[HPforGrownups] OT: Boarding school timetables

[John Walton]

No: HPFGUIDX 11945

::pops up from amid the rubble from where the 20-story tower block of Real
Life has had an argument with the expert demolition engineer of University
Timetables::

Hiya.

> Well, you've stumped me there ! I think so. In my experience, full time
> boarding is getting rarer. Kids tend to board weekly.

Which is perhaps why, at my school, there was no such thing as a weekly
boarder. It was either day boy (or girl) or boarder. I kinda liked this --
it meant that there was usually someone around at the weekend. Of course, my
fantastic housemaster didn't stick to the "three leave weekends a term"
rule, but some did, which is a bit silly, IMHO.

> At weekends, most boarding schools devote part or all of Saturday to sport.
> And they usually have some academic lessons on Saturday Mornings.

::shudders:: Yeah. Saturday mornings were full of lessons, followed by
sports matches. Ooh, fun. "No, please don't hit me in the shins with that
stick--Ow."

> I did my A levels at such a school as a day pupil and it meant that a couple
> of weekday afternoons were available for other things like army cadet training
> or other voluntary stuff.

Actually, we had Activities periods four afternoons a week, with Wednesday
being an entire afternoon of Activities. "Activities" were anything that
weren't official mandatory sports -- fencing, archery, that sort of thing.
For us non-sporties, there were things like Choir, Bands, Debating, Model
UN, Amnesty International, and periods where you could sign up to work in
the computer room. Oh, and CCF (Combined Cadet Force) or Community Service
was on Friday afternoons. Being a musician, I did the Military/Concert band
instead. Much more sensible...

The younger years had to fill all but one activity period, which meant that
there were always masses of horrible smelly 13-year-olds lounging around the
computer room in the afternoons, which meant that I had to do all my
emailing in the mornings. What a trial!

> The only disadvantages were that it meant that I did a six day week getting up
> at half six  and not getting home until half five at night.

Ach, y'should've been a boarder :)

> Plus studying for three A levels ( team
> taught by three teachers each = 9 or more pieces of work to do per
> week...) meant that even if I'd boarded ( saving 2 hours travelling ) I
> doubt that I would have had the energy for dancing or any other social
> activity !

Pshaw! We all had energy to keep us going throughout the day -- and well
into the night. I have a friend who prided himself on the fact that he only
needed four hours of sleep a night. I, on the other hand, made do with
eight.

Of course, his lack of sleep (and my non-lack of sleep :D) might have had
something to do with the girls' school only ten minutes' walk away. Y'never
know.

Weekends in school were fun -- catching up on sleep was one great part, but
also the opportunity to relax by reading something other than a schoolbook
was useful.

Oh, and incidentally -- this topic would go great on the new HPFGU-OTChatter
list! ::subtle hint::

Feel free to shoot back with any more questions :)

--John, Official Boarding School Guy

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John "Purple Meany" Walton                 john at walton.to

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