Swabs

[LongGone]

I swabbed for a Grecial named Flyyn, who was one of the first one year exchange student from America.

Sept 1960 to summer 1961 we had an exchange student who "introduced" basketball to Housie to the extent that the gym seemed to be in constant use every weekend. Can you remember who he was? He was the only one who seemed to have a big influence throughout the upper.

Was that Jim Bell? He also taught the secret of a forward pass (not so efficient with a rugby ball). He is a lawyer in NYC and is very active in promoting OB activities in the New England area.

[postwarblue]

Ten bob was the going rate, for me as a Swab in 1948 and for my Swab in 1954. Duties were not onerous.

[michael scuffil]

Duties were not onerous.

As I recall: cleaning swabmaster's shoes and coat, making his bed, washing up his evening coffee mug etc. in the morning. Running a few errands. Although it was strictly speaking quite illegal, many swabs also cleaned CCF uniforms.

For study mons, swabs would also clean the study, and make a fire in winter.

My swab brought tea to my bed in the morning, but he was especially well trained.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Tea in bed ?????

We had PT on the asphalt behind Ba B, and this included Monitors.

I had no idea, at the time, that this was a "Hard Life" !

I imagine that nowadays, the Human Rights Act would be invoked !!!

[jhopgood]

Tea in bed ?????

We had PT on the asphalt behind Ba B, and this included Monitors.

I had no idea, at the time, that this was a "Hard Life" !

I imagine that nowadays, the Human Rights Act would be invoked !!!

Our PT was at morning break between Ba B and Ma A.

Back asphalt was used for Asphalt cricket and running drills, as well as CCF Basic Training.

[michael scuffil]

I was involved in discussions on this. There was a move by certain people in the early 60s to move PT from morning break to before breakfast (in the summer; I don't think anyone ever did, or wanted, PT in the dark), but Dr Scott vetoed it. PT on an empty stomach, he said, was medically indefensible. Some of us breathed a sigh of relief.

[LongGone]

I have often wondered just how bad the classrooms smelled with several dozen sweaty and unwashed teenagers following PT. Obviously we didn’t notice it, but I wonder about the effect it might have had on some of the teachers.

[J.R.]

Tea in bed ?????

We had PT on the asphalt behind Ba B, and this included Monitors.

I had no idea, at the time, that this was a "Hard Life" !

I imagine that nowadays, the Human Rights Act would be invoked !!!

Our PT was at morning break between Ba B and Ma A.

Back asphalt was used for Asphalt cricket and running drills, as well as CCF Basic Training.

Same at Coleridge B.

[J.R.]

I have often wondered just how bad the classrooms smelled with several dozen sweaty and unwashed teenagers following PT. Obviously we didn’t notice it, but I wonder about the effect it might have had on some of the teachers.

I certainly don't remember any sweaty smells in class !

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I was, of course, in those days wearing Lynx Deodorant !!!!

[DavidRawlins]

When did PT stop? Was this due to complaints from masters about sweaty teenagers?

[michael scuffil]

PT stopped in about 1964. The death-blow came during the great freeze of the Lent Term 1963, when PT couldn't take place on permanently snow-covered asphalts. Although it lingered on a little while, the vision of a life without PT was so idyllic that the move to abolish it was irrestistible. Also, Neil Simms with his modern ideas of physical education was shocked at how PT was conducted, and made no attempt to defend it. He gave a talk to the House Captains' Meeting in which he said in barely disguised terms that many of the exercises were harmful and that a highly concentrated daily 10-minute session was not productive.

[Kit Bartlett]

I remember that P.T.in the mid morning school break was always cancelled if it was raining. The Big School Bell was rung three times in a burst of three chimes to indicate this. It was received
joyously in the classrooms. I wonder what happened to the Senior and Junior P.T. Cups competed for most strenuously and competitively by Houses.One of the exercises was a complicated form of flip flap called "Side bend up, side bend down, side bend side , side bend down"
Chris Bartlett

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Next question -------- Were we fitter, before or after PT was abolished ?

Discuss !

[J.R.]

As a 'Before', I can't really say !

I don't ever remember having a problem doing PT.