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Does that in any way relate to the expression 'being blackballed' from a members club. Anyway it would have been a nice headline in the Keighley News or Craven Herald 'Pupil blackballed by fellow campers'! Even Joe could not have ignored it.
I believe this is also a military practice for cadets in the army. It has been mentioned in recent reports of abuse at an army training school in Surrey. I am shocked to learn it could have happened at a KBGS school camp. I am also surprised that the Rev Arthur Watthey would tolerate such behaviour.
I can assure Paul Edwards the ball-blackening was certainly no myth!
I have written elsewhere on this site in regard to my own experience at Kirkudbright and although I wasn't exactly overjoyed at the experience it certainly didn't 'scar' me for the rest of my life. Some guys need to lighten up a bit, it was pretty harmless fun, nothing like the 'hazing' that occurs in military academies.
Trevor Pickles
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) tpdesign@primus.com.au