ON THE ‘ FREE-PLACE’ SYSTEM, 49 
the percentage of ex-elementary pupils is small ; the difficulty mentioned 
is that the children have not begun Latin, French, science, or mathe- 
matics; it is also added by a few schools that the high standard 
obtained by the free-placers in arithmetic causes trouble. 
Although many schools mention the difficulty, it does not seem to 
be acute if the free-placer enters at or under the age of 12; for in this 
case an extra lesson in the afternoon during one term, or an arrange- 
ment for teaching the lower forms in sets, enables the more able pupils 
to catch up the others. In the case of those who enter above the age of 
13 it is, however, frequently mentioned that the whole curriculum of 
the school is upset, the fee-payers are retarded in their progress and 
the free pupils fail to benefit from their lessons; it is generally agreed 
that no free place should be given to such children, and, since no school 
is required by the Board of Education to admit free-placers over 13 
years of age, the difficulty, such as it is, must be considered to be 
created by the ‘schools or the authorities themselves. 
Dinners. 
Although one large school wrote asking how it was possible for there 
to be any difficulty in the matter of school dinners, a very considerable 
number state that they are a constant problem. The schools situated 
in large towns and drawing their pupils from their own immediate 
district seldom make provision for dinner, but in those attended by 
pupils from a distance it is very common for-a meal to be provided at 
a cost of from 4d. to 9d. per day ; the usual charge is 6d., but one school 
states that they provide a non-meat meal at 3d. ; in very many cases the 
free-placers cannot afford even this, and the resulting problem is met in 
various ways. The London County Council, the Kent Educational 
Authorities, and possibly some others seem to make special main- 
tenance grants to cover the cost. In some cases where pupils, whether 
free-placers or others, bring sandwiches a separate room or a separate 
table is provided; one girls’ school mentions that every effort is made 
to make this table as attractive as possible by placing flowers, &c., upon 
it. At one large school for boys some of the free-placers earn their 
dinners by waiting upon the others first and taking their own when the 
ordinary meal is over. In many cases, however, the matter seems to 
be left to private charity, often that of the head of the school or 
Goyernors. 
Amongst the schools which find a difficulty in the matter of dinners, 
there is a general agreement that the children require a good meal in the 
middle of the day. 
Social Status. 
Several schools state that since they received free-placers the 
“ better-class’’ parents have withdrawn their children and it has been 
necessary to reduce the boarding fees; a few state that this may be 
“ snobbishness,’ but it is a fact they must take into consideration. It 
seems, however, certain that this class exclusiveness is becoming less 
strongly marked, and need not be considered a serious obstacle to the 
development of the system. 
