The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1906-12-06
SPORTS AT ENGLISH SCHOOLS.
The Wall Game at Eton-cettlng
Ones FIanneIs-Tubs and Packs.

Most of the big English schools
play either Rugby or Association foot
| ball in the winter. At Elton there is
queer revival known as the wall
game.
One goal is represented by an old
door in the wall. says Baily's Maya
zine, while a mark on an elm tree
does duty for the other goal. The
object of the game is to get the ball,
which is somewhat smaller than an
ordinary Association football, into
"calx," and then to touch it against
the wall without letting it rest on the
ground.
The player who succeeds in accomp-
fishing this manoeuvre cries "Got it,"
and then has shy at the goal, which,
however, he seldom hits. as it is some
way off.
Moreover, If the ball is touched by
any of the opposing side the goal is
disallowed. Hence the margin of SUI
periority between one team and an
other is never marked by any great
difference in the scoring.
inside against the wall, wear padded
caps, with sacking over their Shout
ders, and with Knockers fastened be-
low the knee present weird spec
tacle.
When speaking of costumes, it is In
the members of the football fifteen
have little mother-of-pearl buttons on
the outside of their Knockers. probably
a survival of the time when football
Knockers were worn long and button
ed below the knee.
At Rugby the cricket eleven wear
light blue shirts, the more faded the
better, as showing a longer posses
sion of the distinction. At some
schools only the privileged few are
allowed to wear white iannels and
white boots, the others wearing gray
hence the term ito get your fan
nels"
1t is also interesting to notice the
different formalities which attend the
giving Of colors. At most schools they
are given by the captain, who some
times honors the recipient by shaking
hands with him; at others they are
given with the compliments of the
Sixth Form"
Cricket colors are given in the pavil-
lion at Harrow after match. when
it is the custom for the boy who has
received them to issue forth wearing
hn loo IL hot
betokens his new dignity; this hat is
lent him by one of the members of
the eleven; but should the leader be
a monitor and the borrower one OF the
common herd, the latter must perforce
wear it the wrong way round, with the
monitors badge at the back of his
head.
The Easter term is invariably the
worst at school, sort of betwixt and
between, when regular games have
generally vile. This is the term for
epidemics, mumps, measles, chicken
pcx and the like, which seem, like the
swallows, to return with the spring.
AT some schools football is continued
we'll into the Easter term, and, where
rowing is possible, house tours on fig
ed seats in tub boats, or clinkers, are
the order of the day.
At other ols-Marlborough and
Clifton, for example-no football is
played after Christmas, it's place being
taken by hockey at the former, while
OF ho LOFT &c ix-:In int
big pack, little pack, third and fourth
packs, which divisions so for runs and
paper chases, leading up to the long
penpole and the short penpole, or
steeplechases, at the end of the term.
At Elton they have pack of beagles,
which is far more interesting than the
ordinary school paperchase.
Of all the pastimes at school, per-
haps none appeals less to boy than
singing, yet the school songs are those
which live longest in the memory, and
which always bring back reminis
youth. House singing is quite fea-
ture at many schools, the various
houses competing against one an
other.
At Winchester they have common
ers' or collegers' singing to celebrate
victory, every new boy being COM
PEELED 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 cere-
mony of Domum is held in Meads on
the last evening of the summer term.