790 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 



(vol. vi. of Special Reports on Educational Subjects) issued in December 1900. 

 The position is still essentially the same Preparatory schools, educationally 

 though not locally, are an integral part of the public schools. Hence the pre- 

 paratory schoolmaster is not a free agent: he is obliged to shape his curriculum 

 according to the requirements of the public schools. These have gradually grown, 

 owing to pressure from without rather than on reasoned grounds of what is best 

 for young boys, and they vary with the different public schools. Scholarships are 

 the root of the mischief, there being keen competition among the public schools 

 to attract clever boys who will afterwards distinguish themselves in classics or 

 mathematics at the University. The needs of scholarship candidates dictate the 

 curriculum for all boys, dull and clever alike. Thus the present curriculum is 

 vitiated by the aim imposed upon it from above, viz., to produce, not the well pre- 

 pared, but the specialised boy. 



II. General Lines on which Reform is desired by the Association of Prepara- 

 tory Schools. — The curriculum should be wide rather than special, and should aim 

 at developing the faculties in due proportion ; it should be arranged on principles 

 adapted to the average and not to the exceptional boy. No settlement will be 

 satisfactory which imposes on young boys the rudiments of three languages besides 

 their own ; the omission of one language must be an essential principle if discus- 

 sion is to be fruitful. 



III. The Prospects of Reform are poor in spite of the closeness of the relations 

 which exist between the preparatory and the public schools, and in spite of the 

 recent appointment of a Joint Committee to consider questions of interest to both, 

 especially the curriculum. The reason for this is the want of agreement among 

 the headmasters of public schools as to general principles of education. This is 

 illustrated by their diflPerent requirements in the common entrance examination. 

 And if the headmasters' conference refuses to move, how is reform to be initiated ? 

 We need a committee to do for England what the Committee of Ten did for the 

 United States in 1894, 



IV. The Preparatory School Curriculum as it ought to he. — Supposing early 

 specialisation done away with, what should the curriculum include? There is 

 general agreement as to the necessity of (1) religious and moral training; (2) 

 physical training ; (3) practical training of hand and eye. Wliere disagreement 

 arises is as to (4) literary training. This should include : — 



A. Languages. — (I) English, at present almost crowded out of the curriculum. 

 More and better teaching urgently needed of («) English composition, 

 both oral and on paper ; (6) English literature. We have much to learn 

 from both France and Germany as to methods of teaching the mother 

 tongue. 



(2) French should be taught from the first. Masters who can speak 

 French fluently and ensure correct pronunciation are very much wanted. 



(3) Latin has overwhelming claims to inclusion in the curriculum, 

 but should not be begun till the pupil has made real progress in French. 



These three languages only should be included in the preparatory school 

 curriculum. Both Greek and German should be deferred till the public school is 

 reached. 



B. History and Geography. — Both indispensable. The teaching of geo- 

 graphy is now better understood ; but history teaching needs systematising 

 according to stages. 



C. Mathematics (Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra), — The teacher should be 

 trained to explain simple processes in arithmetic. 



D. Nature Study. — Its claims are being recognised in an increasing number 

 of schools, and the teaching seems to be on right lines, thanks to the 

 Public Schools Science Masters' Association. Enthusiasm rather than 

 any special scientific training is necessary for the teacher. 



The development of the teacher himself should be kept steadily in yiew in training 

 Jjifli for his work, 



