PUBLIC SCHOOL FEES
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,--1 have read with appreciation the Headmaster of Stowe's article in your issue of December 12th; it should help to en- lighten those who are over-ready to attack the Public Schools for making no drastic and spectacular reduction in fees. A school of 500 which made an all-round reduction of 110 only per annum would stand self-convicted of having hitherto received a total income of 15,000 more than was necessary for efficiency ; for even those parents who would regard a• reduction of 110 as too paltry a concession would hesitate to suggest that economy at the price of efficiency was either reasonable or desirable.
But it would be a pity if your readers were left with the impression that the more expensive schools were making no effort to meet the situation. In many cases funds are being formed, partly by adventurous finance, partly by voluntary surrender of part of their salary by the not overpaid staffs, with the intention of giving substantial help to those parents and prospective parents who are most seriously affected by the financial unrest. I suggest that it would be unwise for anyone to cancel his son's entry for the school of his choice without first making enquiries whether any fund of this kind existed. At the same time there are doubtless means of effecting minor economies, and these are not being neglected ; but it would be unwise to assume that they can ever result in any noticeable reduction in the general scale
of school fees.—! am, Sir, &c., P. HUGH B. LYON. School House, Rugby.
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