Boarding School Since 1567

The British School Story Tradition

The development of public schools is worth examining, because many school stories were set in public schools and share their characteristics and atmosphere. Secondary schools like Rugby had been established in England in the Middle Ages, with Winchester founded in 1382, Eton (1440), St. Paul’s (1509), Shrewsbury (1557), Westminster (1560), Harrow (1567) and Rugby (1567). The schools were endowed schools in that they were established with endowments in order to provide education for a number of pupils at no charge. These schools, later known as public schools, provided education for the upper-classes. Middle-class families sent their sons to endowed grammar schools like Uppingham (1584) and Manchester Grammar (1515). In addition, private individuals operated schools. At the beginning of the 19th century many of these schools were in decline. Endowed schools were in financial difficulties, and were forced to enrol more paying pupils due to the decline in value of their endowments. Public concerns about ‘moral decay’ at the schools were influenced by lax discipline, poor educational standards and brutality and bullying. Schoolboys often revolted, as late as 1832 a rebellion occurred at Eton. A series of important developments and reforms occurred in the 19th century which changed the nature of private education, and are still influential today. The first reforms were made by the Headmasters of the schools. Dr Thomas Arnold became Headmaster of Rugby in 1828 and remained so until his death in 1842. Arnold was not the only Headmaster to implement reforms but became the most famous, symbolising the public school transformation, although other later Headmasters played a significant role in public school reform. J de S. Honey describes it as the legend of Arnold (2), in part promoted by the success of Hughes’ Tom Brown’s Schooldays Arnold’s transformation of Rugby can be summarised into several key points: Arnold placed an emphasis on Christian values; the Headmaster enjoyed independence from the school governors; assistant masters played an increasing role in the school; the corporate identity of the school was promoted; unsuitable pupils were removed, and Arnold developed and transformed the prefect system, placing emphasis on the older pupils’ active role in the discipline of the school (Newsome in Honey 7).