New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-21
ARNOLD'S RUGBY.
GEmpses of the old School and
Playground.
Rugby. January Is.

The casteated gateway with the overhans-
ing oriel window still looks out on High
st One does not sweep by it around Deadmans
Corner in an old fashioned stagecoach be-
hind four horses, as Tom Brown did, but comes
upon it after a circuitous stroll from the railway
station; yet there it is guard, with flag Hut-
tering and the gray lines of the old schoolhouse
behind it-and it is Rugby! If one turns to right
or to left in Lawrence Sheriff-st. there will be
disappointing glimpses of the frghtfully modern
and inartistc Italian quadrangle, with beW1lder-
ing gInts of brick and slate in many colors, or
of the spick and span new schools, nine huge
window riddled masters houses and the mu-
scum with Thomas Hughes's statue in front or
It, but if one keeps straight on through the gate
way into the Old Quadrangle the clock tower
will be over the high archway leading to the
dining hall; behind it will loom up the ivy clad
turret of the headmaster's hou#e; there will be
low cloisters on two sides, with form rooms,
studies and dormitories above and behind them;
on a third side will be the old, big schoolroom,
with row of studies above it, and at the south
west corner a passage will lead from the dlrnly
lighted closters to the beautiful close, with Its
broad stretches of turf lines of elms and the
ISLAND tumulus of the oldtime boys far IN the
background This is Arnold's Rugby, as one of
3le best of the old boys, Tom Hughes. described
1t for all time; and so clear and sharp are the
siIhcuettes in flashes of memory that the scenes
of the schooboy's classic come back with intense
realism as the visitor rummages about in the
quadrangle and in the close.
Barely within the entrance gateway is the ola
fives court where the houseboys sang on Satur-
day afternoons in Tom Browns day; and a
spiral staircase leads to the high room with the
bow window, where Dr. Arnold taught the sixth
form. In the austere dining hail. with the h1gh
oak wainscot are the big frepaces. in front OF
no bu1Ii
bv a side door are reached the passages, fa1kei
by studies like rows of boxes, where Brown and
East plotted their war Of independence from
cruel fag masters. From the inner court another
passage opens into the headmaster's study,
where the three truants, looking like scarecroWs,
after q cross-country run, were commenced Dy
the benignart Dr. Arnold, his eyes twinkiing
with merriment, to the mercleS OF the house
keeper, with extra allowance of jam The
storms have played havoc with the ancient elms,
lines of them having been uprooted and cut
down and one looks in vain for the big Treen
and the three trees where hostihties centred IN
the football scrimmages; and the moat around
the Tags stand has been drained and lcVeied
Yet, IittIeside and BigSide, save that the rocks
have been frightened away from the playing
field, are not seriously altered since Tom Browns
struggle as a new boy with the football pack,
and the cricket matches, in which he was cap
tain of the eleven. One can still find the Sc
cluded corner of the chapel piece where the big
fight with Slogger came on. and then was
broken off by the unexpected appearance of the
headmaster. In the chapel itself everything has
been turned. about and upset by architects in
engagements and revolutions: but the beautiful
picture in glass, 1.-The Alteration of the Shep-
herds" which DR.. Arnold brought from an old
,church in Louvain, is the east window, and a
gray stone bearing and his name, marks
his grave It is not the chapel where Tom
Brown stood Borrowing when his schoodays
Were over ard the greatest of headmasters had
gone forever. The old chapel, after being
patched up, enlarged and incorporated with a
more pretenttous structure, finally disappeared
altogether, ard a new one, with a lofty nave and
massive tower, took its place.
Rugby had not had much history before Dr.
Arnold made it the most influential school in
England. It founded by Lawrence Sheriff
an Eliza bethan merchant, and endowed with a
small landed property, including a mansion ip