Floreat Etona: Anecdotes and Memories of Eton CollegeNevill, Ralph
History
Floreat Etona: Anecdotes and Memories of Eton College
Nevill, Ralph
Eton College
Whereas Mr. Franc. Goode, under-master of Eaton, does hereby signify
that there will be at Christmas next, or soon after, two vacancies in
his school--viz., as assistants to him and tutors to the young gents:
if any two gentlemen of either University (who have commenced the
degree of B.A. at least) shall think themselves duly qualified, and
are desirous of such an employment, let them enquire of John Potts,
Pickleman in Gracious Street, or at Mr. G.’s own house in Eaton
College, where they may purchase the same at a reasonable rate, and
on conditions fully to their own satisfaction.--F. GOODE. _N.B._--It
was erroneously reported that the last place was disposed of under
40s.
An assistant master, Dr. Cooke, succeeded Dr. George as Headmaster, but
managed the school so badly that his tenure of office only lasted two
years, during which time the number of boys decreased, and Eton fell
into some disrepute. Cooke was a very unpopular man, dowered with a
“gossip’s ear and a tatler’s pen,” and he seems to have possessed most
of the worst faults of a schoolmaster and to have made many mistakes;
this, however, did not prevent him being given a fellowship when Dr.
Sumner, an able and active teacher, was put in his place. The efforts
of the latter, however, were able to restore only a modified degree
of prosperity to the school, which had fallen out of general favour
owing to the misrule of his predecessor. A paragraph in the _Daily
Advertiser_ of August 11, 1747, shows this:--
King George II. visited the College and School of Eton, when on
short notice Master Slater of Bedford, Master Masham of Reading and
Master Williams of London spoke each a Latin speech (most probably
made by their masters) with which His Majesty seemed exceedingly
well pleased, and obtained for them a week’s holidays. To the young
orators five guineas each had been more acceptable.
[SN: DR. BARNARD]
In 1754, however, the ancient fame of Eton began to revive owing to
the appointment of Dr. Barnard--_magnum et memorabile nomen_! He was
made Headmaster through the Townshend and Walpole interests, which were
active on his behalf. Under his vigorous rule the school flourished;
522 boys, the highest number known up to that time, being on the list
on his promotion to the Provostship in 1756. Barnard had no patience
with fopperies in boys, and had occasional “difficulties” with the
Eton “swells” of his day on the point of dress.
Charles James Fox gave him a good deal of trouble. His absence at
Spa for a year sent him back to Eton a regular fop, and a very sound
flogging appears to have done him but very little good.
Dr. Barnard also seems rather to have despised any tendency towards
fine ways in his pupils. His old pupil, Christopher Anstey, alludes
to this in his _Bath Guide_, in a portion of which a critical mother,
“Mrs. Danglecub,” who has a son at school,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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