We were going in aged 16 and talking to headmasters about why they should be using it.
If the OFT investigation, which is likely to take several months, leads to a successful prosecution, headmasters and bursars concerned could face up to five years in jail.At first glance, the idea that there is a cartel in this business looks plausible.
Only then, they argue, will, for instance, headmasters feel able to hunt for missing teenage pupils without fearing accusations of racism: "I have no choice," they can say, "it is the law".
The headmasters they appoint are often excellent teachers but only rarely good managers of what are, in fact, medium-sized businesses.
The "politics of envy" is alive and well, was the prompt response from Bernard Trafford, chairman of the headmasters' conference, which represents 250 of Britain's most exclusive schools.
Headmasters praise its character-forming influence; they term plebian ordinary football, dismissively, "the round-ball game".
The idea was invented by British public-school headmasters (most notably Thomas Arnold of Rugby) who believed that a combination of sport and religion could develop the all-important quality of "character".
And the profession which provides the biggest chunk of volunteers is education—headmasters and schools inspectors as well as classroom teachers.
The EBU now organises activities in 400 schools and 15 universities, after Mr Stocken persuaded headmasters that bridge-playing youngsters are more adept at numeracy, reasoning and memory.
In office, he has backed away from the plan, instead forming a panel of teachers, headmasters and education experts to advise him on reform.
In another instance of "outcome-oriented philanthropy", the New York City Partnership, a group of local business leaders, is pledging $30m to provide local headmasters and teachers with financial rewards if they perform well.
