Winchester School.

Manawatu Herald, 3 August 1893, Page 3

Winchester School.

•JA.' itf vl: «r>,i>i A: * '<•■ , -..'i^ ..." !■ :'.v> - The HJttblegr»)&M informed' ußj'thf other aay^that tb© 1 800 th atjititerj ftry of -fthb jfontatfing "of the ;i abb'v& sohooi '■ wa*^ celebrated l TOth' iSuch Jttpertanoei vSo it 'should' be as Wincbe^ter has t|ie proud distinctio^ tJLJjeipg tlia' ' plde^t Vpf, ; tiie . gcao4 public .schoola of England, Eton being a mere off-shoot of it. • JiWffliato Lbngr of bishop ofWfnchester^asihe founder, an^hirfirst idea was to foiaqd a' ichooi^ in which seventy scholars ■hqfiKl receive free board and a free •duoation. He however, allowed the sons of wealthy men to reside and partake of the instruction given by his masters, provided they lived iHhrir own cost. He arranged for its internal diaplineafter a fashion hitherto- unmewDv This was by administering the rules in a great measure through the, agency of the boys themselves ; atiflVthis, it ii now generally ad* tpifed. is what constitutes the difference between a public and a private school. The . buildings are divided into courts, and, helping to show the hardy treatment the early boarders bw'to undergo, there still stands in .-, from of the college kitchen the con* duit at which the boys had, even in winter, to stand and make their ablutions at half past sit in the morning t cv Thjs arr.ajgemei»t TOW. force up" to fifty years ago, after which water was laid on to the dor* niitbnefl. ' ir^eß9 dormitories contai^' ten scholars, and. until 200 years after the foundation of the

school this boys had only bundles of straw, laid oh the floors, to sleep on. Before leaving the building we may remark' that though the town of Winchester was frequently knocked about by Cromwell's soldiers during the Commonwealth, the school itself was left undisturbed, and the reason is stated to be that the officer commanding the Roundheads was an old pupil. The time that the school has been standing is more forcibly brought to our mind by reading that Henry VI. visited the school and waa pleased with it that he decided to found one near to his royal residence at Windsor, and he transferred one half of the teaching body and thirty five scholars to Eton. When Mary wan married to Philip of Spain at Winchester she, paid a visit to the school, and presented the head master with forty shilling (of more value then than now), thirty of which he divided With the boys. Queen Elizabeth also paid a visit to the school. ...;' The names of the head masters present a roll of famous men, and one, (ttbmas Ken, afterwards bishop oi Batjh and Wells, showed a proper spirit when Charles II visited the city in 1688, by refusing to allow his prebendal house to be occupied by Nell Gwynne, the King's mistress. Studies are pursued differently now, but from the foundation until 1560 if not later this is 'the timetable : — The bell in the college tower sounded at 5 a.m. when the boys rose and 'sang a Latin Psalm before dressing. ' " A fter this they washed at the conduit, dressed, cleaned out the chambers, and said their private prayers. The! morning*, service in the chapelVfollowed; then school at six, and at nine breakfast was served. There was then an interval till when t the. boys ' .again went in to school, dinner succeeding at twelve. School was resumed at at two, and lasted, with a qnarterof ..hour's intermission, till five. Then the whole tody went in procession round the college premises, singing hymns,, and^firayers. .There was supper at ,'ej'ghfc, . with evensong in the chapel ajt.eijwards, and then the; boys went ta. bed.' The present* head-master is the Rev W.Andrews Fearon, D.D. and his salary is some £1000 a year with a free house,,