Figure 1.-- The prefects at this prep school wore little metal badges. They came in different shapes. There were several ways of designating prefects.

Schools had several different ways of identifying prefects. Of course these were small schools. All the children knew who the prefects were. The badges were in fact were as much for the prefects, a kind of badge of honor. The prefects were the older boys--but not all the older boys. Of course the prefects could change from time to time. A prefect might get into trouble for some infraction and he might lose his position. This usually was rare. The identifying items were more badges of honor, a kind of award for the children involved. We have noted metal badges. These seem particularly common in the 1950s, but we still noticed several schools using them in the 1980s. At some schools prefects wore destinctive ties. A school with a solid-colored tie, might have a stripped tie for the prefects. We also noted embroidered or colored patches that might be worn on jumpers. The head boy or girl was also normally given other destinctive ties or badges to destinguish them from a normal prefect. At some prep schools, only the prefects were allowed to wear long trousers.

Purpose

Schools had several different ways of identifying prefects. Of course these were small schools. All the children knew who the prefects were. The badges were in fact were as much for the prefects, a kind of badge of honor. The prefects were the older boys--but not all the older boys. Of course the prefects could change from time to time. A prefect might get into trouble for some infraction and he might lose his position. This usually was rare. The identifying items were more badges of honor, a kind of award for the children involved.

Types of Identification

We have noted several different ways of identifying the prefects which varied from school to school. The best known method was the use of metal badges which had "Prefect" spelled out. They came in a variety of different shapes. These seem particularly common in the 1950s, but we still noticed several schools using them in the 1980s. At some schools prefects wore destinctive ties. A school with a solid-colored tie, might have a stripped tie for the prefects. We also noted embroidered or colored patches that might be worn on jumpers. We have noted them worn on jumpers or sweaters. These same patches were also used to identify houses. Some schools had garter tabs to identify houses, but we have never noted them being used to identify the prefects. At some prep schools, only the prefects were allowed to wear long trousers. We believe this was formerly more common earlier, but by the 1980s many schools were allowing all but the younger children to wear long trousers.

Headboy or Girl

The head boy or girl was also normally given other destinctive ties or badges to destinguish them from a normal prefect.

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