Figure 1.--Dorm rooms in the 1980s primrily featured duvets to keep the children warm on cold nights. There were many different ones. This boy has a simple pattern. Note the wooden bedstead. That was fairlyv rare in the 1980s. |
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Normally the dorm rooms had about 5-10 bunks, but usually little furniture. Often an older boy served as dorm captain. At many schools there were small rooms often made available to the older children, usually the prefects. This in part reflected the use of old mannor houses with many rooms of different sizes. Some schools used bunk beds. Normally the boys had a chair by their bunk to help dress and lay out clean clothes for the next day. These were commonly the only furniture. Some doirmitories were decorated with brightly colored posters and other interesting items. Others were more stark with only bare painted walls. By th 1980s duvets were all the thing. These varied widely. During the winter a blanket might be added. Many children also had delighful teddies on their bunks. Some schools had begun to upgrade these dorms adding furniture allowing the boys drawer space. This was much more common in the senior schools. Generally the girls had more elaborate dorm rooms and this is probaly one reason why the shools were also upgrading the boys rooms with niceties like rugs. Improvements in the boarding facilities are some of the major changes made at the schools during the 1990s. This process has since gone quite a long way at modernn boarding schools, especially at the senior schools.
Normally the dorm rooms had about 5-10 bunks, but usually little furniture. Often an older boy served as dorm captain.
At many schools there were small rooms often made available to the older children, usually the prefects. This in part reflected the use of old mannor houses with many rooms of different sizes.
The standard bed was a basic medal head stand bed, Usually this was a single-level bed. Some schools used bunk beds. This of course enablr the schools to fit more beds in a given spsace. Normally the boys had a chair by their bunk to help dress and lay out clean clothes for the next day. These were commonly the only furniture. This was the situation at most schools through the 1970s abd into the 80s. Some schools had begun to upgrade these dorms adding furniture allowing the boys drawer space. This was much more common in the senior schools. Generally the girls had more elaborate dorm rooms and this is probaly one reason why the shools were also upgrading the boys rooms with niceties like furniture and rugs. The problem of adding furniture of course involved more than the cost of the furniture. Adding furniture also mean that more space was needed which involved more costly investments than the furniture itself. Improvements in the boarding facilities are some of the major changes made at the schools during the 1990s. This process has since gone quite a long way at modernn boarding schools, especially at the senior schools.
Some doirmitories were decorated with brightly colored posters and other interesting items. Others were more stark with only bare painted walls.
By th 1980s duvets were all the thing. These varied widely. During the winter a blanket might be added.
Many children also had delighful teddies on their bunks.
