EDUCATION IN PREPARATORY SCHOOLS 13

ized, the stimulus must come from some other direction.
The head masters have ‘“ proved themselves incapable of
any constructive effort,” and ‘the situation will before
long have passed out of control of us schoolmasters *

The criticism of the curricula of preparatory schools
has so far been destructive: the question may well be
asked, “ What is meant by the modernizing of the preparatory
 school ?”
There are many principles to be considered when
dealing with the question of the curriculum. The actual
subjects taught have very little influence on the formation
of character; the method of presentation of the subject
to the pupil is all-important here. But in settling the
balance between the various branches, we have to bear
in mind that in the first place boys at the age when
they enter a preparatory school are essentially curious;
this curiosity must be both satisfied and stimulated.
Secondly, one of the chief objects of education is, or
should be, the unfolding of personality, and this consideration
 must be always kept in the foreground. Further,
the danger of lapse into a state of intellectual apathy
must be guarded against most carefully. All knowledge
which a boy acquires, especially at this stage, should make
him all the more anxious to acquire further knowledge :
in other words a love of work for its own sake. In
this way, and in this way only can any satisfactory progress
 be made.
Bearing in mind these few main principles the following
 suggestions are offered :—
t. Languages.—In the opinion of the Head Masters’
Conference the average boy cannot undertake the study
of more than two languages besides English before attaining
 the age of 13 years without detriment to his
general education. At this stage of youth, and under the
present method of teaching, the learning of a language in