Bright yellow socks, the Wall Game and pancake flipping. Katie Hughes uncovers the weird and wonderful independent school traditions that help schools connect to their rich and illustrious history
In many independent schools, you?re buying something else ? the personality of the school,? Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council, said recently. And nowhere are these ?personalities? better embodied than in the quirky independent school traditions, uniforms and even slang upheld ? over decades, and in some cases, centuries.
Past, present and future
Take Christ?s Hospital in Horsham, where pupils still wear the school?s original Tudor uniform; not least a long wool coat and knee-length mustard-yellow socks. They also march into lunch six days a week, to the sound of the school band playing oboes, piccolos, tubas, drums and (much) more. These two traditions may be temporarily on hold during the pandemic, but they?re still integral to the school?s identity. As integral to Eton?s identity is the St Andrew?s Day Wall Game; played later this term (covid allowing) on a narrow strip of grass alongside a ? not-so-straight ? 18th-century wall. ?e rules have been revised from time to time since 1849,? says the school, ?but the game has remained essentially the same.?
It all starts ?when about six of the 10 players from each side line up against the wall and against each other, the ball is rolled in, and battle is joined.? Spectators are assured that it?s ?far more skil...