Sta,—I have been very interested in the' various letters which
have been grouped in the last three weeks under the heading of ` Science Teachers.' In particular 1 found myself most cordially in agreement with those who suggest that width in education is being sacrificed to depth, and that the prevalent early specialisation does not appear to be com- patible with the development of a good general background.
I have recently been serving for a year on an Interview Board and was appalled at the ignorance of the majority of boys—most of whom came from first class schools and had passed the necessary examinations to appear before the Board—on simple questions of history, geography and matters which should be common knowledge. This ignorance could apparently be ascribed to early specialisation as it was not uncommon for a candidate (they, were all between the ages of 17 and 181) to state he had done no geography for three of four years and often no history for as long.
The type of questions asked were very simple and I will give three illustrations.
A boy from Marlborough College was asked to say something about the first Duke of Marlborough. He could not until there was a hint that he might have been a general, to which the boy replied, "Oh yes, didn't he win the Battle of Waterloo ? " I mention Marlborough College by name because that was why the question about the Duke of Marlborough was asked. I hope that I will be forgiven for doing so as equally sad examples could be given about boys frorn most of the other first class schools.
A boy from another well-known public school placed both Madagascar and Jamaica as islands in the Mediterranean.
A boy from the leading grammar school in the North was asked what Christmas Day commemorated, and replied "isn't it the ascension of our Lord to Heaven ? "
The worst thing about this seemed to be that these boys were bright, mostly in the sixth form, appeared intelligent and had passed all the necessary examinations for which they had entered.—Yours faithfully,
[Name and address supplied.] a.
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