School Inspection and Hymn

• Teachers inspected the boys by walking along the rows, checking their cleanliness.
• Boys would grin and move their hands back and forth to show their teeth.
• Boys who failed the teachers' inspection of their health were removed from the ranks.
• Boys received three cane strokes for unclean hands.
• Boys received four cane strokes for improperly brushed teeth or an uncombed head.
• After inspection, the boys quietly filed into school, a process that was orderly.
• The schoolmaster rapped out the order for "Shun!"
• Students would bring their hands up to their foreheads and bow to the teachers.
• The schoolmaster announced a hymn, and began to sing it off-key.
• The schoolmaster's singing faltered due to a 'rich improvement of the sound'.
• As the schoolmaster stamped his foot, the scholars sang wholeheartedly.
• At the conclusion of the hymn the boys sang "Amen," raising their hands to their faces in prayer.
• The schoolmaster then gave a rambling, poorly worded impromptu supplication.
• At the end of the supplication the boys again said "Amen"
• The schoolmaster ordered "Shun!" again and they came to attention
• The school was ready to begin.
• The schoolmaster did not order the school to be seated after prayers, breaking from custom.
• He announced that students who had contributed to Mr. Megahey's purse would give their contributions to the teachers.
• The students reached into their pockets.
• Poorer students kept their small, moist fists closed tightly over their small pieces of silver.
• These pieces of silver had been wrapped in paper.
• Teachers drew chairs and stools to their desks.
• They produced foolscap sheets to record the names of students who contributed to Mr. Megahey's retirement gift.
• Donating threepence was unremarkable.
• A sixpence donation was displayed between the thumb and forefinger as the donating student's name was repeated a half-dozen times.
• A student who donated a shilling was patted on the shoulder
• The shilling donator was beamed on by his teacher, basked in the envy of his classmates, and was thanked by the school's acting Head.
• The acting Head shook the shilling donator's head heartily, showed his gold teeth, and made a grave gesture.

A description of a historical school inspection of boys checking for cleanliness, followed by singing a hymn led by the schoolmaster. The inspection involved checking hands, teeth, and hair, with punishments for failing. The hymn singing was a communal activity, albeit led by a somewhat off-key schoolmaster.