Speaker 1: Barring out at schools. A curious custom used to obtain
in some schools just before the Christmas holidays, of barring
out the master and keeping him out of the schoolroom
until the boy's grievances had been listened to and promise
of redress given. And the best account of this custom
that I have ever met with is in the Gentleman's
Magazine for eighteen twenty eight, Volume two, page four four, etc.
It was a few days before the usual period of
the Christmas holidays arrived when the leading scholars of the
head form determined on reviving the ancient but obsolete custom
of barring out the master of the school. Many years
had elapsed since he attempt had succeeded, and many times
since that period it had been made in vain. The
scholars had heard of glorious feats of their forefathers in
their boyish years, when they had set the lash of
the master at defiance days together. Now alas all was changed.
The master, in the opinion of the boys, reigned a despot,
absolute and uncontrolled. The merciless, cruelty of his rod and
the heaviness of his desks were insupportable. The accustomed holidays
had been rescinded, the usual Christmas feast reduced to a nonentity,
and the chartered rights of the scholars were continually violated.
These grievances were discussed serriatum, and we were all unanimously
of opinion that our wrongs should, if possible, be redressed.
But how the object should be effected was a momentous
and weighty affair. The master was a clergyman of the
Old School, who for the last forty years had exercised
an authority hitherto uncontrolled, and who had no idea of
enforcing scholastic discipline without the exercise of the whip. The
consequences of a failure were terrible to think upon, but
then the anticipation of success and the glory attendant upon
the enterprise if successful, were sufficient to dispel every fear.
At the head of the Greek class was one whose
very soul seemed formed for the most daring attempts. He
communicated his intentions to a chosen few, of which the
writer was one, and offered to be the leader of
the undertaking if we would promise him our support. We hesitated,
but he represented the certainty of success with such feeling
eloquence that he entirely subdued our opposition. He stated that
Addison had acquired immortal fame by a similar enterprise. He
told us that almost every effort in the sacred cause
of freedom had succeeded. He appealed to our classical recollections.
Epaminondas and Leonidas were worthy of our example. Tarquin and
Caesar as tyrants had fallen before the united efforts of freedom.
We only had to be unanimous, and the rod of
this scholastic despot would be forever broken. We then entered
enthusiastically into his views. He observed that delays were dangerous.
The barring out, he said, should take place the very
next morning to prevent the possibility of being betrayed. On
a previous occasion, he said, some officious little urchin had
told the Master the whole plot several days, having been
allowed to intervene between the planning of the project and
its execution, And to the astonishment of the boys, it
appeared they found the Master at his desk two hours
before his usual time, and had the mortification of being
congratulated on their early attendants, with an order to be
there every morning at the same hour. To prevent the
occurrence of such a defeat, we determined on organizing our plans.
That very night. The boys were accordingly told to assemble
after school hours at a well known tombstone in the
neighboring churchyard, as something of importance was under consideration. The
place of meeting was an elevated parallelogram tombstone, which had
always served as a kind of council table to settle
our little disputes as well as parties of pleasure. Here
we all assembled at the appointed time. Our leader took
his stand at one end of the stone, with the
head boys who were in the secret on each side
of him. My boys, he laconically observed, to morrow morning,
we are to bar out the flogging parson and make
him promise that he will not flog us hereafter without
a cause, nor set us long tasks or deprive us
of our holidays. The boys of the Greek form will
be your captains, and I am to be your captain general.
Those that are cowards are better retire and be satisfied
with future floggings. But you who have courage and know
what it is to have been flogged for nothing, come
here and sign your names He immediately pulled out a
pen and sheet of paper, and, having tied some bits
of thread round the finger ends of two or three
boys with a pin, he drew blood. To answer for ink,
and to give more solemnity to the act. He signed first,
the Captain's next, and the rest in succession. Many of
the lesser boys slunk away during the ceremony, but on
counting the names, we mustered upwards of forty sufficient it
was imagined even to carry the school by storm. The
Captain General then addressed us, I have the keys of
the school and shall be there at seven o'clock. The
old parson will arrive at nine, and every one of
you must be there before eight to allow us one
hour for barricading the doors and windows. Bring with you
as much provision as you can, and tell your parents
that you have to take your dinners in school. Let
every one of you have some weapon of defense. Those
who cannot obtain a sword, pistol or poker must bring
a stick or cudgel. Now all go home directly and
be sure to arrive early in the morning. Perhaps a
more restless and anxious night was never passed by young
recruits on the eve of a general battle. Many of
us rose some hours before the time, and at seven
o'clock when the school door was opened, there was a
tolerably numerous muster. Our captain immediately ordered candles to be
lighted and a rousing fire to be made, for it
was a dark December morning. He then began to examine
the store of provisions and the arms which each had brought.
In the meantime, the arrival of every boy with additional
material was announced by tremendous cheers. At length, the church
clock struck eight. Proceed to barricade the doors and windows,
exclaimed the captain or the old Lion, will be upon
us before we are prepared to meet him. In an instant,
the old oaken door rang on its heavy hinges. Some
with hammers, gimlets and nails were eagerly securing the windows,
while others were dragging along the ponderous desks, forms and
everything portable to blockade with certain security every place which
might admit of ingress. This operation being completed, the captain
mounted the master's rostrum and called over the list of names.
