“Tabula legum Pædagogicarum,”
which gives the rules to be observed by the boys in Chapel, School, Hall, Quadrangle, Chambers, On Hills, and in All Places and Times.
School hours, in the times I write of, were from eight to nine A.M., (Morning School,) from ten to twelve, (Middle School,) and from two till six P.M., (Evening School;) at the close of which prayers were read by the Præfect of School.
On “Remedies,” (a kind of whole holiday,) we also went into School in the morning and afternoon for an hour or two without masters; this was called Books Chambers; and on Sundays, from four till a quarter to five. In “Cloister Time,” (v.i.,) Præfects, and senior part of the Fifth, went into School on Sundays from seven to eight, which period was called “Grotius Time.”
Order was kept during School hours by the Bible Clerk and Ostiarius, two of the Præfects, who held these offices in rotation,—the former lasting for a week, the latter for one day only. They paraded School armed with sticks, and brought up to the Head and Second Masters (who alone had the power of flogging) the names of the delinquents which had been “ordered” for punishment; the names of the more heinous offenders being confided to the Bible Clerk, the others to the Ostiarius. Just before School-time, a boy was always stationed to watch the arrival of the Master, of which he had to give notice by emitting a loud “Hiss,” upon which there was a general rush up to books; the previous uproar dwindled to a calm, and work began.
The School was divided into three classes, or “Books,” as they were called. Of these the Præfects formed one, “Sixth Book:” “Fifth Book” was subdivided into three parts, called respectively “Senior, Middle, and Junior part of the Fifth;” in speaking of them, the words “of the Fifth” were generally omitted. The rest of the boys made up “Fourth Book;” their instruction, however, was not carried on in School, but in another building adjoining, where the Præfects had a library, and in which the mathematics were taught. The Præfects and senior part did not change places from day to day, but only at the final examination in Election-week. In the other parts, the relative positions of the boys continually fluctuated, and their numbers were marked every day, at the beginning of Middle School, in a book called the “Classicus (or Cuse) Paper:” the individual who had the greatest number by the end of the half year “got the books,” (i.e., gained a prize.) These books were supposed to be given by the late Duke of Buckingham; now, I believe, they are really given by Lord Saye and Sele. The boy who had the lowest score at the end of any week, held the office of “Classicus” for the week following,—his duties being always to inform the other boys what was the particular lesson for the day, and what was the subject for the next vulgus verse or prose task. There were two gold medals for Composition,—for Latin verse and English prose, and for English verse and Latin prose, on alternate years; and two silver for Elocution, annually competed for; besides prizes given by Maltby, Bishop of Durham, for Greek verse, Latin verse, and Inferiors’ speaking; Sir William Heathcote, of Hursley, for Scholarship; and Mr Duncan, for Mathematics.
The School year was divided into two unequal parts. One, called “Short Half,” commenced about the beginning of September, and lasted till about the middle of December; the other, “Long Half,” from the beginning of February till the middle of July. The six weeks after Easter (“Easter-Time”) were devoted to the study of Greek Grammar, and once in each of these weeks there was competition in speaking, the best speakers being selected to display their oratorical powers on the final day, which was called “Commoners’ Speaking.” During the remaining weeks of Long Half, (“Cloister Time,”) Sixth Book and Senior part went up to books together; when thus combined, they were called “Pulpiteers.” Middle and Junior part were merged together in the same way—those in Junior part having the opportunity of rising into Middle part, and vice versâ. This combination was called “Cloisters,” and this period of the year “Cloister Time;” the distinguished post of “Cloister Classicus” was, I can tell from long experience, by no means a sinecure.