WILL THEY SURVIVE?

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 189, 27 August 1937, Page 13

WILL THEY SURVIVE?

— Own Correspondent.)

Dean Inge on the English Public Schools NOT ENOUGH PUPILS

(By Air Mail-

LONDON, Aug. 7. "I have oflen wondered wbetber tbe most unique of our institutions, tbe Public Scbool, will survive till the end of tbe century, " v rites tbe Very Eev. W. E. Inge, D.D., in fche Evening Standard. "At present the most famous of tbe old schools^ and Stowe, a new foundation, are quite full. Tbe old boys in every case would make almost any sacrillces ratber tbau see tbeir old seliool destroyed. "But tbe two-children systein, predatory taxation, political jealousy and tbe excellent education given almost froe in State-aided secondary schools coutbine to make tbeir future very preeariouQ. Some of tbe smallor Public Schools, and some of tbe old Grammar Schools, are already in dififioulties. Tbere are not enough boys to go round. "A headmaster bas re ".ntly com" plained tbat competition bas brougbt into existence a type of headmaster wbom Amold and Kennedy would hardly have recognised as a, member of bis profession. Ho need not be a scbolar or even a teacher; be must be a good sbowman, standing at tbe scbool gates and rubbing bis bands. He must bo his own traveller, and carry bis wares. to tl?o front door of strangers. I hope tbia is overstated; but we know tbe type of men wbo are now in request in Amefica, even for uuiversity 'proeideuts. ' " Attacks upon Public Scbpols come ebiefly from men wbo, being aryant «nobs themselves, are always prone to cbarge otbers witb snobbisbness. Gbeap eneers abppt ' tbe old scbool tie ' are iu the fasbion. In reality, as I once wrote, tbere is no place whete a duke's son is more quickly taugbt to know bis place, wbicb at first is a very bumble oue tban at Eton or Harrow. lbere ure'cads at our great schools, of course, ng well as outside them; but tbe oppQ«ite is tbe type wbicb tbe tradition deligbts to bonour, and wbicb otber nations bonour as the iine flowers of tbe Bnglisb character. ' '