BLAZER

TRADITION AS OLD AS TIME: LONG LIVE THE BLAZER!

H . ROMPANI

School uniforms have been in practise in the UK since the 16th Century, and maybe even in practise at Reading School since the 16th Century. Like

many other great progressions of the 16th Century, such as Shakespeare, the square root sign and the flushing toilet, uniform should not be

consigned to the past. It is equally, if not more important than Shakespeare’s works to the schooling system (sorry Mrs Geraghty-Green).

Reading School, like any other school, wages an ongoing war on the uniform front. For some boys at our school, as it once did for me, the un-tucked shirt and absence of blazer symbolises a freedom from shackles of authority, which brings much joy. Despite this urge to not wear uniform properly, I have yet to hear a legitimate argument for why uniform at Reading School, and any other school for that matter, should not be a thing.

This is not to say there is a lack of discourse surrounding the issue. The debate around school uniform is a widely spread one. I have even been confronted with the issue in year 9 French lessons. One argument that comes up frequently is that school uniforms prevent students from expressing themselves. But the question that must be asked in response, is what expressing oneself actually is and how school uniforms that are worn from 8:30 to 3:30 during the weekdays prevents this? Surely expressing oneself, which we can assume to be the outward presentation of one's emotions, beliefs and individuality, is not something that is limited to the clothing we wear in this time frame. Now of course it is important to express yourself, as Dr Dre eloquently put it “There's no fessing and guessing while I'm expressing myself”. But there is more to expressing yourself than just what you wear. And there are so many other pros of a school uniform that trump the pros of students being able to express themselves through what they wear.

At their core, schools need to equip us to go into wider life and to flourish. And I’m afraid that whilst you may want to wear tracksuit bottoms to your workplace, most will have some sort of dress code that prevents this. Shouldn’t schools prepare us for this? Furthermore, in slightly reducing our ability to display individuality in school,

we gain a strong sense of group identity through our uniform. We are united by it, as Reading School boys. With the strengthening of our community at the forefront of our mission at Reading School, a uniform that helps to provide a sense of identity and brotherhood is increasingly important. In fact, YouGov Omnibus research found that in the US, where only 20% of schools have a uniform, over 60% of parents with school aged children believe uniform has a positive effect on promoting school pride. Other arguments include the idea that school uniforms are rooted in the past and old fashioned, and therefore should be left to the past. However, this argument is one based on an irrational belief of old equals bad. Reading School, an institution rooted in 900 years of history, is at the forefront of education in the UK and repeatedly attains some of the highest exams results in the country. It is our traditions and heritage that provides a grounding for us to look to the future, rather than holding us back. Our link to the past makes us stand out as a special institution that has a history of excellence. And high standards of uniform are part of this.

But instead of going on about the arguments in favour of banning school uniform, it's much better to express just how beneficial a school uniform is to schools. In the same way workplaces have dress codes for a reason, schools have uniforms for a reason. And that reason has recently become more and

more prevalent with many schools ditching the polo t-shirt and trouser form, and adopting the stricter suit and tie form, illustrating wider and stronger appreciation of the benefits of uniform. One of these benefits is the impact on behaviour. Uniform sets a standard that must always be adhered to. It sets boundaries that are fairly easy to adhere to, and rules with which students are more comfortable. This, in turn, prevents the development of further issues (in fact, 9 in 10 teachers believe that school uniform positively affects pupils’ behaviour according to a 2017 report of 180 teachers). Whilst it may seem slightly draconian to punish students for not wearing uniform properly, it is imperative to do so, because if students can’t follow the basic rules of the school uniform, how can you expect them to follow even more serious rules? At the same time, schools need to teach students to recognise that rules are not always good and sometimes must be broken. A country of order-takers is not something we want. But uniform is not where we should practise the challenging of authority, because uniform acts as more than just an aid to discipline.

Our school has a responsibility to help motivate social mobility within the wider Reading community and uniform is a very important tool in achieving this. This is because uniform provides very little indication of one’s socioeconomic background (especially if enforced so that all students wear it to the same standards). If uniform was removed and students could come in with any clothes they wanted it would suddenly be quite easy to recognise who came from a less fortunate background and vice versa. Not only could this lead to students feeling out of place and uncomfortable, but could also lead to bullying. In fact, in a survey of nearly 600 UK parents, just 11% felt a school uniform didn’t counteract bullying. For every boy at Reading School, and every student across the country, to feel safe and equal among their

peers, school uniform is a necessity. Furthermore, having to wear home clothes adds a financial burden on students and their families, who in the case of uniform would be supported by the school or local council in meeting the cost of uniform. Uniform’s use as an economic equalizer is something that, regardless of one's beliefs about discipline, tradition or expression, cannot be argued with, especially from within a grammar school.

Despite the limitations to uniform it is something that should remain firmly in schools. It is imperative that we have that economic equalizer, that creator of identity, that enforcer of discipline and most importantly that lack of stress when deciding what to wear in the morning. My morning routine is already tight enough as it is, with sleep becoming more and more valuable as I have progressed through the school years. Having to deal with the social pressure of choosing an outfit every morning would cause havoc to my routine.

So for any boys reading this magazine please remember the purpose of the school uniform. Remember that it not only unites all Redingensians and helps us stand out as a high achieving school, but it also has deeper purposes. It prepares you for a life where it always helps to be well dressed and smart, and it aids our school in championing social mobility.

