With the building of the Hostel it was necessary to build up afresh a complete system of school life. As the numbers increased he established a monitorial system, by which many of the lesser breaches of discipline were dealt with by the boys themselves. There was great opposition to the innovation on the part of the boys, and as a consequence the system never worked so well as it should have done. These head boys were called Praepostors, a conscious echo of the two "Praepositors" of the first Statutes of 1592. Fagging was allowed but was not unduly practised. It consisted chiefly of running messages or blacking boots or boiling water. Perhaps the most unpleasant duty of the new boy was the compulsion that he was under to sing for the benefit of his elders.
On the second Saturday of term the senior boys in the Hostel were assembled in the underground Baths and every new boy was put upon a chair in their midst and made to sing. The penalty for singing out of tune was a cup of salt and water but it is doubtful whether the penalty was often enforced; even so there is no continuous tradition; it was irregular and spasmodic. Another task for the new boy was to climb the Scars a quarter of a mile from the School and place a stone upon the cairn, called "Schoolboys' Tower."
The Praepostors had also the power of punishment by giving "lines" or by thrashing but the latter was subject to proper control. Some years previously the monitorial system in schools had been given a new lease of life by Arnold at Rugby and it was in theory a legalised increase of the natural power possessed by the Sixth Form; but it was often found that intellect and strength of character did not always accompany each other. At Giggleswick no position in the School gave a prescriptive right to be a Praepostor. The choice lay solely in the hands of the Headmaster and although more frequently those chosen were members of the Sixth Form, it was by no means necessary, and the captain of the Football Fifteen was almost always chosen among them.
In the early days the Athletics of the School needed much encouragement. The Schoolyard for generations had provided the only opportunity for games; Football and Cricket were in their infancy. In most matches against teams, other than schools, Mr. Style took a personal part. He was a keen wicket-keeper and a good bat and did not cease to play cricket till 1890.