The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-06-11
SOME NEW hooks
r.. or.,, Fable school. OF Enu,nna.

stntcs was secondary education. Our Hppli-
nnces. however. for instruction OF that grade
are really morp considerable than might at the
first glance be supposed, for the great majority
OF our so-callcd colleges attempt with more or
less success TO perform the Same function as
that discharged by German OUnndsid and the
great English public schools. To the latter
we have no precise counterparts in this
country. though 1t is probable that the
large endowed school known as Phillips
Academy, at Exeter in New Hamp-
shire. approaches somewhat closely 10
the type. As to the range OF study nj the Eng
lish institutions of this class. somewhat
careful examination Of their eurricula would
indicate that n man on leaving the sixth form
ut Elton or Winchester has at least as wide and
thorough knowledge Of the Greek and Latin
languages and ltcraturcs as is attained by u
Harvard or Yale undergraduate Of studious
habits at the end OF his sophomore year But
while materials exist for estimating the scope
and quality OF the scholastic work done at
those establishments. they who felt some
curiosity touching the mode Of life Of the
young students have been obliged TO rely on
school Days at Rugby" and two or three
stories written by Etonians no exhaustive and
minute comparison OF the six or eight fore
most schools being accessible in print. An
attempt to satisfy this want Is now made in q
volume entitled ErerV-day Life al Eton. HdiTo,o,
Rugby. DC tE. p. Dutton & Co... the schools
discoursed OF including not only those just
named. but Winchester. Westminster. Shrcws-
bury Charter House, st. Paul's. Merchant Tai
lors', and Chrlst's Hospital. The sketches
have in each instance been made by men who
have themselves resided at the schools de-
scribed and within such a recent period as to
make their pictures faithful refiexes OF con-
Temporary life.
The oldest Of the great English public schools
10 Winchester. although in respect OF social
prestige it has been outstripped. not only by
Eton. but by Harrow and Rugby. Winchester.
like Eton. is technically q college," whereas
all tho other seminaries described in this vol
ume with the possible exception Of Westmin-
ster) are properly termed schools" 1t was in
the latter years Of the fourteenth century that
William OF Wykcham. the great medieval re-
former Of education in England. founded New
College at Oxford and the College Of st Mary
at Winchester. the latter being intended to
serve as q training school for the former.
function which IL still fulhls. The number Of
Scholars" (who are taught. lodged. and fed
free Of charge) is to this day kept strictly within
the founders scheme, namely. seventy. with an
adjunct OF eight exhibitions distributed among
the "commoners." rs the pupils not Oh the
foundation and who pay for their commons "
or board are called at Winchester or the latter
class there are now over 800 in the school. The
collegers or scholars proper still live in Wyke-
hams original buildings sleeping in dormi-
tories. each of which has eight small iron
bedsteads ranged against the wall Within the
college it is the duty of the twenty lower choars
to perform the ordinary school hoy service of
tagging. the principal duties being to bear the
half fagots to the fireplace and light the
mornings fire. to clean the cups and saucers for
the evening mess and to make the tea or coffee
or porridge called for by their elders. The COM
moners, on the other hand reside in detached
houses. each OF which is under the charge Of a
sub-master. In the houses tagging is almost
restricted to the personal service of the prRtcct
or monitor. there being nothing to correspond
to the chamber tagging in college. Winchester.
by the way. produced the earliest type Of the
monitorial system now in vogue at English
public schools and by which the maintenance
Of discipline and order is largely RENTED to
the students themselves. There are in the col
lege proper eighteen monitors invested with
the title OF pr@iect. and there are also twelve
projects set over the commoners. The diet OF
the collegers is sufficiently simple. Breakfast,
consisting Of bread and butter with coffee. is
served at 8. meat being furnished at this meal
only lour days IN the Week. Dinner is served
al l;3o anu scholars are stu expected to eat
no1nihs out mutton i've u"!s out Oh seNeh' lea
Is at D. anu comprises Diead ana butter only
put scholars may supplement- inns lare with
jam potted meats. ana tho ike at their
own expense supper, consisting OF bread
ana cheese ana beer ls laid at $50.
IN the houses the meals are pretty
much the same. In the college nan
where only the stholars oihe they are waited
upon Ut 'apie ny Inc |hoflsters Oh the fouhaa-
tioh,poor boys VINO IN return lor services in
me clon' receive Tree uoaru anu longing outside
inc coliese walls US well as GOOD commercial
eauca'ion' Oh inc WHOLE William OF Wykeham s
Soiiese at winchester retains more than any
o.ner great FOUNDATION school IN England the
cnaracterisnc features OF the FOUNDERS design.
me socia' ulstlhctloh between scholars and
cohmohefs Is less marked than al Eton. though
there are clear traces OF II even mere "inches-
ter men are saiu 10 Do more seuate ana studi-
GUS thah inc Doys OF o'her schoois OF the same
grade, Yet 'hey manage 10 hold their own IN
annette EXERCISES WIN their cohpeers OF Eton.
marrow ana hugpy' ana 'hey commonly out
strip the scholars OF these or any other schools