1886. Dickens, Dict. of Cambridge, 3. No undergraduate should GO down without obtaining his EXEAT.
1891. Harry Fludyer at Cambridge, 53. I’m thankful to say this Term’s nearly over now.... We shall be able to GO down next week ... which is a blessing.
1898. Stonyhurst Mag., Dec., p. 149, “Life at Oxford.” You will think, then, that most of us do no work. Well, a good many do precious little. Still there is this check. All who do not pass their examinations within a certain time must “GO DOWN,” i.e. they must leave. It wholly depends upon ourselves, then, how much work we do; and it is naturally a much more difficult matter to “read” in this way than when one has regular schools and studies.
Goal, subs. (Winchester).—(1) At football the boy who stands at the centre of each end, acting as umpire; and (2) the score of three points made when the ball is kicked between his legs, or over his head, without his touching it. See Schitt.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester College, p. 138. Midway between each of the two ends of the line was stationed another boy, as umpire (GOAL he was called), who stood with his legs wide apart, and a gown rolled up at each foot: if the ball was kicked directly over his head, or between his legs, without his touching it, it was a GOAL, and scored three for the party that kicked it.
God, subs. 1. (Eton).—A Sixth Form boy. See Appendix.
1881. Pascoe, Life in our Public Schools. A GOD at Eton is probably in a more exalted position, and receives more reverence than will ever afterwards fall to his lot.
2. (Westminster).—The juniors who, at the Westminster Play (q.v.), occupy a back gallery. A proposal was made in 1792 to exclude them from the performance on the grand nights, which, however, was successfully resisted. Whence GOD-KEEPER = a Third Election boy, who acts as deputy monitor, and keeps the gallery deities in order.
1867. Collins, The Public Schools, p. 155. A rushing noise is heard as of a party of inebriated whirlwinds coming up College, and the Di Superi (in vulgar parlance THE GODS) make their appearance. Now is the time to see the GOD-KEEPER in his glory, in kid gloves, cane, and commanding voice: “Here, Jones, go up closer. Room for three or four more in that corner. Tumble-up, Davis.”
Going-out Saturday, subs. (Charterhouse).—See Exeat 2.