8 54 
PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION J. 
thought, and he turns away from many intellectual interests as from 
luxuries that must be sternly put aside for the sake of success in the 
all important examination.” This self-denial with regard to new 
interests in knowledge is precisely the process which, on changing the 
circumstances and results, the successful father of an ambitious pupil 
is pursuing all day long, all the year round. The father in simple 
language calls it u sticking to his business.” He is working for his 
prizes, and he does not allow himself to be distracted by new interests 
that may ramify away to disaster. He is aware that out of any 
average hundred new interests ninety-nine will lead to nothing, while he 
has neither time nor inclination to go out into the wilderness in search of 
the hundredth fruitful interest. Notwithstanding this habit of keeping a 
cautiouseye on the main chance, suchafather would no doubt have signed 
the protest ; he thinks the spoils system in education wrong ; perhaps 
he may consider the spoils system generally capable of improvement. 
But he would like to think his young people unsophisticated, vigorous 
with the sap of freshness coursing through their veins ; that they 
ought to be superior to these things, and in early life give promise of 
brighter hopes than shine within his own horizon. So they should, 
but on the whole they do not. And why ? Because in modern life 
the squeeze and jostle at the entrance of any avenue of life is greater, 
more strenuous, and more prolonged than it was even twenty years 
ago. The prizes of life have enormously increased, while the sense of 
defeat has also enormously increased. A boy in the stage on which 
childhood is rapidly vanishing and manhood is rapidly advancing soou 
discovers this world fact. Then there is demanded of him a virtue 
his seniors do not possess, and for the most part do not profess. I 
am reminded here of the very trenchant words of Mr. Fearon in his 
excellent little book on “ School Inspection.” He, on the subject of 
copying, says— 
u There is only one way of making sure that copying is not 
practised in a school, and that is to make it impossible. It is absurd 
to talk as if copying could be stopped by appeals to. the children’s 
honour, or by punishment of those who are detected in the practice. 
The sense of honour in children in an elementary school should not 
be expected to be greater than that of Eton boys or undergraduates, 
or candidates for the civil and military services, or for holy orders. 
. . . (p. 57)* What examinees at public schools and universities 
will freely do, children in elementary schools will do.” 
These words may apply to the great question of competition for 
prizes ; if you would diminish the evil you must abate the temptation. 
When the" famous protest of 1888 was made, Mr. Fred. Harrison 
wrote — 
“ We want neither distinctions, prizes, nor tests in anything like 
the profusion in which they are now poured out. Art, learning, 
politics, and amusement are deluged with shows, races, competition, 
and prizes. Life is becoming one long scramble of prize-winning and 
pot-hunting.” 
According to this view there is no cure for the sacrifice of educa- 
tion to examination but the extirpation of prizes, scholarships, and 
exhibitions. According to this view the founder of a scholarship, like 
a man who deals in indiscriminate charity, is perniciously benevolent. 
