I never was a Præfect myself; and when I was a big Inferior, I have more than once received, with perfect meekness, a “Tunding” (thrashing with a stick) from a boy who, had he been an Inferior, would have treated me with the greatest respect. I remember, on one such occasion, the operator, indignant at not being able to make me feel, searched underneath my waistcoat to see if I was not padded for the occasion, (not an uncommon proceeding by any means;) and on finding such was not the case, took the small end of the stick in his hand, and finished the performance with the butt end, and principally on my head. Nor, when ordered to “hold down” (i.e., put your head in a convenient position) for a “Clow,” would the victim dare to ward off the blow, or cease offering his cheek to the smiter till it pleased the latter to desist.
Indeed, the moment a boy was made a Præfect, he seemed immediately to become invested with a supernatural power that changed the familiar intercourse with his former companions into awe or respect on the one side, and tyranny or condescension on the other, according to the nature of the individual promoted. I remember, soon after my first arrival, and before I had quite realised the great gulf between a Præfect and an Inferior, during breakfast-time in hall, I saw one of the Fags put aside his master’s frying-pan, it being required no longer. As I was in want of one at the moment, in the innocence of my heart, I politely asked the Præfect, who was its owner, if he would be so good as to lend it to me. I thought he looked rather queer, but, being a good-natured youth, he said, “Yes;” when the loud burst of laughter from the other boys proclaimed that something unusual had happened. On inquiry, I found that it was my astounding impertinence in making such a request of a Præfect that had caused the excitement, and for some little time I was looked on as quite a hero.
Though, at first sight, this kind of superstitious awe of the Inferiors towards the Præfects may seem unprofitable, yet I am inclined to think that, on the whole, it was not without its advantages. Certainly, in some exceptional cases, a Præfect used to take advantage of his position, and treat those beneath him cruelly; but such, at any rate, was not the general character of the Præfects in my time; and most of them used their power far more in preventing the big Inferiors from bullying their companions, than in inflicting torture themselves.
The Præfects had the entire charge of the boys out of school, and were responsible to the masters for all breaches of discipline committed by the others, for which they (the Præfects) were punished; it was, therefore, their interest as well as duty to see the laws carried out. When a delinquent was discovered, he received his punishment at once from the Præfect under whose jurisdiction the offence fell. This generally consisted of any given number of stripes on the back, varying from a dozen to about fifty, according to the character of the offence, or the disposition of the performer. The sticks used for this purpose were supple young ash plants, familiarly called “Ground Ashes,” and the supplying them to the Præfects formed quite a profitable branch of trade to some individuals in the town, as the consumption was considerable.
As I mentioned above, this kind of thrashing was called “Tunding,” and, for any grave offence, it was administered by the Præfect of Hall on the raised dais at the end of hall, in presence of all the boys, and was then called “a Tunding on top of Hall.” I believe the system worked well. It would have been impossible for the Masters to have been continually spying after the boys; and the confidence placed in the Præfects strengthened their character, inasmuch as, for the most part, they felt proud of the trust confided to them, and conscientiously endeavoured to fulfil their duties. The public Tundings were almost always fairly conducted, being generally adequate, but not excessive, and could not be classed with the severe bullying that some few Præfects carried on behind the scenes, where there was no public to control either the manner or the quantity of punishment administered.
A high tone of honour was kept up in the school, truth being scrupulously adhered to between the boys themselves, and by them towards the Masters, except in one particular, (which exception, indeed, was caused by an honourable feeling crookedly developed,) and this was when telling the truth would bring another individual into trouble.
On these occasions, the most tremendous lies were sometimes considered justifiable:—e.g., The Doctor comes suddenly round a corner, and finds Tibbs mopping the rosy fluid from his nose with a rueful countenance, having just received a sharp back-hander from one of his lords and masters, whose basin he has broken:—
“Pray, what may be the matter with you?” inquires the Doctor.