In the December of 1926, Ulula, the MGS magazine, published the following from a new pupil, who bravely signed off his piece with his initials:
[Our appeals for contributions from within the School seem usually to fall on deaf ears. But the following outburst of morning hate promises some encouragement. Perhaps we may hope to secure a series under the above title, contributed by young recruits, to accompany the series of "Round the World" letters from Old Boys - Ed.]
Before I entered the School I took upon myself the duty of practically learning by heart the contents of the "Parents' Hand-Book," thinking that thus I would become possessed of knowledge of all the Laws and Customs of the School. I was wrong. For instance, nobody was examined daily to see if he had had a cold bath, as I soon discovered. Again, I did not see the Prefects much engaged in the protection of the smaller boys. In fact, I did not see them doing anything in particular except strutting majestically up and down the corridors towards the latter part of the dinner hour, roughly pushing aside the same smaller boys mentioned before.
Another thing not mentioned in the hand-book is the villainy of the Office. The morning when all the cases on the ground floor left during the dinner hours were abstracted by the officials, and each unfortunate made to pay 2d. towards the welfare of the School in order to get his case returned to him, although he was perfectly ignorant of the rule (probably made upon the spur of the moment by the grasping assistants at the Office when funds were low), will always remain green in our memory as a "tuckless" morning. At present they are biding their time until cases again accumulate in sufficient numbers to make their confiscation a business proposition. I have often wondered what the officials would do if a band of Wild Westerners held them up. I suppose they would hand them a note to take to the police and fine them 6d. each.
Lastly I will mention a few things to be read in hushed secrecy, for I am afraid of the revenge the boys will have on me. However, it will help to appease the masters. The punishments are too mild! P.D. [Punishment Drill] has degenerated into a sort of compulsory sport. P.S. (or detained by Mr. H., as one boy politely put it) is just play. This could be very easily remedied!
Of course, I do not expect to emerge from this unscathed. The Office, the Governors, the Prefects or the Boys will rise against me and exterminate me. I hope they are sportsmen, and come one at a time. At any rate, I will demand quarter from the Governors and the Prefects, and rely upon the possibility of the Boys having been too bored to come to the paragraph upon punishments. As to the outraged Officials, I can only answer them by saying that with all their faults we can't do without them!
J.W.L.
What were your first impressions of the School?
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