26er:
I wonder if they still play these silly games?
Colorado (the USAF Academy) used to in the early 60's. Our entry visited them (along with West Point) in our senior year. I remember sitting at lunch in their dining hall with a mixture of their seniors and rookies. The latter had to go through the same bizarre routine, to the extent that if they wished to smother their meal in the obligatory Ketchup they had to voice a refrain along the lines of, " Sir, would our guest or any other gentleman care for the Tomato Ketchup, Sir!" Only when no-one responded in the affirmative could he then continue with, " Sir, could you please pass the Tomato Ketchup, Sir!". Then at last could he create the culinary delight that he had set about some time previously. All this done sitting and eating to attention as you describe.
Mind you some aspects of UK Public School tradition still survived at Cranwell, most notably "Crowing". This endearing routine consisted of the Senior Entry sneaking into the South Brick Lines (where we wretches of the Junior Entry resided). They had to sneak in, as Crowing was by then (1959/60) already forbidden. Whatever had been practised in its heyday, by now it was reduced to we juniors being obliged to voice off some doggerel about "Two black crows, sitting on a fence...") while being perched, squatting, on some high point (locker tops etc) to better enact the tale. I remember at the time thinking it was more harrowing for them than for us, as they had to post lookouts and at the slightest alarm would beat a hasty retreat. Inevitably they did not beat it fast enough one night, official retribution followed, and another hallowed tradition bit the dust!