Kevin's Watch

"We go upon the practical mode of teaching Niclkeby, the regular education system. C-l-e-a-n, clean, verb active, to make bright. W-i-n, win; d-e-r, winder, a casement. When a boy knows this out of a book he goes and does it."

Wackford Squeers explains to Nicholas Nickleby the teaching method employed at Dotheboys Hall in "The delightful village of Dotheboys, in Yorkshire" where "youth are boarded, clothed, booked, furnished with pocket-money, instructed in all languages living and dead, mathematics, orthography, geometry, trigonometry, the use of the globes, single-stick (if required), writing, arithmetic and every other branch of classic literature. Terms twenty guinies per annum. No extras, no vacations and diet unparalleled."

Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickelby 1839

Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his own tail. It won't fatten the dog.
- Mark twain

I see....................only me.................

No my friend, darkness is not everywhere, for here and there I find faces illuminated from within; paper lanterns among the dark trees.

- Carole Borges

(In which Mr Burns makes the aquaintance of the overindulged 11y.o. Ogden Ford (aka 'The Little Nugget'),who has been sent by his american (millionaire) parents to an english boarding school, in the hope that it will improve his demeanour.) Purporting to be a 'supply teacher', Mr Burns is in fact at the school at the request of his fiance, to kidnap Ford for the large ranson that may be extracted from his parents for the boys release - hence Ford's nickname 'The Little Nugget'

A cloud of tobacco smoke rising above the back of an easy chair greeted me as I opened the door. Moving into the room I percieved a pair of boots resting on the grate. I stepped to the right and the remainder of the Little Nugget came into view.
He was lying almost full length in the chair, his eyes fixed in dreamy abstraction on the ceiling. As I came towards him he drew at the cigarette between his fingers, glanced at me, looked away again and exhailed another mouthful of smoke. He was not interested in me.
Perhaps this indifference piqued me and I saw him with prejudiced eyes. At any rate, he seemed to me a singularly unpreposessing youth (his portrait had flattered him). he had a stout body and a round unwholesome face. His eyes were dull and his mouth dropped discontentedly. He had the air of one who is surffeited with life.
I am disposed to imagine, as Mr Abney would have said, that my manner in adressing him was brisker and more incisive than Mr Abneys own. I was irritated by his supercillious detatchment.
"Throw away that cigarette!" I said.
To my amazement he did so promptly. I was begining to wonder if I had not been too abrupt - he gave me the curious sensation of being a man of my own age - when he pulled a silver case from his pocket and opened it. I saw that the cigarette on the fender was a stump.

P G Wodehouse 'The Little Nugget' 1913.

...Murrin and Orlion!

(this worthy thread has been idle for much too long!)

I see Av!

I see Savor Dam.

Do I know you?

MsMary wrote:I see Savor Dam.

Do I know you?

We have not met in real life, but we see each other here and also in the Facebook feed of a mutual friend, known on the Watch as Menolly.

Would be pleased to make your further acquaintance. Feel free to PM me.

Different dam, methinks.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, ali.

Wow, Ms. Mary. Did you notice what that last post did to your overall count?

Haha, no I didn't. That sort of thing is not generally on my radar.

Guess it's time to celebrate.

unfortunate double post....

Wagon Wheel

please accept this song as an apology...