Very great importance was attached to the annual examination, which was conducted by examiners specially appointed by the governors.  The result, which was kept a close secret until “Prize Saturday,” was as eagerly looked forward to as the Derby by a betting man.  The different forms were divided into classes, as at Oxford, according to merit, and the names printed along with the examination papers in pamphlet form.  After this examination boys went up to the form above them, each boy usually remaining a year in each form.  The system of punishment was as follows.  A book called the “Black Book” was kept by the school monitor of the week, there being four gown-boy—­that is, foundation—­monitors who took the duty of school monitor in rotation.  A boy put down for three offences during the same week was flogged, but the end of each week cleared off old scores.  The entries were in this wise: 

Name of Boy.    Offence.          By whom put down.
Robinson 1        Idle                Dr. Saunders. 
Smith 1, 2        Talking in School   Mr. Curtis.

“Go and put your name down,” a master would say.  “Oh please, sir, I’m down twice.”  “Then put it down a third time.”  Then would follow entreaties, which, unless the delinquent had been previously privately marked down for execution, would probably avail.  When a flogging offence was committed a boy was put down thus: 

  Robinson 1, 2, 3 Impertinent Mr. ——.

The flogging varied much in severity according to the crime.  The process was precisely the same as at Eton.  Partially denuded of his nether garments, the victim knelt upon the block, the monitor standing at his head.  The birches were kept in a long box which served as a settee, and were furnished periodically by the man who brought the fire fagots.  Now and again the box would, by the carelessness of the functionary called “the school-groom,” be left open, and it was then considered a point of honor on the part of an under boy to promptly avail himself of the opportunity to “skin” the rods—­i.e. draw them through a piece of stuff in such a way as to take the buds off, after which they hurt very much less.

Serious offences, such as insubordination and gross disobedience, were punished by a flogging with two birches, which was too severe a punishment.  The degree of pain varied very much according to the delicacy of skin, and no doubt some boys—­one of our comrades had been flogged about twenty-five times—­did not feel much after many floggings, becoming literally case-hardened; whereas, we have known a boy compelled to stay in bed two or three days from the effects of a flogging which would have left little mark upon the “twenty-fiver.”  When a victim issued from the flogging-room the questions from an eager throng were, “How many cuts, old fellow?  Did it take much?  You howled like the devil!"[10]