Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-24
Thc Blue Coat school.


This school, which has produced some of the
most accomplished scholars and gentlemen that
England has known is to be swept away from
its old position in the middle OF the old city Of
London under an order IN council based upon
certain recommendations OF the public schools
commissioners. The writer does not venture to
criticise the wis lom OF this step. Doubtless the
| advantages which the foundation has bestowed
hitherto on the few, WILL for the future be Sc
cured TO the many; and he would that such adj
vantages as he himself reaped ut Christs hos
pital should be secured to the sons Of profess
sional men throughout the world. They were
these:-free living, free education, and free
clothing from the age of seven to the age OF III
teen. Free living from the best; that is to say
a good breakfast, a good dinner and good sup
per daily. Everything of its kind sweet aud
wholesome. A large airy dormitory, with
comfortable bed to sleep in at night, with care
ful matrons TO look after each boys personal
cleanliness and comfort. Free education; that
is to say, for the privilege OF being hrst taught
Latin and Greek thoroughly, thenl0t reading
with sound university men and classical scholars
the ancient classics; of being also taught matll.
ematics, modern languages, and all the essential
English subjects which, thoroughly taught, help
towards turning ont boys well educated men,
For all these privileges at Chrsts hospital one
had the privilege of paving nothing. But the
noble charity did not stop half way in doing
good. The governors of the institution Thought
they were not precisely doing their duty unless
they helped a boy forward when he was leaving
school. So the five hundred gentlemen who
form the whole committee of governors OF
Christ's hospital individually and collectively
took personal interest in each boys individual
welfare.
If a boy rose to the highest class in the gram
mar school, he was sent either to the university
of Oxford, or to the university OF Cambridge
for three years. free of charge to his parents. In
other words, he Obtained scholarship of the
value of G100 annually. Nor was this all.
These governors, having once been, PERHAPS
poor boys themselves, knew that ii was always
desirable to have little money TO start with IN
life They therefore presented to every boy
proceeding to a universiy-twenty pounds for
books, ten pounds for apparel, and thirty
pounds for fees. If a boy rose to he in the trst
class in the mathematical school on leaylng-lt
being understood that he was going INTO the
navy-he was presented with a complete set OF
valuable nautical instruments, naval outfit
sea'chest, and silver chronometer watch, and
with fifteen pounds in gold. After three years
service at sea, If ne could produce certificates
that he was acquainted with Practical seaman
ship, he was presented with an additional sum
OF Els. This is but portion OF the educa-
tional good which Christ's hospital has done
for centuries. Free clothing consisted in the
uniform; a uniform which secured for its
wearer kindness, cvty, attention, ottentimes
hospitality, wherever he went. And the mum
Der of hoys-who, by the way, are generally the
sons of professional gentlemen OF small income
-on the books of this foundation, average
above 700 annually.
The public school system Of England, the
writer ventures TO think, is too little known in
America. That it has its imperiections like
most systems no one for moment disputes, but
in many respects the good it has worked far
Outweighs the bad. Scholarships, for instance,
as understood by the English are almost wholly
unknown to Americans. Why shouldn't 1t be
thought Just as much honor to secure as prize
a scholarship at Harvard University as a schol.
arship at Ballot college, Oxford. Why should
five hundred dollars year for three years given
to a boy for the purpose Of completing his ed
uc0tlon in America, where education, perhaps,
is more widely spread than in England, be less
acceptable than in this latter country? MIR. Ban
croft has set a noble example in founding the
travelling scholarship at Harvard if example
be wanted. In the school which forms the sub
ject of this letter there are somethidg like ten
scholarships annually given away, in compet-
ton varying in value from 800 10 t120 annus
ally. There is not one public school in England
but what has many such scholarships in its gift
There is not college in either English universe
ty but what has many. And how, may the
writer ask, do the readers of this letter suppose
that these scholarships were in many cases
founded2 By old boysl BY old boys who loved
their alma mater, so well as TO endeayOr to re-
pay her for the good she had done them by
doing good to others. BY old boys who desired
10 record their sense of the many deep obliga-
tons they were under to such men as Arnold
TAFT, Temple, Barry and Others, by founding
scholarships to their honor, and in their memo
ry. By old boys who desired to propagate and
uphold that grand feeling of brotherhood which
is characteristic Of those who have had the great
good fortune to receive their early education in
one or the other Of the public schools of
England.