[2 THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

considerable extent for the general conduct of preparatory
 schools, most of the guilt being placed on the
shoulders of the parents; so they are themselves far
from responsible for the curriculum of those schools,
for this is directly controlled by the requirements of the
public school.
In 1908 the Head Masters’ Conference, which had been
perfectly content to allow matters for many years to drift
along placidly in the un-mitigated classical channel as far
as preparatory schools were concerned, suddenly awoke
to the fact that public opinion was beginning to take
a serious interest in education generally. Consequently
they appointed a committee to confer with preparatory
schoolmasters as toa scheme of studies for schoolboys from
the age of 9 upwards. That this decision was not come to
with any sincere desire for the modernizing of early education,
 but rather from a fear that control would pass out
of their hands, is suggested by the statement in the report
that “the situation is one which no one can say is satisfactory,
 but also which will before long have passed out of
control of us schoolmasters if we allow matters to drift, or
if we appear to be incapable of any constructive effort ”.
The report of this Committee is worthy of close analysis
 : let us consider the curriculum proposed :—

Greek .
Latin
French .
English .
Mathematics . "
Scripture and History
Geography

Before Greek
is Begun.

After Greek
~ Begun.
ours

MITTS

f time is available :—
Drawing , 3
Manual Training

rho

281 hour

hours

283 hours