ON THE ‘ FREE-PLACE’ SYSTEM. 47 
Mode of Admission. 
In the majority of cases this is by means of a written competitive 
examination, but a considerable number of schools add an oral test 
which is often conducted by the head of the secondary school and 
sometimes in presence of a representative of the elementary schools 
and (or) an education officer. When this oral test is made, the object 
is generally to determine the general intelligence of the child as con- 
trasted with its mere knowledge (see under ‘ Ability’), but sometimes 
it is used as a means of finding out whether the parent on the one hand 
can afford the necessary books, &c. (see under ‘ Finance’), or, on the 
other, if he requires the financial help of a free place, and also whether 
the parent will keep the child at school for a sufficient time to enable it 
to benefit by beginning a secondary education. In a few cases the 
parent is obliged to sign an undertaking to keep the pupil at school 
until he or she has reached the age of 16. (See under ‘ Finance.’) 
In cases where the admission is by means of a competitive examina- 
tion, the actual competition is of the most varied kind; in large schools 
: 
of high reputation situated in important towns, there are often ten 
candidates for each vacant place; in the country schools, however, 
complaint is frequently made that ‘there is no real competition ’ ; 
‘less than half marks qualify’; ‘ almost anyone can gain a free place.’ 
In considering the replies as to the ability of the pupils it is necessary 
to bear these facts in mind. 
Proportion reaching Matriculation. 
A very large number of schools have made returns purporting to be 
the percentage of free-placers who reach matriculation standard; since, 
however, these returns are very difficult to understand they are not 
included in the present analysis—e.g., a large school in the Midlands, 
which is represented on the Headmasters’ Conference and has obtained 
a large number of University scholarships, states that 13 per cent. of 
the free-placers reach matriculation standard, whilst a small mixed 
school in the North of England gives the percentage as 80; this is only 
one of the many examples, and it would seem that either educational 
results vary inversely as the standing of the school, or that different 
headmasters have different ideas as to what is meant by ‘ matriculation 
standard.’ It is probable that the explanation is to be found in the 
following, which is typical of a large number received :—“‘ A satisfactory 
proportion reach the standard of the Junior Oxford and Cambridge Local 
Examinations; a few reach matriculation standard, but the majority 
leave at too early an age to do so.’ 
Speaking generally, it seems that those free-placers who are capable 
of benefiting by a secondary education at all, reach the average standard 
of the school; whilst in schools where the large majority of the pupils 
have been in elementary schools the standard reached by free-place 
holders may be higher than that reached by others. 
Physique. 
Only two schools report that the physique of the boys is insufficient 
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