Stuk 225 - Letter from E. E. Bowen to Caroline Trevelyan

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The Grove, Harrow: - Believes Bobby has written to her about his 'fresh [?] trouble': he was 'doing a set of iambics for a 5th form boy [G. W. Roffey, see 45/157]' and Bowen is 'afraid it has been very systematic, this term and last'. Says 'our forefathers' used to 'laugh' at this sort of thing, but he thinks the contemporary attitude is better, in which it 'isn't common, & is condemned, now that competition for places is keener' and boys tend not to be punished for being able to finish their exercises.

The 'one satisfactory part' is that Bobby did not try to lie when it was found out. He has been 'put down into the upper fifth', and will start next term there. He has a chance to 'work very hard for the first month & get placed 1st', then get transferred up again; 'there is no reason why it shouldn't be done'.

45/157 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Caroline Trevelyan, 23 Mar 1888 [date from postmark], about this incident.