ACCIDENTAL DEATH IN THE TUDOR PERIOD

R . DHANJAL

Recently, members of the Historical Association were filled with laughter after going to an excellent lecture held by Professor Steve Gunn – who currently teaches at Merton College in Oxford.

The topic, most unusually, was on ‘Accidental Death’ in the Tudor period. I can only attempt to do his morbidly funny lecture justice.

In these times, having information written down was of the utmost importance, and so we now have incredibly accurate representations of what would have once taken place. Much like the image on the left. This is a script describing the death of a maid named Margaret Somer. At the River Kennet in Newbury -on the 28 th February 1545- Margaret Somer was cleaning a herring barrel worth 4d (d = pence) when she fell in and drowned. According to the statement, 4 jurors signed their names and 9 signed with marks. The signings included names like Thomas Dolman, the clothier who purchased the manor of Shaw in 1554, and Walter Collyns, the town constable in 1540.

In the chart above, we see the status level of those who died. The most common death is that of a widow. Some more drowning deaths include that of Richard

Webbe of Reading, bargeman, who was working with various others, ‘towinge or drawing’ a boat called ‘a Westerne Barge’ through ‘Cotterells locke’ [now Shiplake Lock] on the River Thames by a rope tied to the boat. Suddenly Richard found ‘hys Feete slippinge or slydinge’ and he fell in and drowned at Wargrave, Berkshire, 30th October 1578, 9-11 am.

River Thames at Windsor, Berkshire, 3rd March 1581, 6-7 am: John Colye of Lambeth, Surrey, was a waterman rowing in his own boat on the Thames in the parish of New Windsor, near a bridge called ‘the towne bridge’. The boat was suddenly caught by the violent course of the water and carried into ‘the pyles’ of the bridge and crushed against them, so that water came into the boat and it sank. He was carried away from the boat by the violent course of the water and drowned. But it wasn’t just drowning that was the issue…

Reading, Berkshire, 20th May 1591, 7 pm: Geoffrey Baylie was standing near a fulling mill called a ‘thickinge mill’. He fell into a well called the ‘knee pitt’ and was crushed and pressed by a piece of timber called ‘the knee of the same myll’. He died instantly. East Hendred, Berkshire, 22nd October 1541, 1 pm: Richard Carier of East Hendred, husbandman, was digging earth in a pasture called ‘Justyce’. Six cartloads of earth fell on him, killing him instantly. Margaret Jorden found his body. During this period, in 1573, poet Thomas Tusser wrote a poem: ‘Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry’. It contained phrases like: “Now season is good To lop or fell wood

Get timber out, Er yeere go about...” This refers to the end of March so the trees are ready to be chopped down. This leads us on nicely to a couple of deaths involving trees…

Frilford, Berkshire, 9th April 1534: John Cole of Frilford, carpenter, was felling an elm tree. The tree fell onto a haystack, bounced off and struck him in the chest and he died instantly. There are also lines in the poem that encourage men to sell grain in the market. “If weather be faire, and tidie thy graine, Make speedily carrege, for feare of a raine...” Newbury, Berkshire, 12th August 1539, 6-7 pm: John Stacye of Enborne, labourer, was loading the cart of Thomas Hasyll of Enborne with grain, in the field called ‘west felde’ in Newbury. He climbed on the cart to tie up the load but pulled so hard that the rope broke and he fell backwards head-first, breaking his neck. Thomas Tusser also wrote lines like: “Forget it not Fruit brused will rot... Go gather with skill, And gather that will.” Lyford, Berkshire, 5th September 1542, 8-9 am: Anne Yate was collecting plums in a garden called ‘beegarden’. She was suffering from a head illness called a ‘mygrym’. Due to her ailment, she stumbled over a tree stump, fell into a pond and drowned. Some of the statements are rather gruesome. Leeds, Kents, 26th May 1588, 9pm: John Cheeseman of Leeds, millman, had a hernia in his stomach. He was in a chamber in the house of Anthony Davy of Leeds, innkeeper, with adolescents and young men. They were playing wantonly together, jumping and dancing. John

was drunk, and caring little for his hernia, he conducted himself in a disorderly manner, bringing great strain to his body. A great part of his entrails, by misfortune, were thrust up out of his stomach to his outer skin and could not be pushed back. He languished and greatly laboured with his adverse health until the 28 th of May, and soon after, died of a rupture. Fulstow, Lincolnshire, 4 pm, Wednesday 10th August 1552: William Lamley was playing in the kitchen of Andrew Lemyng. When he tried to dance on one leg, he stumbled and fell onto the fire. A kettle of boiling water spilled over his body and scalded his back and legs. He languished until 3 pm on the 15 th of August, when he died. Leaveland, Kent, 28th April 1567, 8 am:a William Westbiche of Canterbury, blacksmith, was in the kitchen next to the house of Goodleve Baker of Leaveland, widow, with John Norington and Alice Lull, who were preparing dinner (the mid-day meal). William was dancing in the kitchen while they cooked. He spun around and impaled himself on the roasting spit, dying instantly from a wound in the right side of his chest. I hope you have found this article morbidly amusing.If you want any more details about future lectures on a whole range of historical topics, or the work done by the Reading Branch of the Historical Association, contact Chris Sexton at sexton44@gmail.com .