COMPETITIVE E X A ATTNATIONS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR.;—As the subject of competitive examination is now attracting considerable attention, perhaps you will allow me, as one who has had experience of these Pmminations for some twenty years, to say a few words. I do not deal with the examinations for the Army, or for the Civil Service, Home or Indian, but with the scholarship examinations of our Public Schools for boys of from twelve to fourteen years of age.
The result of my experience of Winchester, Eton, Harrow, Charterhouse, and other schools, is that the successful bay is one who, in addition to fair ability, is the best grounded, and has the most general knowledge of an elementary kind. Rote- learning, or cram, is useless in these examinations, in which.no special books are set. They seem to me to encourage industry, accuracy, and common-sense,—qualities most likely to con- tribute to success in after-life ; and I cannot conceive of any other system of election which would secure these requisites in an equal degree.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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