When he found only two or three missing, He then
proceeded to classify them into divisions or companies of six
and assigned to each its respective captain. He prescribed the
duties of each company. Two were to guard the large
casement windows, where it was expected the first attack would
be made. This was considered a post of honor, and
consequently the strongest boys with the most formidable weapons were selected,
whom we called grenadiers. Another company, whom we considered as
the light infantry or sharpshooters, were ordered to mount a
large desk at the center of the school, and armed
with squibs, crackers and various missiles. They were to attack
the enemy over the heads of the competence. The other
divisions were to guard the back windows and door, and
to act according to the emergency of the moment. Our
leader then moved some resolutions, which, in imitation of Brutus,
he had cogitated during the previous night, to the effect
that each individual should implicitly obey his own captain, and
that each captain should follow the orders of the Captain General,
and that a cord a reserve should be stationed in
the rear to enforce this obedience and prevent the competence
from taking to flight. The resolutions were passed amid loud vociferations.
We next commenced an examination of the various weapons, and
found them to consist of one old blunderbus, one pistol,
two old swords, a few rusty pokers and sticks, stones, quips,
and gunpowder in abundance. The firearms were immediately loaded with
blank powder, the swords were sharpened, and the pokers heated
in the fire. These weapons were assigned to the most
daring company, who had to protect the principal window. The
missiles were for the light infantry, and the rest were
all armed with sticks. We now began to maneuver our
companies by marching them into line and column, so that
everyone might know his own situation. In the midst of
this preparation, the sentinel, whom we had placed at the window,
loudly vociferated the parson. The Parson's coming in an instant.
All was confusion. Everyone ran, he knew not, where as
if eager to fly or screen himself from observation, Our
captain immediately mounted to a form and called to the
captains of the two leading companies to take their stations.
They immediately obeyed, and the other companies followed their example,
though they found it much more difficult to maneuver when
danger approached than they had a few minutes before. The
well known footstep, which had often struck on our ears
with terror, was now heard to advance along the portico.
The muttering of his stern voice ended in our ears
like a lion's growl. A deathlike silence prevailed. We scarcely
dared to breathe. The palpitations of our little hearts could
perhaps alone be heard. The object of our dread then
went round to the front window for the purpose of
ascertaining whether anyone was in the school. Every footstep struck
us with awe. Not a word, not a whisper was heard.
He approached close to the window, and with an astonished countenance,
stood gazing upon us, while we were arranged in battle array,
motionless statues, and as silent as the tomb. What is
the meaning of this? He impatiently exclaimed, But no answer
could he obtain, For who would then have dared to
render himself conspicuous by a reply? Pallid countenances and livid
lips betrayed our fears. The courage, which one hour before
was ready to brave every danger, appeared to be fled.
Every one seemed anxious to conceal himself from view, and
there would certainly have been a general flight through the
back windows had it not been for the prudent regulation
of a corder reserve armed with cudgels to prevent it.
You young scoundrels opened the door instantly, he again exclaimed,
and what added to our indescribable horror. In a fit
of rage, he dashed his hand through the window, which
consisted of diamond shaped panes, and appear as if determined
to force his way. In fear and trepidation, attended by
an increasing emotion now possessed us all. At this critical moment,
every eye turned to our captain, as if to reproach
him for having brought us into this terrible dilemma. He
alone stood unmoved, but he saw that none would have
the courage to obey his commands. Some exciting stimulus was necessary. Suddenly,
waving his hand, he exclaimed aloud, three cheers for the
barring out and success to our cause. The chairs were tremendous,
our courage revived. The blood flushed in our cheeks. The
parson was breaking in the moment was critical. Our captain, undaunted,
sprang to the fireplace, seized a heated poker in one
hand and a blazing torch in the other. The latter
he gave to the captain of the sharpshooters and told
him to prepare a folly. When with red hot poker
he fearlessly advanced to the window seat, and, daring the
Master to enter, he ordered an attack, And an attack
indeed was made sufficiently tremendous to have repelled a more
powerful assailant. The missiles flew at the ill fated window
from every quarter. The blunderbuss and the pistol were fired.
Squibs and crackers, inkstands and rulers, stones and even burning
coals came in showers about the casement and broke some
of the panes into a thousand pieces, while blazing torches,
heated pokers and sticks stood bristling under the window. The
whole was scarcely the work of a minute. The astonished
Master reeled back in dumb amazement. He had evidently been
struck with a missile, all with the broken glass, and
probably fancied that he had been wounded by the firearms.
The schools now rang with shouts of victory and continued cheering.
The enemy again approaches, cried the captain. Fire another folly,
stay he seeks a parley, hear him. What is the
meaning I say of this horrid tumult? The barring out,
the barring out? A dozen voices instantly exclaimed for shame,
says he, in a tone evidently subdued. What disgrace are
you bringing upon yourselves and the schools? What will their trustees?
