Figure 1.-- The boarding schools we saw for the most part were happy, homey places. The dormitories tended to be colorful places populated by teddies and other stuffed animals.
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Figure 1.-- The boarding schools we saw for the most part were happy, homey places. The dormitories tended to be colorful places populated by teddies and other stuffed animals. |
The image that many people have of British boarding schools are very unhappy places to which very young people are subjected. The image includes Spartan living quarters in which the children pine away for their parents and the comforts of home. Also many believe that the children are subjected to harsh discipline, including physical punishment. Thereis also the idea that it is all work with little opportunity to have fun. English literature is full of accounts describing very unhappy childhood experiences befinning with Winston Churchill as well as countless lesser known individuals. Actually we believe that this image was a not unrealistic desription of many prep schools through the 1950s. The schools began to change significantly in the 1960s. Most of the schools we visited were not like this at all. We did find a few schools that seemed less concerned with the needs of younger children than one would expect. The general pattern, however, was quite different. Most schools made a real effort to create a homey, caring atmosphere. One of the most revealing examples were the dormitories. New boys entering a school for the first time through the 1950s found drab, Spartan dormitories. And he would never dare bring his teddy along. The dormitories we found were bright, cheerful places and the beds were populated with not only teddies, but a variety of stiffed animals that would do a good-sized zoo proud.
The image that many people including the British themselves have of British boarding schools are very unhappy places to which very young people are subjected. The image includes Spartan living quarters in which the children pine away for their parents and the comforts of home. The image of coldwater baths and bare spatan dormitories is held by many. Also many believe that the children are subjected to harsh discipline, including physical punishment. Thereis also the idea that it is all work with little opportunity to have fun. Rather the idea of not only classes, but extended preps (homework assignments) as well a curfews and early bedtimes provides a not very appealing image to many children with no experience at actual boarding schools. Often they are seen as places parents can dump children who are an inconvience. In other words, boarding school was seen as a measure of the lack of parental concern. I know this was the general attitude in Ameruca. I'm less sure about Britain. I suspect this attitude was not as pervasive, but still present go an important degree.
English literature is full of accounts describing very unhappy childhood experiences befinning with Winston Churchill as well as countless lesser known individuals.
Actually we believe that this image was a not unrealistic desription of many prep schools through the 1950s. As best we can determine from discussions with many masters who went to the schools before the 1970s, many of these schools all too often were not very happy places. Living conditons were spartan and the discline harsh. There seemed to have been only limited consideration for the needs of younger children. And the idea of a spartan atmoshere was in many cases seen as an actual goal rather than just a lack of attention. This seems to have been quite common until coeducation and the arrival of girls and manyformerly all boy schools.
The schools began to change significantly in the 1960s. Most of the schools we visited were not like this at all. We did find a few schools that seemed less concerned with the needs of younger children than one would expect. The general pattern, however, was quite different. Most schools made a real effort to create a homey, caring atmosphere. One of the most revealing examples were the dormitories. New boys entering a school for the first time through the 1950s found drab, Spartan dormitories. And he would never dare bring his teddy along. The dormitories we found were bright, cheerful places and the beds were populated with not only teddies, but a variety of stiffed animals that would do a good-sized zoo proud.
