SIR,—In regard to Dr. Shackleton Bailey's article on school holidays
in The Spectator on October lath, we would like to say that from the public school boy's point of view his statement that there is one whole holiday a week, apart from Sunday, not to mention occasional holidays during the course of the term, is not true at many schools.
We are at a famous public school. We have no whole holidays, apart from Sunday, during the week. We have three half-holidays, on one of which we have a J.T.C. parade, taking up most of the afternoon, and on the other two days we have to play or watch rugger. During term time we get no holidays at all, and we do not even have an extra half- holiday for half-term. On Sundays we have an hour's prep, besides which we have an essay, for which we are only given forty-five minutes.
During the holidays many boys have to work for examinations, and during the Christmas holidays a book is chosen for every boy to read and an examination on it is held at the beginning of the next term. In our opinion, Dr. ShacIdeton Bailey's suggestion will be acceptable neither to masters nor pupils.—Yours sincerely,
Two MEMBERS OF A LARGE PUBLIC SCHOOL.
Previous page
