School life at Stonyhurst College

This article describes some of the unique features of Stonyhurst College, a Jesuit school in Lancashire, England.

All of the accommodation for boarders is contained within the college, under a single roof, with separate areas for each playroom.

In the past this committee had the authority to mete out detentions and the writing out of the school rules to younger pupils who misbehave, however this is no longer practiced.

Rewards Up until recently, "Brags", a similar system to credits at the preparatory school, were awarded for academic excellence, and recorded in the Studies Diary, carried by each pupil and checked weekly by their tutor.

These are named after St Edmund Campion SJ's "brag" and replace the Commendation system where certificates would be awarded at a teacher's discretion.

During term time, school takes place six days a week, beginning at 8.20am with assembly.

On Monday mornings this is led by the headmaster and takes place in the Academy Room (currently the Boys' Chapel).

In the early nineteenth century, the boys' uniform consisted of: a cap made of leather and fur, a blue swallow-tail coat with brass buttons, a red waistcoat, buff-coloured knee breaches and blue or grey stockings.

The first uniform introduced was a three piece charcoal grey suit with a green tie and white shirt.

In the 1970s the uniform was changed to a black three piece suit for Sunday and a green tweed jacket with grey trousers for mid-week.

The girls also wear an electric blue jumper under a green tweed jacket on the upper part of their body.

In its present form, it is the opening address of the headmaster at the beginning of the year to the entire school gathered in the Academy Room.

At the end of which, they are free to join in the entertainment with their parents and friends, which features, among other things, performances from pupil bands.

The proceeds from the evening largely fund the Stonyhurst Children's Holiday Trust week (see above, Religious Life).

The new Academy Room was to be inaugurated at the occasion on 7 August with the delivery of a prologue recalling memories from St Omers but it had to be called off: Thomas Weld, benefactor of the estate to the Jesuits had held a dinner as a treat to the boys in the Top Refectory on 31 July.

After singing "I am mad Tom, behold me" at the boys' request, he complained of feeling unwell, and was assisted to his room, where he died in the early morning.

[2] Today Great Academies weekend takes place annually at the end of the first half of the Summer Term.

Originally composed in 1894 to celebrate a century of happy settlement for the College in idyllic rural Lancashire, today, the Stonyhurst Chorus was sung each year following the Head of the Line's address at Rhetoric ball, which closed Great Academies.