--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But it was in the life-saving competition…" description: "\"“But it was in the life-saving competition that Stanley Judkins's conduct was most blameable and had the most far-reaching effects. The practice, as yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcb/m-r-james-2-62990_hands-and-feet_but-it-was-in-the-life-saving-competitio_79742.jpg" --- # But it was in the life-saving competition that Stanley… ![“But it was in the life-saving competition that Stanley Judkins's conduct was most blameable and had the most far-reaching effects. The practice, as you know, was to throw a selected lower boy, of suitable dimensions, fully dressed, with his hands and feet tied together, into the deepest part of…” quote by M.R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcb/m-r-james-2-62990_hands-and-feet_but-it-was-in-the-life-saving-competitio_79742.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcb/m-r-james-2-62990_hands-and-feet_but-it-was-in-the-life-saving-competitio_79742.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcb/m-r-james-2-62990_hands-and-feet_but-it-was-in-the-life-saving-competitio_79742.jpg) > ““But it was in the life-saving competition that Stanley Judkins's conduct was most blameable and had the most far-reaching effects. The practice, as you know, was to throw a selected lower boy, of suitable dimensions, fully dressed, with his hands and feet tied together, into the deepest part of Cuckoo Weir, and to time the Scout whose turn it was to rescue him. On every occasion when he was entered for this competition Stanley Judkins was seized, at the critical moment, with a severe fit of cramp, which caused him to roll on the ground and utter alarming cries. This naturally distracted the attention of those present from the boy in the water, and had it not been for the presence of Arthur Wilcox the death-roll would have been a heavy one. As it was, the Lower Master found it necessary to take a firm line and say that the competition must be discontinued. It was in vain that Mr. Beasley Robinson represented to him that in five competitions only four lower boys had actually succumbed. The Lower Master said that he would be the last to interfere in any way with the work of the Scouts; but that three of these boys had been valued members of his choir, and both he and Dr. Ley felt that the inconvenience caused by the losses outweighed the advantages of the competitions. Besides, the correspondence with the parents of these boys had become annoying, and even distressing: they were no longer satisfied with the printed form which he was in the habit of sending out, and more than one of them had actually visited Eton and taken up much of his valuable time with complaints. So the life-saving competition is now a thing of the past.”” [M.R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-james-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrative condemns a dangerous, staged rescue competition that caused injury and death, highlighting the moral failure of its organizer and the need for ethical oversight in youth activities. **In simple terms:** Exposes reckless competition harming children Key Takeaway Ethical responsibility outweighs tradition Themes ethics youth safety authority abuse institutional negligence tradition vs progress Mood concerned critical reflective Type historical anecdote moral warning When to use this quote - school sports events - boy scout activities - historical school competitions - parental complaints Key Concepts dangerous practices leadership accountability child welfare Practical Applications - policy reform in youth programs - safety training redesign Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards should be mandatory in youth competitions? - How can institutions balance tradition with safety? A Different Perspective Some may argue the competition taught resilience, but the lethal risk outweighs any educational benefit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competition Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition-stanley-1021384/) [Eton Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eton-taken-1021386/) [Hands and feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-and-feet/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Judkins Conduct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judkins-conduct-1021383/) [Judkins Seized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judkins-seized-1021385/) [Scouts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scouts/) [Stanley Judkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stanley-judkins-1021382/) [Valuable time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valuable-time/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing in business is so valuable as time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-patterson/nothing-in-business-is-so-valuable-as-time/) [John Henry Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-patterson/) > [“You're wasting your life worrying about the next person while you're wasting valuable time not focusing on yourself - Omar Black”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-black/you-re-wasting-your-life-worrying-about-the-next-person-while-you-re/) [Omar Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-black/) > [Politicians generally form alliances and not friendships. 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For all the time we've lost by not being together, it has made you the most valuable thing to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-peppernell/time-is-valuable-for-all-the-time-we-ve-lost-by-not-being-together-it/) [Courtney Peppernell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-peppernell/) > [In my life Why do I give valuable time To people who don't care if I live or die ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-my-life-why-do-i-give-valuable-time-to-people-who-don-t-care-if-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by M.R. James > [“Those that spend the greater part of their time in reading or writing books are, of course, apt to take rather particular notice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-james-2/those-that-spend-the-greater-part-of-their-time-in-reading-or-writing/) [M.R. 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James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-james-2/) ## More Hands and feet quotes > [Early on a difficult climb, especially a solo climb, you’re hyper-aware of the abyss pulling at your back, constantly feeling its call, its immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/early-on-a-difficult-climb-especially-a-solo-climb-you-re-hyper-aware/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [“What creature goes on four feet in the morning, on two at noonday, on three in the evening? Man. In childhood he creeps on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oedipus/what-creature-goes-on-four-feet-in-the-morning-on-two-at-noonday-on/) [Oedipus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oedipus/) > [“In the middle of the cemetery is a grassy plane, strangely vacant. 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The practice, as you know, was to throw a selected lower boy, of suitable dimensions, fully dressed, with his hands and feet tied together, into the deepest part of Cuckoo Weir, and to time the Scout whose turn it was to rescue him. On every occasion when he was entered for this competition Stanley Judkins was seized, at the critical moment, with a severe fit of cramp, which caused him to roll on the ground and utter alarming cries. This naturally distracted the attention of those present from the boy in the water, and had it not been for the presence of Arthur Wilcox the death-roll would have been a heavy one. As it was, the Lower Master found it necessary to take a firm line and say that the competition must be discontinued. It was in vain that Mr. Beasley Robinson represented to him that in five competitions only four lower boys had actually succumbed. 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