Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-05-08
ALEXA GAZETTE & VIRGINIA ADVERTISER,
fEop r1II
The Blue Coat School in London.

This school, Wnlcn mas prouuceu ootne Va
the most accomplished scholars aud gentlemen
that England has known, Is to be swept away
from its old position in the middle Of the city
Of London under an order III council based
upou certain recommendations OF the public
schools commissioners. The writer does not
venture to criticse the wisdom OF this step
Doubtless the advantages which the touuda.
tion has bestowed hitherto on the few, will, tor
the future be secured to the many; and he
would that such advantages as he himself reap
ed at Christ hospital should be secured to
the SOUS of professional men throughout the
world They were these free living, free
education. aud free clothing from the age OF
seven to the age of fifteen. Free living trom
the best; that is to say u good breakfast Il good
dinner aud u good supper daily. Everything
of its kind sweet aud wholesome. y large airy
Gormi,ory with comfortable bed TO sleep IN at
night, with careful matrons to look alter the
bows personal cleanliness and comfort. Free
education; that is to say, tor the privilege, OF
being first taught Latin aud Greek thoroughly,
yhen of reading with sound university men aud
classical scholars the ancient classics; OF being
ais, taught mathematics, modern languages,
and all the essential English subjects which,
thoroughly taught, help towards turning cut
bows well educated men. For all these p.lvl-
ieres a, Christ's hospital one had the privilege
of paving uothiug. But the noble charity did
not stop halt way in doing good. The govern
ors of the institution thought they were moi pre-
cise!y doing their duty unless they helped a
boy forward when he was leaving school. 80
the five hundred gentlemen who form the
whole committee OF governors OF Christ ho>pl-
tai individually aud collectively touk personal
interest in each boy 8 Individual welfare.
If a boy rose to the highest class in the
grammer school, he was seut either to the uul-
versity of Oxford or to the university OF Cam
bridge for three years, free Of charge to his
parents. Iu other words he obtained schol-
arship of the value of ElO0 annually. Nor
was this all. These governors, having once
been, perhaps, poor boys themselves, knew
that it was always desirable to have little
money to start with in life. They therefore
presented TO every boy proceeding to uni
versity-twenty pounds for books ten pounds
for apparel, aud thirty pounds for fees. liza boy
rose to be in the first class iu the mathematical
school on leaving-it being understood that he
was going into the navy-he was presented
with complete set Of valuable nautical lustru-
ments, naval outfit, sea-cheSt. and silver
chronometer watch, and with fifteen pounds 10
gold. After three years service at sea. II he
could produce certificates that he was acqualnt-
ed with practical seamanshlp, he was present
ed with an additional sum of elj. This is but
portion of the educational good which Christ
hospital has done for centuries Free clothing
consisted in the uniform uniform which Sc
cured for its wearer kindness, civilty, attention,
otcntimes hospitality, wherever he went. And
the number OF boys-who by the way, are gen
orally the sons of professional gentlemen OF
small income-on the books Of this foundation
average above 100 annually.
The public school system OF England, the
writer ventures to think, is too little known ln
America That it has its lmpertectlonS like
most systems no one for a moment disputes,
but in many respects the good it has worked
far outweighs the bad Scholarships, for in-
stance, as understood by the English are almost
wholly unknown to the Americans. Why
shoulin it be thought just as much honor 10
secure as prize a scholarship at Harvard Uni
versty as scholarship at Baliol college, Ok
ford. Why should five hundred dollars Year
for three years given to boy for the purpose
of completing his education in America where
education, perhaps, is more widely spread than
in Englaud be less acceptable than in this latter
country? Mr.. Bancroft has set noble exam
pie in founding the travelling scholarship at
Harvard, if example be wanted. In the school
which torms the subject Of this letter there are
something like ten scholarships annually given
away. 10 competition varying ID value from
900 to el20 annually There is not one pub
lie school in England, but what has many such
scholarships in it's gift. There is not a college
in either English university but what has
many And how, may the writer ask, do the
readers OF this letter suppose that the scholar:
ships were in many cases founded? By old
boys By old boys who loved their alma mater;
so we'll as to eudeavor to repay her for the good
she had done them by doing good to others.
By old boys who desired to record their sense
of the many deep obligations they were under
to such men as Arnold, TAFT Temple, Barry
and others, by founding scholarships to their
honor, and in their memory. 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 iu one or the
other of the public schools Of England.-C Cor: