Such, Such Were the Joys

A headmaster was a lead administrator of a school, whether in preparatory (lower) or public (higher) education. The role not only demanded the typical administrative functions comparable to modern school principals but also entailed teaching classes and taking direct responsibility for all disciplinary matters at a school. The headmaster of St Cyprian’s (nicknamed “Sambo” in Orwell’s essay) is presented as typical of his profession, being primarily interested in the prestige and financial success of his institution. Orwell suggests such motivations as being inherent to the position.

Preparatory schools in Britain were created to prepare wealthy young men for entrance exams into prestigious public schools. St Cyprian’s (the school featured in the essay) is one such school, and Orwell reveals through his anecdotes the practices that existed within such institutions. Acting as bastions of British classism, the schools were an essential tool of social indoctrination for the upper classes, reinforcing their sense of entitlement. The schools were also profit-driven enterprises in and of themselves, and competition existed between preparatory schools to attract the wealthiest students. To this end, schools would admit promising students on a “scholarship” basis, on the expectation that these students would perform well on public school exams and so enhance the preparatory school’s standing.

Public schools (“private schools” in US English) were designed to provide both education and lasting social connections to graduates. Of these two features, social connections were paramount, as they granted access to elite positions within British society. These positions ranged from top opportunities in the business world to positions of influence in local and imperial government service. Since such roles were largely closed to outsiders, public schools thus ensured that only those born into the upper classes of British society would have access to societal influence. As an important mainstay of Classism in Great Britain, public schools were particularly attacked by reformers like Orwell, who argued that a higher education system based on meritocracy should take their place.