Glenalmond College was founded as a independent school by William Ewart Gladstone and J.R. Hope (later Hope-Scott of Abbotsford). It was to be "north of the Firth of Forth, and removed from the vicinity of any large town, a College to be called The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, which may receive and board a large number, say ultimately 150 to 200 youths from eight to eighteen years of age, and also afford a sound Clerical Education to young men destined for Holy Orders". Gladstone and his father (Sir John Gladstone) inspected several sites before deciding on a site proposed by George Patton of Cairnies. Once the site was decided upon, John Henderson was commissioned as architect. The school opened its doors on the 4th May, 1847 to fourteen boys (though one boy, Lord Schomberg Henry Kerr later Marquess of Lothian and Secretary for Scotland, notoriously arrived a day early).
Until 1990 Glenalmond was an all-boys school, but is now co-educational. The proportion of boys to girls is currently 2:1 although increasing amounts of female applicants has given rise to talk of a third girls boarding house.
Boarding houses
The pupils are classified into one of seven houses, named after staff who participated in the development of the school. The boys' houses are Skrine's, Matheson's, Patchell's, Goodacre's, and Reid's. The girls' houses are Home and Lothian. Until 1992 there was another boys' house called The Cairnies which will be reopened in summer 2006 as a girls' sixth form house.
Like many of the other public schools in Britain, Glenalmond has over time evolved its own slang for many of the activities and locations that occur throughout the campus and during school life.
Abortion - Clumsy person prone to randomly falling over or breaking things
C R Beaks - College prefects, also known as school prefects or C R prefects, and a higher station than House Prefects. C R stands for Common Room, as they used to have their own.
Docket - Numerous meanings, ranging from packed lunch to permission slip
Fuzz - A cigarette.
Phys - A punishment given by a prefect to another pupil for wrongdoing. Derived from "physical punishment", but this has long been superseded by more modern punishments, such as writing out rugby team lists
Purgatory - Term used for the "fine leg" position on the Cricket field
Rinsed - A term a pupil uses if they have been ignored either intentionally or not
Scaffing - Taking another pupils property/continually asking to borrow it.
Short Sleeve Order - A notice given out by the Captain of College (head boy) on hot days allowing boys to take off the Blazers and Sports Jackets as well as their ties, and girls to take their jumpers off leaving the shirts on.
Walked up - First stage in relationship. From main quadrangle to end of Home drive
Places around College
Cornerpool - Where the River Almond bends creating a natural beach and deep water holes.
Here and There - The favoured response of pupils when asked where they are going by staff. Formerly was a den for members of the Upper Sixth in the grounds of the school.
Mad Wifey's - The cottage at the side of the 1st XV rugby pitch where an old lady lived before being thrown out and leaving a curse on the school.
The Monkers - The social centre for the sixth form officially known as the Moncrieff.
Sheepwash - Sloping grassy area past Sandemans where pupils like to enjoy the summer term.
Tranquil - Favoured place for smoking.Other locations include the "The Wall" and "Warden's Bush".
Neish's - 1st XV Rugby Pitch
References
The Glenalmond Register 1950-1985 and Supplement 1900-1949, published by Hunter & Foulis Ltd. 1986
