Big School

Going from a village Prep School to a grammar school in the next town is a life-changing experience. I went to King Edward VI Grammar School (known to all as KEGS) at the ripe old age of 10, and went from being a biggish tiddler in a small pool to the lowest form of pond life in a very big lake. I had to travel in by bus every day (7 miles, one hour), and the local authority kindly issued us with Bus Passes. The bus, by the way had one of those lethal open platforms at the back. How nobody ever tumbled out at speed is a miracle, there was more than one narrow squeak. We all wore uniforms, Long Trousers to prove we have moved up in the world, and horror of horrors a Cap. That wretched cap made life outside school a misery. We were punished if caught without it on, and marked out as juicy targets for every lout between school and home if we wore it.

We were all addressed by our surnames, and there were many kids whose first names I never knew even after seven years. Teachers were addressed very respectfully, either by their full name or "Sir" or "Miss", although all had nicknames allocated either in fondness or hate. Most wore gowns, with coloured hoods and mortar boards on Speech Days. We all had to stand up whenever a teacher came into the room, and only sit down when told to. Lessons were formal - all the classic subjects but well taught and most teachers were actually very good indeed. They must have been to get me through 11 O levels, 3 As and into University, even though I was more interested in fishing and other hobbies than my academic subjects.

Punishment in those days was something to be feared. As long as a child was not hospitalised, most forms of corporal punishment seemed to have been allowed. There was the cane of course, but that was unimaginative. Far nastier was Big Bertha, a size 12 slipper sole that one master had, and the chemistry master used a length of rubber Bunsen burner tube to very good effect. But one occurrence of a punishment sticks in my mind. The school was built around two cloister-like quadrangles, with the centre of each grassed over and Out of Bounds. Two lads were caught fighting (once too often I guess) and were made to stand for an entire lunch break in the centre of the quadrangle holding hands. Did I mention it was a boys-only school? They were never seen fighting again.