| Description | "His arrival at Eton. Changes in the regulations of the school, and other events."
Eton. Sept. 19th. 1834
My dear Papa,
I hope that you and my sisters are better; I myself still continue quite well. There was an old gentleman in the coach who knew you, and asked me how you were, but I do not know his name nor who he was. Mr. Knapp the headmaster of the lower school, went out of the country about a fortnight ago on account of his debts, which amount as it is said to 3000 pounds. He was traced out of the country, but it is not known where he is gone to. A great part of the money was from the bills which his pupils had with the tradesmen in Eton, which, as soon as the money for the bills was paid, he took along with him. Mr. Dupuis was appointed in his stead on Tuesday. There is in consequence a master less than there was before. According to Mr. Hawtrey’s new regulations, there are only 2 masters in the lower school, where there formerly were three, and only 2 in the fourth form, where there used to be four, so that there are many more masters in the fifth form than there used to be, the divisions consequently are quite altered, Mr. Hawtrey takes all the boys down to Hawtrey Ma. whose name you will see in the list in the upper Division. I do not know how the Middle Division is divided, as the boys have only come back to night. In the Lower Division, where I am, the whole Lower Division used to be heard by Mr. Okes, but at present the top of the Upper Remove Lower Division, is heard by Mr. Coleridge down to Mason, and the rest of the Upper Remove together with the whole of the lower, is heard by Mr. Wilder. We now shew our verses, construe, and say by heart to the same master, whereas before, we construed to one, said by heart to another, and shewed up our exercises to a third. I suppose that Mr. Chapman hears some part of the middle Division. I will tell you if there are any more changes in my next Letter. Two of Mr. Hawtreys pupils are come to Mr. Chapmans, Cust, & Munro, both of whom are in the remove above me, & also 2 new pupils, Setwell, & Baggot. Give my love to all at home, and believe me to remain
Your affectionate son
M. P. W. Boulton
P.S. I think the 2nd. vol. of the Etonian is left at home.
[Edward Craven Hawtrey (1789-1862), headmaster, 1834-1852. See the Dictionary of National Biography and Foster’s Alumni Oxonienses.] |