Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I've read in a few post that we're not allowed to call squits "squits" any more. Since when? Is this true? Why? Is this some kind of Blairite "human rights" thought police agenda?
Surely half the point of squits is that they are called squits.

I believe it is now classified under verbal abuse, as it's a negative comparison and a shameful putdown. that's according to the various child welfare stuff I have to deal with here at the Institute of Education. I KNOW it's daft, but there you go. be all the do-gooders at CH trying to change the easy stuff whilst ignoring the real causes of upset to juniors (whatever they may be!).

I don't remember being traumatised by being called a squit, but I do remember looking forward to the 3rd form just so I wasn't the lowest year in the school!

(by the way Tim, good to see you at the Lewisham band concert last year, hope all's going well)

Good to see you too Eloise!

Yes it's crazy. I suppose we're also going to have to call them "vertically challenged" erasmus instead of lower / little erasmus now too!

It is crazy but as far as I can see, most kids still call them squits!

Political correctness gone mad!

Another example of over-sensitivity. As said, sort the real causes of upset, rather than the trivial. (I'm not suggesting that CH haven't sorted the causes, just that they should if they haven't!)

So what does squit actually mean?

http://www.dictionary.com says
"ee \Squi*tee"\, n. [From the N. American Indian name.] (Zo["o]l.) The squeteague; -- called also squit."


J

having the squits ... not pleasant! that's another meaning. http://cgi.peak.org/~jeremy/retort.cgi?British=squits

yuck!

I don't think it was used as a word of offence at CH though - it was just signifying you were on the bottom year!

It was still a kind of derogatory label though - "squit" - i.e. the lowest and most worthless form of humanity in the school. When you arrive at CH you are left in no doubt that you are at The Beginning and you're the same as your peers, just another squit.

Quite a good principle really - and the only way to advance yourself is to survive the first year!

At least if you are a squit you know you will eventually be a mighty Grecian, it's only a matter of time / effort, whereas if you are a "bocker"...

the name squit is not at all rude to you just a year name the same as the LE without a ltin meaning, also i remember the days when u got your own squit....he he

well yeah and the days of turning the girdle orund on your third form, just as i was leaving u had to usually remind 2nd form (look at me i am not a bully) that they had to have it orund the front, they were and proabbly are still far to cocky....

Of all the things to worry about!

I can honestly say I never found 'squit' offensive, and I don't think I knew anybody who did. More to the point, it was nothing more than a matter-of-fact term for the lowest year. Perhaps that's changed, but if not, I'd have thought there would be better things to worry about. There certainly were on my, um, squits.

I was on the squits between 1998 and 1999, and it was naturally not offensive at all, just a year name, as someone else mentioned.
I was on the last yeargroup that was 'allowed' to be called squits, it was actually really odd when we came back in September 1999 and it had suddenly been strictly banned. Even the teachers took a while to adjusts to it. But I think now, the label has almost completely gone, and they're just plain 2nd formers.
And I'm sure everyone had that stage on the beginning of their 3rd form, when you forget to turn your gurdle around! It always struck me as being a bit odd or o.t.t. when people took that aspect so seriously!

tbs wrote:It always struck me as being a bit odd or o.t.t. when people took that aspect so seriously!

But wasn't it interesting how much it mattered to you in the second form, and you looked forward to the privileges etc. of the next year? Something as simple as being able to turn around your gurdle, and then the excitement of getting your first broadie on the LE! Wow, the heady times!
Interesting how those aspirations still enthuse the kids in Brat Camp! (see other topic in this section)

J

being called squit wasn't really offensive for me (yes even me!). just a short monosyllable word that's quicker than 'second former'

though if it did originate from 'to have the squits'....

It could be worse. Theres a Military college here in the US where every first year student cannot walk on the paths, they must walk in the grass by the paths, they cannot look up and must walk at 120 steps a minute. Hooray for the Citadel!! (PS My friends go there and I laugh at them)

I was at CH when I guess the whole, can't call squits squits thing started. I have to say it happend rather slyly on behalf of the staff, when addressing a large group of squits in house I remember shouting in dayroom 'oi! Squits!' only to be corrected by my housemisstress that they were second form, not wanting to anger her I corrected myself. Thats how it happend a period of quite correcting, until we were all brainwashed into calling them second formers.