In David Copperfield, how was David treated at Salem House?

Poor young David's treated abominably at Salem House. But then, that was always the idea. His wicked stepfather Mr. Murdstone sent him there precisely because he knew it would be a living hell for the young lad.

The school's headmaster, the sadistic Mr. Creakle, is even more revolting than his good friend Murdstone, and is a firm believer in thrashing boys at every opportunity. Thanks to Murdstone he's got it into his head that David's a bit of a biter. So when David first arrives at Salem House he's forced to wear a humiliating placard round his neck that says "Take care of him. He bites." Mr. Creakle takes care of David, alright. He singles him out for extra beatings for no good reason, just as his chum Mr. Murdstone hoped he would.

All in all, David spends two pretty miserable terms at Salem House. But despite his ill-treatment, he does manage to make friends in the shape of Tommy Traddles and Steerforth. (Though in the case of the latter that's not necessarily a good thing) In any case, however bad things get at Salem House the school's an absolute picnic by comparison to his evil stepfather's blacking factory, where David will soon be forced to work.

Why is David in David Copperfield sent to Salem House?

David Copperfield, originally titled The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account), by Charles Dickens, was first published as a serial from May, 1849 through November, 1850, then published as a book in 1850.

The story is told in the first person, from David Copperfield's point of view, and recounts his life from childhood through relative middle age.

David recounts in Chapter 4, "I Fall Into Disgrace," that when he's about six years old, his mother is courted by, and later marries, Mr. Murdstone. Once married to Mrs. Copperfield, Mr. Murdstone takes advantage of the situation to move into the Copperfield home and moves in his sister, Jane, along with him.

Mr. Murdstone and his sister verbally and physically abuse young David, and during one particularly vicious whipping by Mr. Murdstone, David bites Mr. Murdstone's hand.

He had my head as in a vice, but I twined round him somehow, and stopped him for a moment, entreating him not to beat me. It was only a moment that I stopped him, for he cut me heavily an instant afterwards, and in the same instant I caught the hand with which he held me in my mouth, between my teeth, and bit it through.

Mr. Murdstone uses this instance of David biting his hand as an excuse to send David away to the boarding school called Salem House.