THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

not only to education generally but to the studies
concerned.
in all reform of education it must never be forgotten
that the first object is the training of human beings
in mind and character, as citizens ofa free country,
and that any technical preparation of boys and
girls for a particular profession, occupation, or
work must be consistent with this principle.

3

During the last two years the public generally have
become more interested than usual in education, and the
phrase “the reform of education” is constantly used
in various publications and in the newspaper press by
writers who are unaware of the forward strides made
during the last ten years in the tendency of public school
education. What is needed is not an initiation of reform
but a stimulation of it. In the course of an excellent
article which appeared in the “ Spectator ” recently, submitted
 by a master who had come back to public school
education after an interval of ten years, the writer emphasizes
 this point, and compares modern public school
education very favourably with that of the last decade.
Despite its general readiness to discuss and criticize
education in general, and public school education in
particular, the truth of the matter is that the general
public, even that section of it which has sons at public
schools, knows very little about the subject. On the
other hand the schoolmaster, estimating at its true value
the worth of general criticism without adequate knowledge,
 is too apt to ignore the parents’ point of view, which,
although frequently unsound, could nevertheless on many
occasions be of the utmost value to him, and to the school.
In the course of this and succeeding chapters the word
co-operation will frequently appear: this is the key-note
of all success in education and the closest co-operation
between parent and master is not the least important