Public Schools W. A. Barker Down the 'C' Stream Peter
Dean, Arthur Blackwell Scientists for Export George Watson, Glyn Morgan CND Desmond Donnelly, MP, Alex Comfort Coal Imports Race or Colour E. A. LI. Morgan
John A. Raven E. Goldsworthy The Centurions Dmitri Makarolj Murder a In Russe Bomber Gascoigne Let Wives Tak Tent Caspar Brook Portrait of the Week PUBLIC SCHOOLS Sta,—Mr. Hollis provided a welcome note of mod- eration in the current discussion of the future of Public schools and he made a fair comparison be- tween the ideas of Mr. Crosland and those of Mr. Birley. I think he is mistaken, however, in saying that the object of Mr. Birley's suggestion 'is to Weaken the power of snobbery in the public schools.' There are approximately 200 schools in membership of the Headmasters' Conference. Mr. Hollis speaks of our twenty leading public schools but in doing so he speaks the language of Arnold Lunn's The Harrovians. With few exceptions, most of the other 90 per cent, of public schools have, in the past fifteen years, reached comparable standards Of achievement and facilities with the twenty leaders. Similar fees, similar grants from the Industrial Pund and similar salary scales have done much to blur past distinctions.
This fact is insufficiently recognised in arguments Which divide schools into categories of the few sheep and the many goats. Obviously large ancient and fashionable (for one reason or another) schools are better known and the 'snobbery' which is said to surround public schools is encouraged by this in- escapable fact of life, The large number of parents Who send their sons to the less well-known schools IN), do so from a variety of motives. Yet in paying fees as large as those demanded by the leading schools I do not think they are being cheated in any educational way. And the majority of parents, what- ever the public school, support independent educa-
tion for educational reasons. •
The Leys School, Cambridge
W. A. BARKER
Previous page
