Preparatory Schools Boarding: Rest Period--The Dorms
Figure 1.--This boy is another boy engrossed in his book during the rest period. Note that the children do not have teddies and other stuffed toys. This was an excellent school academically, but thec atmophere was a little to strict for my tastes.
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The children at most schools return to their dorm rooms and quietly read or take a nap on their beds. Generally they are required to take of their shoes or sandals and stay on their beds, but not necessaeily lay down. This was a very common rule at many boarding schools. They do not have to nap. Many of the children use the time to read an iknteresting book. Other than the rest period, the children were not generally susposed to be in their dorms during the day, except for changing their uniforms or other special purpose. The beds equipped wuth duvets and colorful blankets as well as friendly teddy or other stuffed animal provided a comfortanle quie interlude from the hectic school day. The presence of stuffed animals was an often accurate indicator of the school atmosphere. Wecfound that many of the more child friendly schools would have dorm rooms populasted with cheeful stuffed animals. Note how plan the dorm is here. Many prep school dormitories like the oine here in the 1980s just had a bed and chair where the clothes for theday were placed. This was sometjing that was beggking to change.
