When we came back after the Bartholomewtide Holidays, 1850 I found Liddell had taken upon himself to alter every thing – In the first place he had taken the house wh Rigaud had, (before he left for the head mastership of Ipswich school) into his own hands & had put a master in it, to manage it for him. This he ought never to have done, as it had never been the case so to do & besides gave offence to the old Westminsters. The hours of School were also altered, for whereas, Monday, Wednesday & Friday were whole school days & the rest half so the present changes, make all whole schooldays except Wednesday & Saturday thereby causing a great addition of work. We have a French master (Dupont) and a mathematical master (Hose). Liddell has divided the original 6th into 6th A, 6th B & the 7th & now there are more than a quarter of the school in the ci-devant 6th & two masters to that one form. We go on the water on Wednesday & there are also ‘Fields’, but there being no bats hinders the fellows from enjoying what is falsely termed a “half holiday”. I said ‘falsely’ as we have a copy of verses to do wh take up two or three hours of the time. In my opinion & I believe in that of most others, these changes have caused general dissatisfaction & discontent.
J. Murray Murray
Princeps Oppidanus.