One-type Education
One of the least happy aspects of the educational situation in this country is the petty jealousy of the old-established grammar schools exhibited by bodies with a Labour majority, whether it be the House of Commons or the London. or some other, County Council. At the present it is the L.C.C. (at the last election, it may be-remembered, Labour and Conservatives tied, but. Labour secured a majority with the aid of some aldermanic seats) that is making mischief. Grammar schools are for the most part well established. They have traditions, and in most cases adequate buildings. The modern and technical schools have for the most part few traditions and are short of buildings. Circumstances, therefore, give the grammar schools a certain advantage, which Labour Members and Councillors, apostles of the doctrine of " parity of esteem," are determined they shall not enjoy. The latest device is to herd grammar, modern and technical schools in a single unwieldy " comprehensive school," over whose two to three thousand children no headmaster can exercise proper supervision or control. In the London County Council area no fewer than forty of these unwieldy monstrosities are contemplated. But that is not enough. There are in London a few old-established voluntary grammar schools—St. Maryle- bone School, founded in 1792, is one of them—which were handed over to the L.C.C. many years ago under trust deeds which it was supposed safeguarded their independence and their future. These too the L.C.C. is anxious to merge with Council schools in the same district, and in one case the governors of the school seem to have agreed. The other two are resisting and should be encouraged to resist. They have done good service to the community in the past, and are doing good service today. The head and front of their offending appears to be that they are grammar schools with an " esteem " higher than that of most of the L.C.C.'s own schools ; consequently they must be levelled down. Fortunately, their trust deeds can only be violated with the consent of the Minister of Education—which it is very much to be hoped Mr. Tomlinson will withhold.
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