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Public Schools: The Promotion and Organisation of Sports and Games. Mr. P. Leighton Socio-Cultural Issues Sport and Culture. Today’s Session…. Quickly Review last session on ETHNIC SPORTS- What are some of their characteristics?
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Public Schools: The Promotion and Organisation of Sports and Games. Mr. P. Leighton Socio-Cultural Issues Sport and Culture.
Today’s Session… • Quickly Review last session on ETHNIC SPORTS- What are some of their characteristics? • Understand the changes that came about in the Nineteenth Century- particularly in Queen Victoria’s reign. • Understand the importance of the ‘House System’ and how sports were involved. • Begin to look at Amateurism and Professionalism.
Starter Activity… • Put together the “Jigsaw” pieces that describe the activity: Cheese rolling… • Answers • Local: Only really done on Coopers Hill, Gloucestershire. • Traditional: Has survived since the test of time • Occasional: Done every year- every spring bank Holiday • Tourism: Draws massive crowds and spectators along with industry and revenue for the local towns and pubs. • Relatively Isolated: Done on the same hill in Gloucestershire, has not become mainstream and overtaken by media. • Rowdy: the nature of the activity draws rowdy behaviour as well as drinking and celebrations afterwards.
The Nineteenth Century… • Britain shifted from a rural to an urban society- gradually became more civilized. For us as socio-cultural observers however some of the main changes were… • Public baths were built to counteract the devastation of cholera • A reduction in working hours- meaning more free time for the working class • RSPCA Formation- a total ban on blood sports such as dog fighting.
Continued… • Improved transport and communication- i.e. railways… Q. How was this important in a sporting context? • Improved literacy… Q. How was this important in a sporting context?
Public Schools • Large numbers of middle and upper classes attended the elite public schools such as Eton, Rugby and Harrow boarding schools. • These institutions were used to educated and also prepare the pupils for leadership roles in society. • Question: why were they called public schools?
So what was so good about Eaton/Rugby boarding schools? • Specialist facilities • Academic “Assistant Masters” • Professional coaches • Boarding Schools= More Free time. • Vast grounds= expansion could occur. All this allowed the young boys of the 1880’s to excel in sport.
What games did they play? • Association football • Rugby (before the split) • Eton Wall game • Eton/Rugby Fives • Cricket
How were these sports organised? • “House” games captains would organise a lot of the sport. • Teams were posted and pupils were encouraged to take part. • Also these sports allowed teachers time off- society at the time was unruly and this was reflected in its youth. • Fixtures then became more commonplace between schools- also a reflection of society.
The after effects of the house system… • Pupils were educated and took their love of sport to universities- and then into their adult lives. • In the 19th Century (1800-1900) Britain embarked on developing a grand empire- of which is governed many sovereign states around the world. • Christianity and its values were spread- along with the British ways of life- who do you think went abroad to manage these states?
So where did the ex-public schoolboys go? • The rainforests of Africa. • The islands of the Pacific. • The plains of India. • The prairies of Canada. What are some of the sports they took with them?
In addition to this… • Not all ex-public schoolboys went abroad- they became vicars, industrialists, teachers and simply parents. • The values they held allowed them to help create loyal, brave and co-operative Christian gentlemen. • They also helped set up some of the NGB’s which are still active today...
They are… • The Football Association (FA) • The Rugby Football Union (RFU) • The Amateur Athletics Association (AAA)
In conclusion then… • What were some of the key things that occurred in the 19th Century? • Why was the invention of good public transport so important to spectators? • What was so good about the public school system? • What did the public schoolboys take with them as well as religion and education?