THE VIEW FROM MY GRAMMAR SCHOOL
SIR,—Mr. William Thornton's statement that it is 'probably inevitable' that teachers should know 'very little of what goes on in other teachers' class' rooms, and still less about what goes on in other people's schools,' is quite untrue as far as sixth-form teachers are concerned. The General Studies Asso- ciation exists to collect and disseminate informa- tion about sixth-form courses, and it publishes articles by teachers themselves estimating the degree of success achieved by their work. In this way a body of information is being built up, and useful criticisms in the Benthamite tradition can be made of the educational system. This, of course, is an approach which is rational and progressive: far removed from arguments founded on personal musings, false analogies, luring imagery, mystical ideas and anecdotal evidence. If change in educa- tion is to be for the better it will be achieved by the former approach: articles like Mr. Thorn- ton's—which might have been more appropriatelY entitled 'A View from my Navel,' and which adds up to little more than an emotional fear of change" will hardly affect the issue either way.
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