PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE FUTURE
Sat—The two articles by the Headmaster of Rugby have stirred me to write a few lines on this subject. I can't claim to have had lately any close touch with our public schools, but having had some years' experience as a headmaster in a school for Africans in East Africa, and latterly for five years as Principal of Achimota on the West Coast of Africa, and because in both schools we tried to incorporate what we considered best in the public school tradition, it is possible I may have a little to contribute to this subject. We faced there as the public schools here, a situation in which a new world was emerging and the future was unknown. Africa was being pulled into the orbit of European life and we had the hard task of training African leaders for some future we could only dimly see, with powerful forces threatening us. The public schools are similarly placed, with the added fear of dissolution.
We had four principles which we always tried to keep before us, and on which we worked, believing they were fundamental to our Purpose. The school must be a Christian school, that was our chief sun, and the principle underlying everything. This does not mean we did not respect Animists or Mahommedans: we treated them with every consideration. But the staff were all Christians, not necessarily Cl one particular Church or Christian tradition, yet they were able to worship and pray together as a staff: this was of first importance. As a result they sought to bring a Christian atmosphere into the school so that the spirit of Christ might rule in every activity. Religious in- struction of real merit was essential, but it could only be effective if the staff were trying to live the good life 'n the power of an unseen Master. Further we had to make every effort to bring this same spirit into the homes of some of the boys, for though they were boarders, the home had, as here in England, a tremendous influence on their !Ives. We tried to accomplish this without offence and we were in some measure successful Secondly, a spirit of co-operation was fostered in every section Cl the school life. 'This began in the Governing Council on which sat members of Church, State and community as partners in building up and sustaining the school. Our Governors were drawn from all de-
partments of the common Life. (The State din not attempt to dominate even though, as in the case of Achimota, they endowed the school with £5o,000 each year This was :argely because the Colonial Office has initiated a policy of co-operation rather than of domination.) This combination of parent, priest and politician on the governing body infused into the whole school the spirit of co-operation—it was in our bones. Unbridled competition in our comator life was anathema to us, and even House matches which e: cited a too keen spirit of com- petition were looked upon with suspicion oy some members of staff. The stronger this spirit of co-operation grew the less were any com- pulsory methods needed.
Thirdly, every grade of society was welcomed into the school, and as far as possible every type of boy—and not merely the boy with the brilliant brain or with the gift of passing examinations. The school was not only for the prince or the son of the chief, but for the poor boy who came from the lowliest village home At Achimota there were some three hundred scholarships in a roll of seven hundred. It was difficult to include every type of boy with " ability " (and I will not define this term either), though our tecanique in this direction improved slowly, and we tried to include divers types such as the slow grower, the brilliant slacker, the artist, the practical person and the dreamer. We had thus a school of mixed temperaments and charac- ters who would some day be leaders in a societs made up of many different types We did not cater merely for an intellectual aristo- cracy, nor did we want to segregate the kind of boN visualised for the Technical High School by the Spens Report.
And lastly, all were inspired to serve one another and the com- munity in which the school was placed. Staff and students were known in every corner of the villages around, and in the town close by; we helped and joined in all sorts of ways in :he community life of the people. The school itself was open to the villagers for many activities. Thus there grew up amongst the boys an understanding of the life of the people they some day would .ead, and a desire to serve with humbleness and sympathy. Further we helped one another in the daily school routine—and I would underline " one an- other," as staff helped too when and where they could. There were few servants, and the boys made their beds and cleaned dormitories, studies and classrooms: house gardens were kept and playing fie!ds levelled; furniture too was made for the school and equipment for the classroom and laboratory. The working out of this principle in our common life developed many of the finest qualities of character with- out the stress and strain which is experienced in that process usually known as ' character training." This last principle is only the complement of the first principle, both of which find their roots in our Lord's commandment to loot God and your neighbour as yourself.
I would suggest that if au these pitnciples, and not just a few of them or part. of some of them, were adopted for and by our public schools, there need be no fear of the future; they are in line with the best spirit which is being called forth in these days of war and suffering. But I would add two caveats. There is a grave tendency —judging by correspondence in the Press—of considering the saving of the public schools as an entity, apart from the rest of the educational system. It may be easy to give reasons why the public school system should be maintained as far as possible as it is now—apart from the main stream of the school life of the country; and to give examples where concessions might be made to public pressure, and be quite oblivious to the fact that the present situation demands much more of the public schools than that The public schools must, in general, become a living part of the whole educational system of the country, and, in particular, either by absorption, or division of responsibilities, an integral part of the whole field of secondary education.
But further, this re-orientation must be approached now before the war ends; all the essential elements in the change-over must be worked out now, and the sooner the negotiations are begun with all the bodies concerned the better. This is not an academic question, it is a matter of life or death, and if left until the war is over, when history teaches us great ideals am; reforms are at their lowest ebb, it will be too late.—
Yours faithfully, • H. M. GRACE. Secretary, Conference of Missionary Societies. 2 Eaton Gate, London, S.W. r.
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