What will your parents say? William continued he, addressing the captain,
open the door without further delay. I will, sir, he replied,
on your promising to pardon us and give us our
lawful holidays of which we have lately been deprived, and
not set us tasked during the holidays. Yes, yes, said
several squealing voices. That is what we want. Ah, Not
to be flogged for nothing, you insolent scoundrels, you consummate
young villains, he exclaimed, choking with rage, and at the
same time making a furious effort to break through the
already shattered window. Open the door instantly, or I'll break
every bone in your hides. Not on those conditions, replied
our captain, with provoking coolness. Come up, my boys, another molly,
No sooner said than done, and with even more fury
than before, like men driven to despair who expect no quarter.
On surrendering, the little urchin daringly mounted the window seat,
which was a broad, old fashioned one, and pointed the
firearms and heated poker at him, whilst others advanced with
the squips and missiles. Come on, my lads, said the captain.
Let this be a simopylai. I will be all the nidus.
And indeed so daring were they that each seem ready
to emulate the spartans of old. A master, perceiving their
determined obstinacy, turn round, without further remonstrance, and indignantly walked away.
Relieved from our terrors, we now became intoxicated with joy.
The walls rang with repeated hurrahs. In the madness of enthusiasm,
some of the boys began to tear up the forms,
throw the books about, break the slates, locks and cupboards,
and act so outrageously that the captain called them to order. However,
before the master's desk and draws had been broken open,
and every placing which had been taken from the scholars
returned to its owner. We now began to think of provisions.
They were all placed on one table and dealt out
in Russians by the captain of each company. In the meantime,
we held a council of war, as we called it,
to determine on what was to be done in a recess.
At the east end of the school there stood a
large oak desk, black with age, whose heavy hinges had
become corroded with years of rust. It was known to
contain the records and endowments of the school, and, as
we presumed, the regulations for the treatment of the scholars.
The oldest boy had never seen its inside. Attempts, dictated
by insatiable curiosity, had often been made to open it,
but it was deemed impregnable. It was guarded by three
immense locks, and each lock was in the possession of
different persons. The wood appeared to be nearly half a
foot thick, and every corner was platted with iron. All
eyes were instinctively directed to this mysterious chest. Could any
means be devised for effecting an entrance, was the natural question.
We all proceeded to reconnoiter. We attempted to move it,
but in vain we made some feeble efforts to force
the lid. It was as firm as a block of
marble at length. One daring urchin brought from the fireplace
a red hot poker and began to bore through its sides.
A universal shout was given. Other pokers were brought and
to work they went. The smoke and tremendous smell which
the old wood sent forth rather alarmed us. We were
apprehensive that we might burn the records instead of obtaining
a copy of them. This arrested our progress for a
few minutes. At this critical moment, a shout was set
up that the parson and a constable was coming down.
Went the pokers, and as if conscience stricken, we were
all seized with consternation. The casement window was so shattered
he could easily be entered by any resolute fellow. In
the desperation of the moment, we seized the desks, forms
and stalls to block it up, But in some degree
our courage had evaporated, and we felt reluctant to act
on the offensive. The old gentleman and his attendant deliberately
inspected the windows and fastenings, but without making any attempt
to enter. They retreated for the purpose, we presumed of
obtaining additional assistance. What was now to be done. The
Master appeared obdurate, and we had gone too far to recede.
Some proposed to drill a hole in the window seat,
fill it with gunpowder, and explode it if any one
attempted to enter. Others thought we had better set fire
to the school sooner than surrender unconditionally. But the majority
advised what was perhaps the most prudent resolution, to wait
for another attack, and if we saw no hopes of
sustaining a longer defense, to make the best retreat we could.
The affair of the barring out had now become known,
and persons began to assemble round the windows, calling out
that the Master was coming with assistance, and saying everything
to intimidate us. Many of us were completely jaded with
the over excitement we had experienced since the previous evening.
The school was hot, close and full of smoke. Some
were longing for liberty and fresh air, and most of
us were of opinion that we had engaged in an
affair which it was impossible to accomplish in this state.
We received another visit from our dreaded master with his stick.
He commenced a more furious attack than before, and observing
us less turbulent, he determined to force his way in
in spite of the barricadoes. The younger boys thought nothing
but flight and self preservation, and the rush to the
back windows became general. In the midst of this consternation,
our captain exclaims, let us not fly like cowards. If
we must surrender, let the gates of the citadel be
thrown open. The days against us, but let us bravely
face the enemy and march out with the honors of war.
Some few had already escaped, but the rest immediately arranged
themselves on each side of the school in two extended lines,
with their weapons in hand. The door was thrown open.
The master instantly entered and passed between the two lines,
denouncing vengeance on us all. But as he marched in,
we marched out in military order, and giving three cheers,
we dispersed into the neighboring fields. We shortly met again,
and after a little consultation, it was determined that none
of the leaders should come to school until sent for
and a free pardon given. The defection, however, was so
general that no corporal punishments took place. Many of the
boys did not return until after the holidays, and several
of the elder ones never entered the school again, and
of barring out at schools