Cap and Gown Comedy; A Schoolmaster's Stories

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893. Excerpt: ... background of black board, after I had been inducted into the humbler rostrum, where I felt uneasily how all eyes were turned upon me. The boys were already standing at their desks, some score of them at the most, their numbers increased by a few day-scholars. Proceedings began with a prayer in Latin, delivered ore rotundo by the Principal, while I fear my edification was spoiled through wondering if he could construe it. Then the Captain of the School, Master Whiskerandos, called the roll, to which each boy stood up and answered adsum, a very unnecessary ceremony it seemed to me, since it need take no Caesar to recognise at a glance the presence of so few soldiers. But my employer was evidently nothing if not scholastical in his ideas. Finally, he-made a speech presenting me to the boys, who more than once broke out in applause, to my modest confusion. They seemed quite aware of their preceptor's weakness, and well disposed to encourage him in wasting their school time on wordy orations. He, for his part, appeared to be in his element so long as he heard himself talking to a respectful audience. Let me see, he concluded, examining a timetable which hung over his desk, as if the smallest boy in the school must not have known it by heart. The modern side and the fifth and sixth forms come up to me. The fourth and the shell do classical work this morning with the Vice-Principal. The sixth and fifth forms consisted respectively of Mardon with his whiskers and of Pereira, unless C may be counted another youth, a day boy of shabby and subdued aspect, acting in part as a sort of pupil-teacher to the half-dozen smaller boys who, inasmuch as they did not learn Latin, were dignified with the title of the modern side. These latter the Principal at once set to...