Were you a school prefect?

Not a chance at grammar school where I definitely didn't fit in, but I was Head Girl of my Junior School. My schoolwork ethic was very strong and my behaviour was always dependably good so I did expect to be one of the prefects, but I really can't describe the shock and honour it was when the head named me in assembly. I remember running home in the greatest excitement ever to tell my mum, only to find my brother had already told her and her comment was a very bland, "well I expected it - didn't you?"
My duties were mostly about defusing potential playground 'fights', reporting problems with bullying (lots of that in those days) and listening to pupils with problems (lots of those too).
I do remember very clearly that we had a single black girl (Jackie) and a single girl of mixed heritage (Lorraine) in the school and that they were mercilessly bullied and taunted simply because of their colour. Racism was rife and nasty - and the teachers used to say things about them like, 'she's got a chip on her shoulder - she should just ignore the name calling'. I think it was the only downside to my time at junior school, which I otherwise loved.

Dorsetpennt, I am in awe. I only went to 10 schools and I thought that was impressive.

I was selected to be Senior Boarder in my mixed day and boarding school. The Head Mistress and I did not see eye to eye on what my role was. She saw me as a representing the management to the workers. I saw myself as representing the workers to the management. She said if she had anymore senior boarders like me she would start choosing girls from the junior school.

After I left my younger sister, who was still there, commented that the girl who followed me was suitably biddable but other people remembered me, which I think was a compliment. Cant ask her she died some years ago.

I got as far as being captain of the net ball team for one season,we did not win the inter schools tournament so the next year I was demoted.

The last school I attended [I went to 19] made me a prefect the first year and Head Girl the second year. I was one of the older girls, the first 2 Head Girls were dismissed for bad behaviour and one went out with a boy!!! whilst still in uniform. So I felt that I really had to make it work, also after all the schools I'd been to I needed to prove that I could do it. The prefects 'manned' the corridors and stairways to make sure there was no larking about.We also manned the school gates at lunchtime. Only fifth formers and above were allowed to pop out to the local shop. However, those pesky fourth formers would try it on so it was our duty to ensure they didn't get out. I had to make up the rota for those duties. My deputy and I came up with the lunch time bop session. We got permission from the Head to hold a little dance in the lunchtime as long as we and others bought along their records.We made a 6penny charge to get in and that went to charity. I also had to make a speech on Prize Day. A rather grand missionary monk came to present them and I had to thank him. Not easy when there were also several trainee priests from the local seminary teasing you. Being a bit of a bossy cow I enjoyed it.

I was a prefect in 6th form and House Captain of Tyne (they were all local rivers) still cant understand why I was chosen

jack

Crickey! You've got a good memory soop. We have reunions every five years and I insisted at the start that we all wore name badges - which need to be written in bigger and bigger script as the years go by.

I no longer have a say in the reunions - just as well - because there is a time and place, and other things happen in one's life.

But I do get embarrassed when I'm approached by middle-aged (?) women who giggle in my face at these parties and remind me of events of which I have no memory at all.

I do remember the Head Girl though. And she is great - honestly.

In 1955, whilst at the convent, I was a prefect of the house of St Thomas Aquinas. Didn't do any bossing around...just enjoyed wearing the badge. Great bunch of girls. I can still remember everyone of them as if it were yesterday.

We had a funny peculiar system at our all girls' school and I don't know whether it was democratic or not.

The staff chose the prefects and head girl. The senior pupils voted for house captains and the presidency of the debating society. I was not given the honour of being a prefect. But I was much more honoured when my peers voted for me as house captain and president of the debating society.

Of course I would like to have been head girl as well - but, hey, you can't have it all. And looking back I suppose I was a little bit naughty at times.

I don't feel scarred for life by not being made a prefect and, incidentally, I loved school (and I was there from the age of 7 to 18!).

NO - I was brought up in a country where we had no uniform, no private schools, no religious schools and no prefects. Thank goodness for that

(well we had plenty of 'finishing' schools, but not for us natives, lol).

Like Goldengran I wasn't and am still trying to recover. Not a bad as my husband though who, far from being a prefect, brought his public school 6th form out on strike during one miner's strike because all the state schools were closed and they were still having lessons! He was sent home in disgrace - but at least he was warm!

Not me I was much too naughty but I am married to an ex-Head Boy/Head of House and you can see why - he is very good!!!!! Gets on my wick!

I was - eventually. I was on of the last to be chosen and the HM took me into his office and said he was appointing me on the basis of "Set a thief to catch a thief" hmm!

Only Sixth Formers got to be prefects, so I never made it. They were used to keep order and organise the four Houses. I was elected class prefect once which was mainly concerned with giving out notices and making sure homework was collected.
I think that prefects, like homework, were an attempt by day schools to ape the public schools, where they were devised to ease the work load of resident staff.
At least in state schools prefects were not allowed to beat other pupils!
When I read 'Tom Brown's Schooldays' I started to think that being upper class might not be an unmitigated good thing.

Nope, I have just mentioned this on another thread. I was not even a milk monitor! It upset me, but am trying to get over it now!