Wretched dons
Sir: I am sure that those of us who care for maintaining educational standards are most grateful to you for reporting (Diary, 31 January) the antics of Cambridge dons as they go to absurd lengths to accept ill-prepared and ignorant pupils from the comprehensives. It seems a far cry from H. Wilson's promise of 'grammar schools for all'! As a one-time grammar school teacher, I can testify that we sweated — as did our pupils — to prepare for Oxbridge entrance and asked no favours and got none. But pupils did earn places — I sent some up myself, and often they came from very humble backgrounds. Our reward was to be wiped out so that this wretched comprehensive system — which had already shown its feebleness in the USA could be foisted on an unsuspecting public. And now these wretched dons are playing up to these inadequate institutions, 'dust- bins of the intellect', in an attempt to bolster their image. I hope Mr Baker reads the article!
J. H. K. Lockhart 21b King's Avenue, London W5
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