Left, Right
SIR,—I am a sixth-former at one of the oldest, ant what is acknowledged as one of the best, grammar schools in the country, and it is now faced with the bogy of comprehension. even though it is a solidly Tory constituency (Haltemprice). and it is quite obvious that the majority of the people here do not want it; the official bureaucratic policy is too clumsy, and adds to the already long list of dis- advantages to this system. There is only one hap- pening that can save us from it—a Conservative government reinstated at the next election, for Putting Britain Right Ahead says, quite clearly, 'The Labour Government's attempts to spread compre- hensive education throughout the country are a re- grettable and in places damaging irrelevance,' and so the party should he against wholesale compre- hension.
Sir Edward Boyle, however, seems to have joined the swing to the left, and it now appears that he would not reverse the Crosland circular if returned to power. There are many who feel as I do, that he is thus shirking his duty, and ignoring true Tory policies; to do so would be to yield to that terrible phenomena, creeping socialism, which could here have drastic consequences, as comprehensive educa- tiOn is the worst revolutionary unproved experiment ever Championed by the Labour party. What hap-
pens if it is forced on to the whole country and then fails?
This is not an unpopular, election-losing policy; in fact, I am quite convinced that the party which advocates the retention of the grammar schools, with some modification of the eleven-plus, would gain much popularity (viz. Bristol, 1964). I would have thoUght that the Tory course of action was quite clear (as laid down in the policy document I have quiated above), for if we cannot rely on the Conservative party to conserve these vital institu- tions. whom can we turn to?
IAN T. SNOB
Vice-Chairman, Cottingham Young Conservatives 35 Oakdene, Cottingham, Yorkshire
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