From “Tom Brown’s schooldays” — Thomas Hughes “Here we are, Sir, and you will be in time for dinner.” They went round the side of the school, past the school gates, down the High Street. As they passed the great school field they saw several boys playing football. Then they saw a long line of grey buildings, a chapel, the classrooms, and last the schoolhouse in which the Headmaster lived. When they came to the school gates Tom saw many boys standing there looking as if the town belonged to them. One of them ran out and climbed up on the coach “I say, fellow, is your name Brown?” “Yes,” Tom said, very pleased to meet someone who knew him. “My aunt, Miss East, lives near your father. She wrote to me to tell that you were coming”. Then young East called a big fellow and arranged with him to carry Tom’s boxes to the school for sixpence. “Now, listen, man”, he said, “they must be there in ten minutes”. “Now, come along, Brown”. Suddenly East stopped. “Have you a hat?” said East. “Everyone wears hats here. Only the town boys wear caps. If you were to go into the school with that thing on your head I don’t know what would happen…” Tom thought that his cap was a very nice one, but he said that he had a hat in his hat-box. “No”, said East, “that won’t do. It is not the right sort.” Then he took Tom to a shop where he bought a new hat. “You see”, he said, “a great deal depends upon what a fellow looks like at first. If there is nothing strange about him and he speaks up well and holds his head up the boys will like him”. He led Tom through the great gates to the school where two or three boys were standing at the gates. These boys questioned Tom. “You, fellow! What is your name? Where do you come from? How old are you? In which House are you? In which class are you?” Then they went on through a large courtyard, to the matron’s room. He gave the matron the key of his box. Then he showed him the school buildings. “Now you must come and see my study”, said East, “you have just time”. Tom followed East through the Hall of the School House. This Hall was a great room thirty feet long and eighteen feet wide, with two big tables running the whole length. Some boys were standing by the fireplace. They shouted to East to stop, but he ran past them.
