BARBARISM IN ENGLISH EDUCATION. 673 



a severer punishment than a moderate knuckle rap on the head, in- 

 flicted by prefects deemed " bullies." 



An " Old Wykehamist " (Winchester was founded by Mr. Wyke- 

 ham), who recently spent six years at Winchester, admits the main 

 facts of the "deplorable case" reported by Mr. Maude, but protests 

 against his conclusions as to the general condition of things at the 



school. The power of the prefects is limited by the right of appeal 

 and their own sense of a grave responsibility, and " tundings are rarely 

 ami reluctantly inflicted, and only for grave moral offences and grave 

 breaches of discipline." The system is perhaps wrong, because liable 

 to abuse, but the " brutality," which Mr. Maude had so justly stigma- 

 tized, was very exceptional, as was proved by its general condemna- 

 tion by even the friends of the system. 



These letters call out the "victim," who speaks for himself, avowed- 

 ly of his own will and motion, " in defence of my school." He thinks 

 that a " Winchester tunding " is not, as alleged by Mr. Maude, " the 

 most dreadful punishment imaginable." He says : 



" The tunding I received in the fracas, a month ago, had no such terrible 

 effect as imagined. Played football after two days without the least incon- 

 venience. Ground ashes not as ' tough as whalebone,' but slight sticks rarely 

 lasting for more than three or four strokes. The punishment I received is uni- 

 versally admitted (and readily by the prefect himself) to have been excessive ; 

 yet I firmly believe, as does every one else here, that there was no tyranny or 

 brutality in the matter. On the contrary, it was done in an honest, though 

 mistaken impression, that serious insubordination was intended by my refusal 

 to obey him ; hence, while his action may be condemned, he himself and his 

 motives deserve respect," etc. 



In the letters to his father, which are published, he states that he 

 was little hurt ; that he cared nothing for the " licking ; " had con- 

 tended for a principle, and, when this was decided against him, he 

 went promptly for his tunding. The prefect wanted to " argue the 

 case," but he told him he had come for his " licking," and wanted it at 

 once. It had since been admitted, on all hands, that the vote was 

 wrong, and the punishment excessive in the number of strokes, but he 

 was thoroughly disgusted with the fuss made over so small a matter. 



In the course of the discussion, the " father of the victim " states 

 that he had written Dr. Riddle (head-master of the school) immedi- 

 ately on hearing of the case, asking that the prefect be required, at 

 least, to make a public apology to the boy. The doctor replied in a 

 letter of twelve closely-written pages, admitting and deploring the 

 facts, which were the result of " grave error of judgment and zeal for 

 discipline." Not satisfied with this, he (the father) called a bishop 

 into counsel, through whose intercession Dr. Riddle wrote again, say- 

 ing the prefect had apologized to "the victim" in his presence, and 

 adding, somewhat reprovingly, that the matter were better left where 

 it was. He wrote again, offering to let the matter drop, if the apology 

 vol. n. 43 



