The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-01
sPoRrs Ar ENeLIsH scRooLs.
wall Game nc Et0n-gottlnG Ones
FIannels Tubs and Packs.

Wannels Tubs n Packs.
Most Of the big English schools play either
Rugby or Association football In the winter.
At Eton thcre In a queer survival known
A. the wall game.
One goal In represented by an old door
In the wall, says BGilv's Magazine. while
q mark on an elm tree does duty for the other
goal. The object Of the game 10 20 get tho
ball, which Is somewhat smaller than an
ordinary Association football. into 'oalx, !"
and then TO touch II against the wall without
letting IL rest o. the ground.
The player who succeeds in accomplish
ng his man0uvre cries Got III" and then
has a shy at the goal, which, however, he
seldom hits, as IL Ia some way on.
Moreover, II the ball is touched by any
Of the opposing side the goal IL disallowed.
Hence the margin Of superiority between
one team n another IL marked by
any great difference In the scoring.
The walls. or those who play on the In
side against the wall, wear padded caps,
with saching over their shoulders, and with
knickers fastened below the knee present q
weird spectacle.
When speaking Of costumes, It is interest
ing TO notice that at Cheltsnham the men,
bers Of the football fifteen have little mother
of-pearl buttons on the outside OF their
~knickers, probably a survival Of the time
when football mickers were worn long and
buttoned below the knee.
At Rugby the cricket eleven wear light
blue shirts, the more faded the better, as
showing q longer possession Of the distinc-
ton. At some schools only the privileged
few are allowed to wear white fannels and
white boots, the others wearing gray-hence
the term TO get your fiannels."
It Is also interesting to notice the different
formslities which attend theg giving OF colors.
At most schools they are given by the cap
tain, who sometimes honors the recipient
by shaking hands with him; at others they
are given with the compl iments OF the
Sixth Form"
Cricket coiors are given in the pavilion at
Harrow after a match, when 1t is the custom
for the boy who has received them to issue
forth wearing the black and white straw
hat which betokens his new dignity; this
hat is lent him by one Of the members Of the
eleven; hut should thel lender be a monitor
n the borrower one OF the common herd
the latter must perforce wear II the wrong
way round. with the monitors badge at the
back Of his head.
The Easter term is invariably the worst
at school, a sort Of betwixt and between,
when regular games have stopped, and
when the weather is generally vile. This
IL the term for epidemics, mumps, measles,
Chiokenpox and the like, which SEEM, like
the swallows, to return with the spring:
At some schools football is continued well
into the Easter term, and. where rowing
is possible, house fours on flxed seats in tub
boats, or clinkers, are the order Of the dav.
At other Observation-Disclosures and Cliff
ton, for example-no football is played after
Christmas, it's place being taken by hockey
at the former, while at the latter the school
il divided up into big pack, little pack, third
M fourth packs, which divisions go for
runs and paper chases, leading up to the
long penpole and the short penpole, or
steeplechases, at the end Of the term. At
Eton they ave a pack Of beagles, which is
far more interesting mar the ordinary
school p~aperchase
OF all the pastimes at school, perhaps
hone appeals less to a boy han singing, yet
the school songs are those which live longest
in the memory, and which always bring
back "reminiscences OF the glad springtime
OF youth. House singing is quite a feature
at many schools, the various houses COM
petinR against one another.
At Winchester they have commoners' OF
collegers' singing to celebrate a victory.
every new boy being compelled to assist
with some vocal effort On one day in the
summer term the whole school walks round
cloisters singing a Latin hymn, while the
OF Domum Is held in Meads on
the last evening Of the summer term.