Posted by Owen Roberts on September 14, 2011 at 08:19:16 user OwenRoberts.
In Reply to: Re: Swallows and Shanties posted by Jock on September 14, 2011 at 00:01:37:
It was quite a scary adventure, Jock.
What I had failed to realise was that it was a RC school. A very different ethos. For example I did not know the names of any saints. One of the masters had to be called father and not sir.
I receive the tawse across the palm of my hand because when asked for the name of a saint, I had given the name of the only saint I could remember Swithun – which was apparently the wrong chap.
I received two swipes - one for being wrong and a second for being facetious. I was also told to stay behind after school, so I could be tested on my saints.
The only time I felt ahead of the game when I was asked about Latin, I was able to decline the six declensions starting amo, amas, amat etc in 40 seconds flat. (we were timed how fast we could decline it at prep school).
Actually quite glad when I was challenged and had to leg it. Suppose that I lasted until lunch because no master would imagine that a boy would be at school if he did not need to be there.
I remember it quite well because I was scared. Certainly in my top 5 scary events, a list to which we can all subscribe.