The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-12-22
Young Astor's Fag.
A Grandson of Queen Victoria
Waits on an American.
Duties Performed by
a Fag.
London special in tae St. Lauis Globs-Demo-


nation has been caused among the
more loyal subjects of the Queen by
the discovery that Prince Arthur, of
Great Britain, only boy of the Duke
of Connaught, who is the favorite son
of the Queen and now being educat-
ed at Eton, is forced to do his share
of tagging, and that the senior boy to
whom he is forced to render mepial
service is no other than young Astor,
son of the American multi; million
aire, who has established his per-
manent home in England. The idea
that prince of the blood should be
called upon to fag at all is horrify-
ing in the extreme. But that he
should be called upon to fag Cor an
American is simply dreadful in the
eyes of the vast masees of English
people.
Tagging is form of servitude from
which no boy at Eton. or indeed at
any other Of the great colleges of
England, is exempt, no matter what
his rank. and it may be looked upon
as part and parcel of the course of ed
ucaticn. since it teaches the fag the
meaning of the word democracy. and
that there are considerations which
are of more Importance and weight
than mere rank, ancestry and birth.
A full-hedged duke, when he joins
Eton. may oftentime be found tagging
for the son of brewer or of a city
merchant As a fag he is expected
70 attend to his masters clothes, to
heat his shaving water-the senior
boys always are fond of shaving. since
it betokens their manhood-hc must
fill his masters bath and empty it.
run errands for him, make and serve
his tea in his study. and may be ask
ed even to brush his masters boots.
Moreover, in his spare time, when
his master amuses himself with cricket
or with tennis. it is his duty as fag
to do the fielding and to hunt for the
balls. Of course, there is no ques.
ton of his being permitted to use the
ball himself unless his master wishes
to practice bowling In one word.
he is to all inteuis and purposes the
slave of his master, who has the right
to chatise him across the shoulders
with stick if he declines obedience,
and if that is not sufficient to reduce
him to subjugation he is sent up to
the head master for birching.
Tagging and birchiDg are time
honored institutions OF the British
public schools and colleges. and have
been so for hundreds of years. They
have been abolished in the middle
class and board schools, as we'll as in
schools of a municipal and charitable
character, but the schools of the aris.
tocracy and upper classes retain both
tagging aud fogging. which they ap-
parently regard as privilege be-
longing to their caste. In fact, they
pride themselves in the marks made
by the birch, which they regard as
constituting a sort of retrospective
evidence of their blue blood Lord
Salisbury, nov Prime Minister, was
birched at Eton no less than seven
times. and on one memorable occa.
sion the headmaster at Elton fogged
whole party Of thirty candidates for
confirmation. the paper With their
names on it being mistaken by him
for the list for punishment sent to
him every day. He would listen to
no remonstrance, but went conscieE-
tionsly through tie whole lot
Young Astor. who is very popular
at Eton, and has received a good
deal of renown on the river as an
oarsman, has received his fair share
of birchings along with the rest. in
spite Of his rights as an American
citizen. But the English people have
yet to learn that cast;gation of this
kind has been inflicted upon young
Connaught," the grandson of their
Queen.