The Public School Word-book A conribution to to a historical glossary of words phrases and turns of expression obsolete and in current use peculiar to our great public schools together with some that have been or are modish at the universities

*Bible-Clerk*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A College Prefect in full power, appointed for one week. Formerly (with OSTIARIUS, _q.v._) he kept order in school, and assisted at flogging...

_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_ (1866), 37. The duties of a FAG, in the days of which I write, may be more easily described by informing the reader what he had...

1867. COLLINS, _The Public Schools_, p. 297. The intention of these CHARITY-REMOVES (as they are called) is to prevent boys of dull abilities being continually outstripped in th...

*Bodleian, The* (Oxford).—A famous library, popularly known as the Bodley, founded by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, 1445-80. Despoiled in 1550 and again in 1556, it was restored...

*Commons*, _subs._ (University).—Rations of bread, butter, and milk, supplied from the buttery. [When a number of men breakfast together, the student whose rooms are the rendezv...

1891. WRENCH, _Word-Book_, 30. Possibly the plural of “pack,” which word has an extended use in reference to friendship ... as _adj._, _subs._, and _verb_. This seems a more lik...

_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_ (1866), 49. In the short half we had at least one “REMEDY,” and a half day every week, and in summer two always; they were on T...

It has been a matter of note and, maybe, of surprise that no attempt has hitherto been made to gather in one volume the numerous Words, Phrases, and Turns of Expression peculiar...

*Sock*, _subs._ 1. (Eton).—Edibles of any kind. Hence TO SOCK = to eat outside regular meals: _e.g._ “We SOCKED Lyndsay minor three times last week,” _i.e._ we gave him somethin...

1841. LYTTON, _Night and Morning_, bk. iii. chap. iii. The proctor and his BULL-DOGS came up ... and gave chase to the delinquents; ... the night was dark, and they reached the...

1867. COLLINS, _The Public Schools_, 363. On the Dunchurch Road there was a stile long known as BAGS’ STILE; here a certain set of boys, of whom Lyttelton was one [_c._ 1793], u...

1890. _Great Public Schools_, 297. Besides the ordinary forms of punishment, there is the DATE-CARD, of which refractory or forgetful youths write out selected “twelves.” It is...

1856. HUGHES, _Tom Brown’s School-days_, pt. II. ch. v. “Come along, boys,” cries East, always ready to leave the GRIND, as he called it. _Ibid._, ch. vii. “The thing to find ou...

1865. _Etoniana_, p. 70. The restrictions [_temp._ Eliz.] by which the masters were forbidden to take any fees (even from oppidans) was probably evaded, almost from the first, b...

1853. BRADLEY (“Cuthbert Bede”), _Verdant Green_, vii. Each college does its own postal department; and at Merton there are fourteen POSTMASTERS, for they get no end of letters...

1887. _The Blue_, Nov. Thus, a little farther on, mention is made of the time when a boy leaves the School. The consequent change of dress might be vulgarly expressed by “exchan...

*Hog Tower*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—A coaching room off Rhetoric school-room. [So called (1) because part of a tower, and (2) because the RHETORICIANS (_q.v._) originally wished...

*Monos*, _subs._ (Westminster).—A junior detailed for duty during regular school hours, who remains on guard at the door of the college, as a sentinel, to see that no suspicious...

1853. BRADLEY, _Verdant Green_, iii. Mr. Green saw at a glance that all the passengers were Oxford men, dressed in every variety of Oxford fashion, and exhibiting a pleasing div...

1895. _Felstedian_, June, p. 104. Among plausible etymologies it is attempted to derive STUB from “the sound made by a stubbed football.” ... But the word STUB deserves to be re...

1864. _Blackwood’s Magazine_, vol. xcv., p. 79. Underneath is the place of execution, where delinquents are BIBLED. _Ibid._, p. 72. It need hardly be said that it [the rod] is a...

1. THE COLLEGE WAISTCOAT.—A remarkable and original service was, up to the date of the Public Schools Commission, exacted of a Westminster junior. He was supposed to be a treasu...

*King*, _subs._ (Royal High School, Edin.).—A game peculiar to the school. The players range themselves on one side of the playground, one going into the centre and calling “Kin...