2 AUGUST 1884, Page 3

The governing bodies of the great schools created under the

Public Schools Act turn out to be very Conservative bodies ; and after the appointment of Dr. Hornby to the Provostship of Eton it was tolerably certain that there would be a very strong in- fluence exerted against any radical change in the school. On 'Tuesday the Governing Body met under the new Provost to elect the Head Master of Eton, and the Rev. Edmond Warre was elected. Perhaps it was not the Conservatism merely of the Governing Body which determined the vote against Mr. liirelld.on. There was a general idea that ".Academicns," in his letters urging Mr. Welldon's claims, took too dictatorial a line, and turned some of the members of the Governing Body against him. We had hoped for the election of Mr. Welldon ; but we trust that Mr. Warre will not prove so purely Conservative a power as he is generally supposed to be. We presume that he will continue to encourage the athletics beyond what is reason- able, but in other matters we think it very probable that he may prove a moderate reformer. It is difficult for an Eton Master to be a real power in the school so long as so great a part of his energies is devoted to calling rolls, setting and hearing punishments, signing notes, and going through a routine which ought never to devolve on him.