OF
honest confidence often confesses to me
that his nostrils are never assailed by the
vigorous aroma of boiling cabbage and
corned beef that he is not instantly pos
sessed of an almost uncomfortable I'M
pulse to bodily assault and drive out his
many servant masters, sell his house and
belongings. free himself from the AFFECT
slavery of his present aristocratic sur
roundings, fling social distinction and
honors to the winds, and, at plunge, re-
turn to the care-free, Zestful and humble
habits. appetites, qualifications and ways
of the old farm-home in which he was
raised.
Similarly with men, when the shadows
begin to lengthen, an almost overWhelm-
ing heart hunger comes whenever the
eyes, turning from the sterner affairs OF
life, fall upon the faded walls Of some old
school. 1t does not matter whether it be
historic spot like Winchester, treas
ure-house of memories and associations
verify interviewer with the best of civili-
Zatlon'S making; some modest village
seminary, where lads and misses have
built their day-dreams together, or the
little old red country schoolhouse you and
and l used to know, with its tiny black
board and sheetiron stove, and round
about ground worn brown and smooth
by the coming and going of barefoot
children. One is fossilized quite If the
heart is not strangely stirred where all
these budding hopes have been and are,
If the eyes do not mist as the boy you
were takes your hand in his and leads
you back with him into the sweet young
paths again.
All this gentle influence will reach and
touch you at Winchester College. There
is grave and stirring charm besides.
Its great antiquity alone almost fills you
with reverence, for in reality old Win
chester is the mother school of all pre-
paratory schools in all English speaking
lands. Harrow, Rugby, and even old
Elton, under the shadows of Windsor
Castle, are all modern in comparison with
Winchester. Even Merton College, Ok
ford, is structurally only about 100 years
older, while New College. Oxford, whose
founding was the real birth of the Eng
lish University in its broad sense, was
still an afterthought in the inception Of
the mind which gave England her great
ham, the founder OF both, simply built
the University at Oxford that he might
send it those who should be prepared for
it at Royal Winchester.
This William of Wykeham was an ex-
traordinary man. His career was one of
many examples of sturdy plebeian blood
having the iron in it to carry its posseSsor
past all bounds of caste or class to the
lasting fame of personal achievement.
He was born in 1924 in the village of
Wyck ham, near tareham. His fathers
name was John, and because of his stat
ure he was nicknamed Long john" He
was as tall and huge a man as the late
III, 49, 4,
The gigantic figure of his son William
looms through the mystery OF the time
grandly. The lad was educated at the
then royal city OF Winchester at the eX-
pense of Sir John Scures; in 1916 entered
the household of Bishop Edyngton, pre-
late of Winchester; the latter turned him
over to King Edward Ill, and by that
King he was at once employed in archi-
tectural art. 1t was Wykeham who built
the great tower or Round Table" Of
Windsor, which was to be the meeting
place of the newly founded order of the
Garter.
In 1864 he was made keeper of the
Privy Seal, then in 1867 Bishop of Win
chester, and the same year he was ap-
pointed Chancellor of England. He was
Tor a second time appointed Chancellor,
from 1889 TO 1891, and the plowboy OF
Wyckham had become virtual ruler Of
England Whatever his political or
strictly ecclesiastical ability and power,
his fame will chiefly rest upon his archi-
tectural skill and his educational founda-
tions. He transformed Winchester Ca
thedral and was national in genius, feeling
and purpose. He is regarded as the
father of the perpendicular style of archi-
lecture, and his own chantry in the ca
thedral here, built by himself is one of
the most matchlessly beautiful creations
in stone to be found in all Britain 1t
stands between two pillars in the nave of
the cathedral, in the south tier, and curl
ously enough the great prelate placed his
own monument on that part of the cruel
form plan of the cathedral which origi-
nally correspondent with the pierced side
OF the Savior on the cross.
There is no doubt of Wykeham's piety.
He was determined TO improve the intel
1ectual and social condition of the clergy
His college was dedicated to the Virgin
Mary. Solemn professional entrance
was made into the structure at O'clock
on the morning of March 26, 1898, few
months less than 500 years ago The
name of every officer, fellow ana scholar
who took part in that historic ceremony,
carefully registered in vellum book, is
still preserved. And the school that
'Wykeham's seventy poor scholars" then
entered is standing here to-day just as
Bishop Wykeham built it, apparently
brave and stout enough to shelter
'Wykehamites," as its alumni are
proudly called, for another half a thou
sand years.
Winchester is not only an old school
town, but it is an ancient cathedral city,
and perhaps the oldest city in England
1t was royal Winchester" a thousand
years, tradition says, before London was
more than marshy fishing village hud-
died about the gate of Belin. Ludor Rous
Hudibras founded it S92 b. C. So there is
antiquity here outside of the tiinty walls
of the quaint old school. King Rufus is
buried here, and here st. Swithin lies
Cerdio was crowned in the heather tenn
.ple which preceded the cathedral, and the
bones of Canute, Wilma, Alvin, Stigan
and Emma, who trod the heated plow-
shares unscathed, are gathered in mortu-
ary chests over the side screens of the
cathedral choir. But the real Winchester
dear to the hearts of Englishmen, is not
the Briton or Roman Winchester, but the
city which is represented by the square
Norman tower and the ridge of the
mighty nave rising above broad masses
of foliage and scaled by the graceful tower
and turrets of Wykeham College to the
south.
The shiny reaches of the Itchen stream
show here and there entrancingly. Split
up with numerous crystalline threadings,
You come upon their vagarous wander
lngs unexpectedly, and always with a
sense of surprise and delight. In the by
streets are many curious old nests OF
homes, little stone pens with tiny Win
dows, heavy overhanging gables, Chin
neys fourth as large as the houses,
strangely carved easements, low and mar
row doors strong enough to withstand a
siege, all covered with masses OF ivy so
packed and dense that they seem like
habitations cut out of verdure-matted
rock.
A maze Of lily cobbled streets with mar
row pavements crowd toward the old
Nfarl Of I'rnSS on icrl,