The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-27
AMERICAN BOYS ON
VISIT TO SCHOOLS
ABROAD SURPRISED
Rich Scholars Are Flogged in
England. But Poor Ones
Are Not
NO BATH ROOMS
TO BE FOUND THERE
On the Whole They Find a
Considerable Difference and
They Do Not Approve
of 1t All

LONDON July 2s.-The 100 Amer
lean schpolboys who have been travel
ing through Great Britain for fort
night started for the Continent on
Wedne sday. They had a most inter
cstins trip which closed with a whit TO
Cambridge The rad already vts''ed
Elton. Harrow. Rugby and Winchester.
The difference between English and
American phraseology Mt first caused
an amusing misunderstanding. The
men who arranged the tour had
written letters TO the managers of the
educational establishments here. but
the party OF youngsters which was
coming over was from private
schools" An American private
school corresponds to the English pub
lie schools. the latter in America be-
ing maintained out of the public funds
as the county council schools are
here.
Under Misunderstanding.
The misunderstanding a. TO what
was meant by private school" In
America caused the English hosts at
the outset of tae tour TO be surprised
to find that their guests were well
built youths of type similar to and
difficult 20 distinguish from the ordi-
nary class at Harrow and Rugby.
The visitors in some cases had to put
up with meals intended for boys of
from seven to ten years OF age, for
here a private school" is an estab-
lishment where very young boys go to
prepare for the public schools.
Tn Impressions of mort OF the
American boys seemed to have been
pointed to the practical side Of the
educational system. They approved
Of two Scotch universities, Edinburgh
and Glasgow, where the system OF
nonresidence and other feature more
nearly correspond with the American
institution They confessed that when
they got to the English public schools
they received the surprise OF their
lives This was the British system OF
corporal punishment,
Hear of Ffogging.
They heard of 1t with doubts.
says a special correspondent OF the
morning Post. "and when they were
convinced that nobody was trying to
! impose on them they discussed the
I subject with an air of amazement.
| There was much speculation on their
1 part as TO what would happen In an
! American town, where the head mas
! ter resorted TO togginR. Flogging, in
I fact, turned out to be their greatest
discovery and when they were shown
the Instruments employed at Rugby,
4 hhTTnW, fiph hfto w IHCHEStct tiiFit
establishment knew no bounds. 1t Wht
explained TO them that tiogging now
adays was reserved for those whose
parents could not afford TO educate
them in the public schools. 1t does
not exist In the public schools because
the working classes resent 1t and gen
orally prosecute the teacher on q
charge of assault II he resorts TO such
method Of punishment. The explana-
1a
very much puzzled In regard TO tht
differences inthe mental attitude o.
the richer and poorer classes.
! Never Read tom Brown"
Rugby and Winchester Impressed
the American boys more than the 9th
err public schools. as they conveyed
an idea OF the robust. hearty If
which was not received elsewhere
Iwhe masked If "Tom Browns Schoo
Days'' had not Influenced their impress
sions of Rugby all the American boy
declared that they hadn't read TIT
book, one of their masters adding
I'VE met hardly boy at Rugby wh'
had read Tom Brown although II wa
Judge Hughes own school"
The American boys found Fton har'
to understand. The attitude of tn
scholars towards life and things Il
general, their insouciance. their habit
of dress and the fiogging block wer'
all in a degree incomprehensibie Il
them When they got to Wincheste
they declared that the boys Their
dressed like human beings"
Sports and Bath Tubs.
| The American boys declare that tn
British school sports were on tn
whole slow. One thing which the,
strongly criticised in all the school
was the absence OF multitude %
bathrooms. They strongly disapprov
ed of the tubs in which the public
school boys Of England performed
their daily additions, contrasting then
with the provisions made for bathint
lin their own schools
The American boys were interested
in the method of entering English
boys in public schools, The method
Of putting down a boys name at hi.
birth for certain school which prob
ably had been associated with his
family for generations seemed strange
TO them. $50 far as we can make
out" said one OF the boys, "it Is q
favor for a boy to Toe pupil in his
school in England which is in fac
true.