The School Rules

[englishangel]

The silliest was

"Girl's may not picnic on the school grounds, except in wet weather"

Why should you want to?

[michael scuffil]

The Horsham rule book had some strange things, like "Boys must not practise golf strokes on Big Side". I suppose someone must have done so once, causing danger to life and limb, or maybe the grass, but I can't exactly remember it being a major problem. There was also a rule about where snowballing was allowed ("not between the back road and the Quartermile"). Many of the rules were about dress, with definitions of FHD and different forms of HHD (full and half Housey dress respectively) and when they must and mustn't be worn. With cricket clothes, Juniors were supposed to wear sunhats (they were made of grey flannel) "unadorned and in their proper shape". I never worked out why "Seniors may not wear football clothes out of bounds in summer".

At a House Captains' Meeting, Seaman once maintained there was a specific prohibition on using dustbins as wickets for asphalt cricket (there had been a picture in the Evening Standard of boys (in FHD, see above) doing just this). We disputed this, so he found a rule book and came up with "School property must not be put to improper use". Whereupon we engaged in a debate about whether this was indeed an improper use.

[Ajarn Philip]

At a House Captains' Meeting, Seaman once maintained there was a specific prohibition on using dustbins as wickets for asphalt cricket (there had been a picture in the Evening Standard of boys (in FHD, see above) doing just this). We disputed this, so he found a rule book and came up with "School property must not be put to improper use". Whereupon we engaged in a debate about whether this was indeed an improper use.

I love it, Michael - a perfect example of the 'cover all' rule! The debate must have been interesting - all part of a CH education IMHO.

[Alexandra Thrift]

Hi Everybody !

Just a quick addition to the School Rules thread...

I think that Miss Norman ( Nellie) issued some separate " All Out " rules which Lesley Bonham ( 8s /1965-72 ?)
annotated and read out in a near perfect Normanesque style.

One of the rules was Balls must not be thrown in the Pavilion ( Anyone for the Quickstep?)

There were also the famous " Trip to France " rules with the dire warning about " Spivs,Gamblers and Ne'er Do Wells ".An unbelievably quaint terminology even in the 1960s.

[Angela Woodford]

There were also the famous " Trip to France " rules with the dire warning about " Spivs,Gamblers and Ne'er Do Wells

Oh! How we cracked up over that! I remember doing my DR impersonation... sets jaw in steely resolve - I can still do it! "Spivs! Gamblers!..."

I don't remember the exact words, but I think the rule read "No deodorants are to be used". Or was it "allowed"?

I believe this was a thing from SWSNBN, who considered that they would damage the underarm fabric of our dresses and blouses. For the Sunday blouses under grey dresses, we sewed in those rubbery dress shield things, which I know Katharine remembers, because those blouses didn't get washed all term, hanging during the week in Wardrobe Room. I wonder if dress shields had to be sewed into coat frocks?

However, sponge bags didn't get searched by Jackdaw or Pot. I remember my proud grown up status aquisition of (1) a stick of "O-do-ro-no" then graduating to (2) a pink pot of "Mum" then on to the new aerosol products! Oh, how fragrant.

A rule universally ignored.

[Katharine]

I don't remember the exact words, but I think the rule read "No deodorants are to be used". Or was it "allowed"?

I believe this was a thing from SWSNBN, who considered that they would damage the underarm fabric of our dresses and blouses. For the Sunday blouses under grey dresses, we sewed in those rubbery dress shield things, which I know Katharine remembers, because those blouses didn't get washed all term, hanging during the week in Wardrobe Room. I wonder if dress shields had to be sewed into coat frocks?

To be fair to SWMNBN, deoderants are not recommended when you wear silk blouses, but we did not wear silk at school - except for silk Sunday stockings for BAs, until these were replaced by 60 denier nylons. My nylons lasted every Sunday for three whole school years! I got my BA at Christmas in UV and left at Christmas 3 years later.

Yes we did sew dress shields into coatfrocks, but I don't remember them in the tartan blouses. The collars on the coatfrocks were washed once or twice a term, we then had to sew them back on. This involved careful measuring and pinning to get the fronts to match to the satisfaction of the Hag. Sometimes it took several attempts only to be rescued by a kind senior who had learnt the tricks - and more importantly passed them on!

[Angela Woodford]

To be fair to SWMNBN, deoderants are not recommended when you wear silk blouses, but we did not wear silk at school - except for silk Sunday stockings for BAs, until these were replaced by 60 denier nylons. My nylons lasted every Sunday for three whole school years!

Yes we did sew dress shields into coatfrocks, but I don't remember them in the tartan blouses. The collars on the coatfrocks were washed once or twice a term, we then had to sew them back on. This involved careful measuring and pinning to get the fronts to match to the satisfaction of the Hag. Sometimes it took several attempts only to be rescued by a kind senior who had learnt the tricks - and more importantly passed them on!

Point taken about when wearing a silk top, Katharine!

60 denier nylons - were these the dark mushroom coloured stockings which I seem to remember? What colour were the silk Sunday stockings?

What a nightmare to sew collars onto those coatfrocks! Now I've had a good look at a coatfrock in the Museum - a light collar on very bulky fabric - it must have been a terrible fiddly task! Plus the Hag....!

[englishangel]

I think it was around 1967 we were allowed to use AP/Deo.

[Angela Woodford]

I don't actually remember any official retracting of the deodorant rule, Mary. Everyone just ignored it when they felt it necessary. Well, that might have been in 6s, where we didn't have spongebag searches. Perhaps Fanny was more strict?

But I do remember the great gasp of exitement that reverberated around when, at Mark Reading, DR announced that we could bring back a pair of jeans to wear after lunch Saturdays and after Chapel on Sundays . It was amazing! Too exciting!

[englishangel]

I don't think we had spongebag searches in 2's, I certainly remember doing an Upper Fifth basket and finding -er internal -er-um

[J.R.]

I don't think we had spongebag searches in 2's, I certainly remember doing an Upper Fifth basket and finding -er internal -er-um

.........are we talking an article which has a periodical use, Mary ?

SURELY - They weren't frowned upon at Hertford ?

[Angela Woodford]

I know I've written at length about DR's Great Tampax Talk, JR, so musn't repeat all over again!

To sum up - come to her notice - some of us were using - would break "ring muscle", husbands would know we were not a virgin and would despise us - but OK for professional swimmers -

Honestly! Much collapsing into hysterical laughter once out of earshot.

[J.R.]

She must have come from the 'Dark Ages'

Did she also advocate against 'young gels' horse riding, perchance ?

[Angela Woodford]

DR loved all sport, JR, but I don't think horses would have registered with her somehow. I don't suppose one can lose one's virginity playing cricket?

Mary V will say that she recanted on the Tampax issue, but I don't remember this at all. I've never forgotten the great Talk. I just hoped at the time that nobody took it to heart. "Despised by your husband" indeed!

[Liz Jay]

More likely to be despaired of by one's husband due to inability to uncerstand the finer points of cricket, in my personal experience Munch!

One of the school rules was "Balls may be batted up against the Pavilion".

No other place? and we all Obeyed?? we were such docile children most of the time! Treading quite gingerly through the day.

As I remember it was less a question of breaking school rules than of accidentally venturing out into areas which had not been legislated against, and immediately incurring unexpected wrath, or was there a rule for all eventualities?

No wonder I have such a Thing about authority figures and an over-active conscience to this day.

I still flinch easily!

Love
Liz