14 FEBRUARY 1941, Page 14

SIR, —The Headmaster of Rugby in his articles in two recent

issues of The Spectator stated clearly his reasons in favour of the survival of the public school system; but we are in variance with him over his attitude towards boarding schools, and we do not think that a public school can offer an ideal religious foundation for after-life. For after a boy has been compelled to attend chapel services (in some cases every morning and both Matins and Evensong on Sundays) his reaction will perhaps be the cause of his not attending Church services for some space of time after he has left school. To a boy who is not par- ticularly religious at heart, chapel services become automatic and on occasions almost meaningless. In some schools it is even compulsory for boys of Jewish and Roman Catholic faiths tc attend Church of England services. We feel that the whole religious education in public schools is obsolete and that compulsory worship is a bad relic of the

last century.—Yours faithfully, L. SOLOMON.

R. W. Maims.