Voluntary, subs. (Winchester).—A copy of verses written occasionally by some of the boys in Sixth Book and Senior Part ex proprio motu.—Mansfield (c. 1840).
Vulgus, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—A Latin epigram: four or six lines long. Hence VULGUS-BOOK = a CRIB (q.v.).
1883. Trollope, What I Remember.... The mention of a VULGUS requires some explanation. Every inferior, i.e. non-prefect, in the school was required every night to produce a copy of verses of from two to six lines on a given theme—four or six lines for the upper classes, two for the lowest. This was independent of a weekly verse task of greater length, and was called a VULGUS, I suppose, because everybody—the VULGUS—had to do it.
1856. Hughes, Tom Brown’s School-days, II. iii. The VULGUS (commonly supposed to have been established by William of Wykeham at Winchester, and imported to Rugby by Arnold more for the sake of the lines which were learnt by heart with it than for its own intrinsic value, as I’ve always understood), ... is a short exercise in Greek or Latin verse, on a given subject, the minimum number of lines being fixed for each form.... At Rugby VULGUS and lines were the first lesson every other day in the week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; and ... it is obvious ... that the master of each Form had to set one hundred and fourteen subjects every year.... Now, human nature being prone to repeat itself, it will not be wondered that the masters gave the same subjects sometimes over again after a certain lapse of time. To meet and rebuke this bad habit of the masters, the school-boy mind, with its accustomed ingenuity, had invented an elaborate system of tradition. Almost every boy kept his own VULGUS written out in a book ... duly handed down from boy to boy, till ... popular boys, in whose hands bequeathed VULGUS-BOOKS have accumulated, are prepared with three or four VULGUSES on any subject in heaven or earth, or in “more worlds than one,” which an unfortunate master can pitch upon.... The only objection to the traditionary method of doing your VULGUSES was, the risk that the successions might have become confused, and so that you and another follower of traditions should show up the same identical VULGUS some fine morning; in which case, when it happened, considerable grief was the result.
Waffle, verb (Durham).—To talk nonsense. [North dial. waffle = to wave, to fluctuate; waffler (Camb.) = a person who is very weak; waffy (Linc.) = insipid.]
Walking-days, subs. (Stonyhurst: obsolete).—Several days allowed to a new boy during which he was initiated into the ways of the house by an old boy.
Wall, subs. (Eton).—See quot.
1890. Great Public Schools, 26. There are, as is well known, two [football] games played at Eton—one at the WALL, the other in the FIELD. The first is only played by a very limited number of boys, for there is but one WALL; the game is of a mysterious and intricate nature, and the uninitiated spectator cannot as a rule even see how a point (called a Shy) is obtained. Indeed were it not for the time-honoured match between Collegers and Oppidans on St. Andrew’s Day, the game would probably become obsolete.... The Eton FIELD game has, in the opinion of the writer [the Rev. Sydney R. James], merits, as a game for boys, superior to those of any other kind of football. In it speed and skilful dribbling and accurate kicking have their due success, but strength and dogged perseverance and pluck are not left out in the cold.
Verb (Oxford).—To confine to College.