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The primary purpose of a prep school is to prepare the boys for their public schools. This included not only basis primary academic consytuction, but also the social life of a boarding school. And an important part of public school life was the boarding house. These were groups of boys from each form (year class) that boarded together, commonly in separate small buildings or houses on campus. Which of course is why they are called houses. This means that there were boys from all the different year classes. This worked well with teen age boys. In a properly run houses with an engaged housemaster and wife, the older, more responsible boys were a often a positive influence on the younger boys. This arrangement, however, did not suit the younger prep school boys. Prep schools attempted to replicate the public school environment on a smaller scale, this included boarding, teaching methods, games, and many other aspects. Boarding houses were, however, a rare exception. Many schools attemoted the prep school model. Gradually, howevrer, the schools turned to boarding arrangements by age groups in dormitory like settings. Here there were various small groups depending on the sizes of the rooms asvailable. This facilitated both sleeping arrangements and going to bed routines in the evening. A few prep schools had a boarding house for the older boys, but this was not very common. Ofren the older boys serving as prefects were assigned to assist with the yonger boys' dormitoiries. Houses existed in prep schools, but they were not boarding houses. Rather they were artificial divisions of the schools for purposes of various intra-school competitions in sports, accademics, and other matters. This proved useful in inspiring the boys who are found of competitions, especially in athletics. At many schools the children wore identifying marks of the houses such as colored knee socks flashes or pins.
The primary purpose of a prep school is to prepare the boys for their public schools. This included not only basic primary academic instructionn, but also athletics as well as social life of a boarding school. And here the boarding house where the boys lived was an important part of their social life.
And an important part of public school life was the boarding house. This isknown as the House System. The school is divided into subunits called 'houses'" and each student is assigned to one of the gouses when he enrolls. For the schools accepting day boys, there is a house for day students. The different houses compete with one another at sports and other activities. Normally the sports competitiins are the most compoetitive. It is a major focus of group loyalty. The houses were composed of boys from each form (year class) that boarded together, commonly in separate small buildings or houses on campus. Which of course is why they are called houses. This means that there were boys from all the different year classes. This worked well with teen age boys. Public dchool masters (teachers) were selrcted sas house masters. Usually married masters were selected and the house included facilities for him and his fanily. In a properly run house with an engaged housemaster and wife, the older, more responsible boys were a often a positive influence on the younger boys. This was a long established trafdition at the public schools, meaning in several public schools centuries in the making. .
Prep schools attempted to replicate the public school environment on a smaller scale, this included boarding, teaching methods, games, and many other aspects.As in other aspects. As a result, many early prep schools attempted to replicate the house arrangements which was seen as a very important aspect of public sxchool life. Everyone was assigned to a house, and house colors were an integral part of the uniform. Imprtantant intra-school competitions centered on the houses. This all comes out in the Harry Potter novels (Hogwarts Houses: Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins). So even Americans who may not know much about English schools are aware of the hiuse system. The boys involved living togrther for six years are so develop very close rekstions and take ythe compeitions very seriously. Many fathers not only wanted theur sons to attend the same public school threy attended, but to be zassigned to ghe same house. It was all part of the public school ethos. In the prep schools, however, as we were not talking about teemagers. And the arrangement did not suit the younger prep school boys. Even so, for several decaded this was the general approasch. The governing idea is that the boys, however, young should adapt rather thsn orgnizing the schools to meet the unique needs of the youunger boys.
Boarding houses eventually were abandoned by most prepschools, especilly after World War II when the schools gradually begn to recognize the needs to meet the needs of the uyonger children. Her the move toward coeducation was a factor. With the arriuvalm of the girls at mzany chools (1970s). came the general move to make the schools a more coimfiortable, human living enviroments. What prents might caacceopt for boys, they were not preopared to asccrot for their girls. Abd this boarding houses became a rare exception where the prep schools diverged from the public school blue print. Most prep schools attemoted the prep school model. Gradually, howevrer, the schools turned to boarding arrangements by age groups in dormitory like settings. Here there were various small groups depending on the sizes of the rooms asvailable. This facilitated both sleeping arrangements and going to bed routines in the evening. A few prep schools had a boarding house for the older boys, but this was not very common. Ofren the older boys serving as prefects were assigned to assist with the yonger boys' dormitoiries. >br>
Houses exist in ,odern prep schools, but they are mostly not boarding houses. Rather they were artificial divisions of the schools for purposes of various intra-school competitions in sports, accademics, and other matters. This proved useful in inspiring the boys who are found of competitions, especially in athletics. At many schools the children wore identifying marks of the houses such as colored knee socks flashes or pins.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
