Uniquely St Paul’s Apposition ‘A public disputation by scholars; a formal examination by question and answer; still applied to the ‘Speech day’ at St Paul’s School, London.’ — Oxford English Dictionary HOME > ABOUT ST PAUL’S > HISTORY AND ARCHIVES > APPOSITION The tradition of Apposition dates back to the school’s founding in 1509 and was originally intended as the means by which the Mercers’ Company could assess the teaching staff, the High Master in particular. They had the right to dismiss or reappoint the staff as a result. In 1559, they removed High Master Freeman, officially for lack of learning, but probably for holding the wrong religious views. In 1748, they removed High Master Charles, who, it was alleged, had threatened to ‘pull the Surmaster by the nose and kick him about the school.’ Worse still, the number of boys had fallen to 35. From time to time, the governors objected to the High Masters taking in boarders and accepting presents and fees. Apposition, which takes place in mid–May these days, has now become purely ceremonial, but ‘formal examination by question and answer’ remains its cornerstone — when some four or five Paulines declaim (usually by delivering a summary of an academic paper) and an invited ‘Apposer’ judges the quality of each declamation. The ceremony is combined with the award of prizes to those in the Eighth Form (Years 12 and 13). ‘A public disputation by scholars; a formal examination by question and answer; still applied to the ‘Speech day’ at St Paul’s School, London.' OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY 'To Paul’s School, it being Apposition-day there. I heard some of their speeches, and they were just as schoolboys’ used to be, of the seven liberal sciences; but I think not so good as ours were in our time' 1 2 Where to next? - OUR HISTORY - ABOUT ST PAUL’S - KAYTON LIBRARY NEWS TERM DATES GETTING HERE CONTACT US WORK WITH US FACILITIES & HIRES SCHOOL UNIFORM SHOP SCHOOL MERCHANDISE COOKIES TERMS OF USE PRIVACY POLICY ST PAUL'S SCHOOL LONSDALE ROAD LONDON SW13 9JT RECEPTION 020 8748 9162 GENERAL ENQUIRIES reception@stpaulsschool.org.uk ADMISSIONS 13+ admissions@stpaulsschool.org.uk ADMISSIONS 16+ 16plusentry@stpaulsschool.org.uk ST PAUL'S JUNIORS LONSDALE ROAD LONDON SW13 9JT RECEPTION 020 8748 3461 GENERAL ENQUIRIES spjreceptionist@stpaulsschool.org.uk ADMISSIONS 7+, 8+ 7and8plusentry@stpaulsschool.org.uk ADMISSIONS 11+ 11plusentry@stpaulsschool.org.uk © St Paul's School 2021 School website design by mso.net