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Most people have not attended boarding schools. Thus there image of what boarding schools are like is not very positive. This is primrily because what they have read or seen in the media. Virtually everyone has read books or seen television programs or movies with depictions of boarding schools. In most cases the image depicted is not very positive and not uncommonly strikingly negative. It may well be that there was in the past some justification for such images. We are not entirely sure why this is, but it is certainly true that the general image of boarding schools in the popular mind is largely negtive. Our impression is that those who have expeience with boarding schools, especially modern boarding schools, have a very different attitude toward the schools. This includes both parents and children. A variety of myths are current in the popular mind even though they appear to contradict the actual situation at the schools. Here we will discuss some of these images.
Most people have not attended boarding schools. Thus there image of what boarding schools are like is not very positive. This is primrily because what they have read or seen in the media. Virtually everyone has read books or seen television programs or movies with depictions of boarding schools. In most cases the image depicted is not very positive and not uncommonly strikingly negative. This is interesting because there is an entire genre of British books, school stories which paint a very positive image of boarding schools. Two the best known books were "Goode-bye Me. Chipps and to To Serve Them All My Days. This began to change, especially after World War II. Modern films such as If are very critical of boarding schools. And in films not specifically about boarding schools, there are often scenes which paint very negative images of the schools. This is very common in modern British television, programs like "The Inspector Lindsle" and "Dalgelish", and ????" series. Some of the schools are depicted as sinister or at the least places to essentially get rid of unwanted children. What is somewhat surprising about this is the relentlessy negative image presented by the media. Here we do not want to be maudling. Boarding schools clearly have advantages and disadvantages. These would be fair game to assess, but that is not what occurrs in the media. Rather what we see is the constant depiction of the standard myths about boarding.
We are not entirely sure why this is, but it is certainly true that the general image of boarding schools in the popular mind is largely negtive. There are a number of explanations that occur to us. One, the people who write books as well as the people who tend to move into the entertainment industry tend to be the literary inclined and less interested in sports. Traditionally it is the sports-minded boys who have the most positive memories of their school days. This is probably less true today, but I suspect that it is still true to some extent. Second, political ideology is another factor. Boarding schools are private schools and for many a symbol of the old class-based conservative order. Third, it probably makes for a more dramatic story to pain boarding schools in negative terms. There pribably are other factors, but these are the initial ones that occur to us.
It may well be that there was in the past some justification for such images. The public schools were rather rough places in the early 19th century. Youths did get hirt there and quite a number of parents hesitated to educate their children there. Here Tom Brown's School Days is a reasonably accurate depiction. And Dicken's Dothberry Hall as a warehouse for inconvenient children did bring to light a tragic chapter in British education history. This had changed by the late 19th centurry, but it is probablt true that many boarding schools were rather unplesant places for children which often ignored needs, run with harsh discipline, and providing few creature comforts.
Our impression is that those who have expeience with boarding schools, especially modern boarding schools, have a very different attitude toward the schools. This includes both parents and children. This is certainly the impression that we got when we visited the schools. This is not to say all the schools we visited were ideal educational establishments. We visited some schools that were not places that we would recommend. The system has a way of weeding out these schools. Many parents will not keep ther children in schools where they are not happy. Most were declining schools. But infact there were very few such schools. Most of the schools we visited were lively, happy schools that the children enjoyed attending and were well cared for by a highly motivated staff. We also noted a geberally positive relationship between the children and staff. Not only are the children generally hapy at the schools, but the teachers are geneally pleased to be working in an educational atmosphere in which they can teach and give the individual child the attention he or she needs.
A variety of myths are current in the popular mind even though they appear to contradict the actual situation at the schools. Here we will discuss some of these myths. We can give our take of these myths, but we welcome your insights to more fully discuss them. These are the myths that occur to us. Some have a historical basis. Others have some degree of truth, but for the most part most are based on a fundamental lack of knowledge and understanding of these schools. Readers may have additional such myths to add. We will be glad to discuss further such myths that readers may add.
