There is a popular impression that the foundation of Public
Schools (or grammar sehoola) in England dates only from the time of the Reformation. Apart, indeed, from Eton and Winchester, it is generally believed that no Public Schools existed until the reign of Edward VI. Mr. A. F. Leach in The Schools of Medieval England, a new volume of the series known as "The Antiquary's Books" (Methuen and Co., 7s. 6d. net), has collected evidence to show that such schools date back to a very much earlier period, in fact to the time of the arrival of Christianity in these islanda. Thus he maintains that the oldest of our schools was founded at Canterbury by Augustine in 598, and still survives as the King's School, while Rochester School and at. Paul's School were established six years later, the last-named having been merely refounded by Colet at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Those who are interested in the origins of our educational system will find in Mr. Leach's book innumerable
quotations from ancient records and authorities throwing light upon the subject.
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