A History of Giggleswick School from its Foundation, 1499 to 1912

by Edward Allen Bell

CHAPEL, EAST.

The Praepostors had also the power of punishment by giving "lines" or by thrashing but the latter was subject to proper control. Some years previously the monitorial system in schools had been given a new lease of life by Arnold at Rugby and it was in theory a legalised increase of the natural power possessed by the Sixth Form; but it was often found that intellect and strength of character did not always accompany each other. At Giggleswick no position in the School gave a prescriptive right to be a Praepostor. The choice lay solely in the hands of the Headmaster and although more frequently those chosen were members of the Sixth Form, it was by no means necessary, and the captain of the Football Fifteen was almost always chosen among them.

In the early days the Athletics of the School needed much encouragement. The Schoolyard for generations had provided the only opportunity for games; Football and Cricket were in their infancy. In most matches against teams, other than schools, Mr. Style took a personal part. He was a keen wicket-keeper and a good bat and did not cease to play cricket till 1890.

There were other ways in which his personal character greatly influenced the boys. He spent a great part of each day, when not in School, in the Governors' Room at the South end of the Hostel and there he was always ready to see those who wished to speak to him on any subject. Many received special tuition from him after Evening Prayers and one great secret of the esteem with which the boys regarded him was the personal interest that he took in their life. There is the story of a boy who was particularly anxious to enter the School as a day-boy, but his attainments were insufficient for his age and he knew no Latin. He came himself to see Mr. Style and to press for admittance and at last he was told that if he could learn some Latin before the entrance examination of the following term, his age should not stand in his way. At the same time Mr. Style advised him to come to him every now and then and tell him how he was getting on. After a while the boy came and said that he had learned the Latin Grammar as far as the dative of the relative. On being asked why the dative of the relative had been his limit, he explained that his teacher had not been able to pronounce it and so he could go no further. He was put through some questions and could not answer them but if asked to decline any word he would do it in this fashion: Mensa mensae mensam mensas mensae mensarum mensae mensis mensa mensis and so on all through the Grammar until he came to the relative and at the dative he failed. Mr. Style considering that the memorising of the Latin Grammar in such a way implied some quickness of mind told him to leave the school that he was at and come to him at certain times each day. His time-table was however very full and he could only give the boy half an hour a day at 6-0 a.m. and 7-0 p.m. This he did and he found the boy extremely quick and intelligent. He passed him into the School the next term and seeing he had a distinct gift for Mathematics encouraged him in every way. Eventually he sent him up to S. John's College, Cambridge, with a Mathematical Scholarship and hoped that at last he had prepared a boy who would be Senior Wrangler. Unfortunately his health broke down and he came out seventh but some years later in 1889 was made a Fellow of the College.

CHAPEL, WEST.

Mr. Style was an early riser. Every morning at 6-30, without fail, he was in the Governors' Room ready to talk over any necessary matters. He took very full duty in School, and made himself chiefly responsible for the higher Mathematical work; and in addition with some assistance from Mr. Mannock or Mr. Bearcroft, he undertook most of the laborious business work connected with the organization of the Hostel and the School.

His Assistant Masters always look back to their days at Giggleswick as some of the happiest they have ever spent. Mr. Style was naturally anxious to keep his staff with him as long as possible, but he realized that he could not expect to do this while the Trustees felt themselves unable to guarantee salaries sufficient to enable a man to marry. He gladly and generously helped them to find promotion. Many became Headmasters. Mr. J. Conway Rees, who for years had been the most painstaking and successful of men in making the Fifteen a match-winning side, left to become head of a school connected with the Mohammedan College at Aligarh. Mr. Rhodes went to Ardingly, and so on.

Every Sunday, in the early days, Mr. and Mrs. Style would ask the whole Hostel and later, as the numbers increased, the upper forms to come into the Governors' Room and there they would be regaled with sandwiches and lemonade and a musical evening would be held. Bubble and Squeak the boys called these evenings and they were much appreciated. Delicate boys would sometimes spend a week or a few days living in the Headmaster's house, and sometimes boys would be invited who were suffering from colds or other slight illnesses, and thus in the middle of a term they would find a short reminder of home life. In innumerable ways the boys were made to feel that the Headmaster was no official pedagogue but a man such as their own fathers, and they felt a corresponding affection for him.