[HPFGU-OTChatter] Prefects, Headboys and Headgirls in Real Life

[Shaun Hately]

OK - now I know this got through (thanks to those who let me know), I'll 
add a little bit to it. Sometimes I wonder if I smell (-8 Posts I think 
might inspire some comment go unnoticed (I guess I'm a bad judge). 

On 29 Aug 2003 at 23:00, Shaun Hately wrote:

> I was a prefect at school, so I'm happy to answer these questions.
> How are they rewarded? Rewarded?!?!? (-8 Seriously, it was an honour, 
> and not something you sought reward for. We did have some privileges - a 
> small (and I mean *very* small) personal office - it was about the size 
> of a phone booth (and I am not joking about that). We could go to the 
> head of lines in the library, or the school canteen (this was because we 
> were assumed to have other duties to perform and so our time was at a 
> premium - it was very bad form to jump a queue unless you were actually 
> having to hurry off on duty). Longer term, it did look good when 
> applying for university.

Just talking to a friend who was also a pre, he reminded me we did have 
a couple more privileges - most notably, within certain limits, we could 
leave the school grounds without permission (this was a product of the 
fact that we could give permission to other students to do so, and it 
seemed silly if we could let other people out but still needed to get 
permission ourselves). In the boarding house, prefects could get out of 
bed early (all final year students could stay up as late as they wanted 
- theoretically (-8 In practice it was monitored and if you seemed to be 
staying up late a lot without good reason, and if you seemed tired, 
Matron would have a 'quiet word' with you (an expression that was two 
lies in two words). Getting up early may not sound like much of a 
prefect - but when hot water to the showers was limited, in winter, it 
truly was (note - if the prefects ever used all the hot water, it was 
made quite clear that school traditions allowed for them to be thrown 
into the swimming pool - fully clothed - a lot of the privileges were 
tempered by things like that). We could also leave our own school areas 
at major sporting events with other schools (so we could chase people 
who didn't have that right, probably - but we generally used it as a way 
of talking to female school prefects, if any were available (depended on 
the event)). 

The fact is, the privileges don't stick in my head - it was all duty. 
And sometimes pretty hideous duties - sitting with a fourteen year old - 
just sitting - for thirteen hours while he waited to find out if his 
mother would live, when you're only 17 yourself and it's been only 16 
months since you lost your father. Stepping between an enraged bully a 
year younger and a foot taller than you, and the person he's planning on 
beating up, and hoping that he's still calm enough somewhere behind that 
face that is scaring you silly, to realise if he hits you, he's out of 
the school - and that he actually cares about that. Spending an entire 
school dance (which you finally after weeks of agonising managed to ask 
a girl you really liked to), trying to work out who has the bottles. 
Feeling constantly inadequate - knowing you've been given a position of 
authority and wanting to discharge it as well as you can. And catching 
your best friend cold with a cigarette in his hand, in front of a 
witness - so you *have* to report him, knowing he'll get caned - and 
wondering if he's ever going to forgive you.

The reason I actually started to write this was because I found my 
Prefects Handbook - and I thought the Pledge we had to take might give 
some insight into what we did. The last sentence, and the prayer reflect 
the particular ideology and focus of the school I attended, but I 
suspect the rest is fairly representative of at least one common view:

"In accepting this position as prefect, I hereby acknowledge my duty to 
act at all times without fear or favour, without malice or ill will, 
with justice and affection, with honesty and compassion, to act as 
encourage, supporter, guide, and servant of my fellow students in the 
best traditions of the School. I pledge to always do my best to obey and 
uphold the rules and regulations of the School, and to acknowledge any 
failure to do so when necessary. Above all, I pledge to always discharge 
my duties with regards to my fellow students with the full intent of 
aiding their development and my own as men for others.

Oh Lord, teach me to serve you as you deserve
To give and not to count the cost
To fight and not to heed the wounds
To toil and not to seek to rest
To labour and not to ask reward
Save knowing that I do your will."

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia