CHAPTER V. MESSING, ETC. For disciplinary and drilling purposes the boys are divided into eight companies, each under charge of a corporal. Each company has its separate dormitory, 85 feet long by 30 broad, in which the corporal also sleeps, it being a principle of the school that no boy shall ever escape the presence of an official. Care is taken that this supervision is not made too evident. There is no understanding on the part of the boy that he is necessarily subjected to such, but he comes to see in a short time that he has the eye of an officer upon all his actions and can never escape observation. The bedsteads are iron, furnished with good mattresses, sheets, and blankets; the bed of the corporal in charge is on a platform elevated above the general level of the room. The lavatories, though conveniently situated with reference to the dormitories, are, however, quite distinct from them. Each boy has his own basin and an unlimited supply of water. The arrangements for cleanliness in general are the most perfect I have seen. In addition to the lavatories, there is a bath 135 feet long and 60 broad, covered by a building 170 feet by 80. The bath is constructed of cement, and has, when flooded, a depth of water of 5 feet. The central portion, 100 feet in length by 30 in breadth, has a depth of but 3 feet, for the convenience of very small boys: a bridge is thrown across the deeper to the shallower portion. All boys are here taught to swim during their first year in school. Each one has his place numbered and reserved for clothing, and every possible convenience is afforded for their comfort. On Saturday nights before going to bed, all the school is obliged to take a bath in this place, the water of which is at this time moderately warmed. The arrangements for messing are the same as those on board the training ships, the boys being divided into messes of twenty each. The mess-hall, built in 1876, is a noble room 180 feet long and 35 broad. It is handsomely decorated in fresco, the decorations of course being nautical in character. Immediately adjacent and opening on it is the kitchen on the liberal scale characteristic of the English in this regard. The boys in going to meals are formed in the gymnasium. At dinner formation the band is present and plays during the marching in. The gymnasium, a building of which the school may well be proud, was built in 1874. It has a length of 200 feet, with a breadth of 80. The roof is constructed with a system of arched girders, leaving a per fectly clear space for exercise. All the adjuncts of the most modern buildings of the kind are among its equipments, and at one end is a stage used for theatrical and other representations, well furnished with excellent scenery and appliances. Frequent exhibitions here take place. There is at all times a class under instruction, numbering as a rule 36, between the hours of 9.30 and 12.30 of the morning, and 2 and 5 of the afternoon. At all other times the gymnasium is open, affording an excellent playground at all times, and especially in rainy whether. All formations take place here, and the details of boys are marched from here to the study rooms. Frequent drills in infantry tactics take place, the ground used for this being the open space in front of the buildings, which is covered with asphalt to the extent of 1.5 acres. This asphalt has been but lately put down at a large expense, but with great benefit to the boys' health, as it has slope enough to carry off the rains and dry quickly. They thus avoid the damp feet arising from playing or exercising on wet ground. I witnessed many of the drills of all kinds, and was much impressed by their thoroughness and spirit. Nothing could have been better than the marching and exercises in general of the battalion. At the close of the year there was a series of exercises in which swimming took a prominent part. There were matches among all grades of the school, from pupil teachers down, for which prizes were awarded. These exercises included flat and hurdle races, jumping, heaving the lead (at which remarkable activity was shown for young boys), and tug of war. There was afterwards an exhibition of gymnastics, in which a large number took part. Shortly after this, the year ended with a theatrical performance given by the boys, and a presentation of prizes by the Prince of Wales, at which 90 prizes were presented, 21 of which were for excellence in the trades. These prizes were apart from those granted the pupil teachers by the science and art department of education board. THE BAND. The band numbers 90 boys. As many as can reach the standard are, after arriving at an age to leave (15), sent to the training ships for further instruction, to serve finally as bandsmen in the fleet. Many of them act as buglers at the school also, and may finally go afloat in that capacity instead of as bandsmen. The bugle is used much more extensively in the English service now than it was even a few years since, replacing almost entirely the drum, over which it has many advantages. These have never been appreciated in our own service, on account of the want of a system of calls for the service in general, each bugler being at liberty to devise his own. The band of the Greenwich School has, I believe, not been quite so successful a one as that of Feltham Industrial School, which has attained quite a celebrity for the boys turned out from it. GOOD-CONDUCT BADGES AND REWARDS. Candidates for good-conduct badges must send in their applications at the latter end of each month, in time to enable the successful candidates to have their names published on the first day of each month. After the names of all candidates are sent in, a list is made and sent to each boy's schoolmaster, that their conduct in school may be noted; then to their trademaster, that he may note their conduct and proficiency in the trade shop; next to the chief of the staff, for their general conduct out of school; after which it is taken to the superintendent for approval. A boy to obtain a badge must get a "very good character" from each of the above-named officers. Six hundred and sixty-one boys now have 1,251 badges. Petty officer boys receive pocket-money at the rate of two cents a week for second-class petty officers; four cents for first class; and six cents a week for chief petty officer boys. Rewards are given twice a year, at midsummer and at Christmas. Prizes in July of this year were given to the pupil teachers for general attainments; best teacher; progress; and for best writer. To the nautical school, for general attainments; mathematics; general subjects; religious knowledge; French; drawing; and good conduct. In the second division, one was given to the best steward's boy. In the general school, for general attainments and good conduct; for special attainments in each division of study; for seamanship; compass; smartest boy aloft; best sailmaker, &c. In the trades, there were prize tailors; tailors' cutters; tailor machinists; shoemakers; laundry washers; laundry repairers; laundry ironers; knitters; bakers and barber; blacksmith; bricklayer; carpenter; cooper; gasfitter; glazier; mangler; matmaker; painter; plumber; shirtmaker; turner; capmaker; and sockmender. The best in the band had prizes, as also the best in the choir; the cleanest mess-cook; the best petty officers of dormitories, divisions, and messengers. In all, there were ninety prizes given, the articles ranging from a silver medal to Robinson Crusoe. CHAPTER VI. PUPIL TEACHERS. I mention this subject under the Greenwich School, as it is her receive the greater part of their training, and the service done the in supplying such men is not the least of the work done by this p There are selected from the first class of the nautical school from to ten boys yearly (the number varying with the demands of the se who are in time to become naval schoolmasters. After the sele they undergo a six years' course, part of this time being employ teaching the younger boys, both at Greenwich and on board the ing ships. There are altogether forty-eight of these young men a time, all but fourteen of whom are at the former place. Their cou divided into three periods of two years each. The first is pass Greenwich under the title of junior pupil teacher; the second on 1 the training ship; the third again at Greenwich, with the title of pupil teacher. During the first period half the day is passed in t ing, the remainder at study. During the second period they teach ing school hours, but have morning and evening recitations and s During the third term they teach during the whole day, but hav țain studies laid down, a feature of the whole six years' course. The annexed table is a syllabus of the subjects of instruction. A feature of the third part of the course are the model le given by the pupil teachers. These may be explained as lectures familiar subjects, interspersed with such questions to the class of forming the audience as may tend to bring out their thinking pe upon the subject in hand. The lecture, however, is attended by head-master and an assistant, and by all the other senior pupil tea who can be spared from the study-rooms. Notes of the lectur taken by all these, and, after the dismissal of the class, criticisms the lecture are called for by the head-master, who likewise, as we the assistant, gives his judgment upon it. Those, I heard, were fully prepared, well delivered, and the lecturer handled his class The criticism to be undergone was sharp and trying. A study of the syllabus will show that the education is in every a broad and good one. That it is very thorough I am well convin I know of no students who undergo a greater amount of work, whic |