Figure 1.--.
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Figure 1.--. |
One of the unsung heroes of any boarding school is the school matron. The matron at a prep school has a little different job than at a public school because of the age of the children. The school matron supervising the boarding dormitories often plays a key role in the school. Especially with the younger boys, matron has to assume a mothering role along with a daunting list of other duties. To an outside observer the role of the matron may seem to be only a small part of the overall school program. The school matron is usually responsible for the boarder's general well being. At many schools she often has some nursing training.
To a small boy scrambling to find his wellies or cherished teddie, the matron is one of the pillars of the school. Few headmasters would question this judgement.
One of the unsung heroes of any boarding school is the school matron.
The school matron supervising the boarding dormitories often plays a key role in the school. Especially with the younger boys, matron has to assume a mothering role along with a daunting list of other duties. To a small boy scrambling to find his wellies or cherished teddie, the matron is one of the pillars of the school. Few headmasters would question this judgement.
The matron at a prep school has a little different job than at a public school because of the age of the children. At a public school the matron works in a boarding house rather than a dormitory.
To an outside observer the role of the matron may seem to be only a small part of the overall school program. The school matron is usually responsible for the boarder's general well being. At many schools she often has some nursing training. Matron has to assume the task of maintaining order, teaching the children to pick up their things (a substantial challenge in many cases, helping to find lost jumpers, and making sure teeth get brushed and knees scrubbed. We have not infrequently come across the matron and housekeeper amidst piles of freshly laundered clothes.
Many mothers, hard put to deal with the demands and energies of one or two children, no doubt envy the ability of the school matron to deal with a dormitory full of children. This is not a job for the easily frustrated. Matron has to on a daily basis with Martin who didn’t make his bed or Henrietta who constantly leaves her hair spray out. Little picodillios like that are easy to tolerate when dealing with one child at home, but can lead to chaos when magnified by 50-80 high spirited boarders.
Almost invariably they speak of the children in very personable terms. Obviously they regard the children almost as family.
We can vividly recall the expression of one long- suffering matron when a group of nine 8-year old boys entered her immaculately cleaned dormitory covered in mud from head to toe after a glorious afternoon defending their forts in the woods. It is not only the children the matron has to contend with, but also the demands of the headmaster who are forever accepting a variety of commitments and then casually informing matron, often with little warning. One headmaster, long accustomed to the miracles worked by his treasured matron, recalled informing her that she will have a visiting team of 17 boys to put up for a couple days. “She shrugged, actually smiled, and accepted the fact. After 13 years she has almost got used to our little eccentricities.” At one school matron misplaced a ring. For the boys this was soon transmuted to matron’s lost jewels which set in motion a weekend treasure hunt of almost epic proportions.
