Pen & Sword History

Adult patriotism, along with the threat of a potential enemy, was commonly passed down to children, who accepted the ideas automatically and largely without question.

in particular the teaching of what is often known as ‘Muscular Christianity’, which was vigorously taught in public schools. It was in essence a way of living suited to defending Britain and her empire. Boys were meant to be Christian, ready to enforce what was good and true, ‘to fight the good fight’ if necessary.

To this end, sports were advocated, as good health was seen as almost a religious and social duty. To achieve this, boys were taught that physical health and fitness were integral to mental strength and fortitude, from which would flow integrity and honesty; no surprise then that The Boys’ Herald was subtitled ‘A Healthy Paper For Manly Boys’.