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The children at most schools are also organized into houses. The term varies. At some schools they are called clubs, but houses are the more common term. These houses are a particularly important aspect of boarding school life, but most day schools also have houses. Most schools mix the boarders and day boys in the various houses. Some have, however, separate day and noarder houses. At some schools the children wear badgs to mark their house. Most schools see these houses as an important phase of prep school life. Here competition is one element, but not the only one. One headmaster explained to us that houses “help to foster a competitive spirit.” Kingsland Grange explains that the house system “instills the spirit of keenesess into all school activities.” Some schools encourage the house spirit in a variety of ways. A few schools such as Pyrland Hall have each house sit together for lunch, but at most schools the seating, if any, is more likely to be determined by age or form. Prep school houses are different than public school houses in that they are not residential. Some schools do have a residential dormitry for the older children, but this is not their house. Many school magazines include house reports, often written by the house captain. These include a review of how well the houses did in the various intra-school competitions.
The children at most schools are also organized into houses. This reflects the organization of the public schools. The term varies. At some schools they are called clubs, but houses are the more common term. These houses are a particularly important aspect of boarding school life, but most day schools also have houses. Most schools mix the boarders and day boys in the various houses. Some have, however, separate day and noarder houses. At some schools the children wear badgs to mark their house. Prep school houses are different than public school houses in that they are not residential. Some schools do have a residential dormitry for the older children, but this is not their house.
Most schools see these houses as an important phase of prep school life. The house system developed at public schools where they provided supervised boarding facilities. This is not the major focus at prep schools, except for the older children at a few schools. At prep schools the major purpose of the house system is to ensure that every child receives individual attention. Children can get lost in a large school. The houuse provides a smaller unit to ebsure that every child gets the attention they require. Competition is another element, but not the only one. One headmaster explained to us that houses “help to foster a competitive spirit.” Kingsland Grange explains that the house system “instills the spirit of keenesess into all school activities.” Some schools encourage the house spirit in a variety of ways. A few schools such as Pyrland Hall have each house sit together for lunch, but at most schools the seating, if any, is more likely to be determined by age or form.
Many school magazines include house reports, often written by the house captain. These include a review of how well the houses did in the various intra-school competitions. These house notes contain a lot of information about the school.
There are sigificant differences from school to school concerning the house system. At many schools the houses do not exist in any physical sence. Houuses at most pre schools are more constructs for grouping the children in school competitions. We notice that some of the larger prep boarding schools may have actual physical houses. Thus there are some actual facilities. These are for the boarders, although the day boys may have some comparable facilities.
