New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-29
ST. PAUL'S SCHOOL.
One of the Famous OIdtime Schools
of ENGLAND

q school of some kind from time irnmemorial IN
connection with the Abbey Church, which was ap-
sorbed amplihed by the greater foundation or
Elizabeth, so there was undoubtedly school car
RED On in connection with "Paul's' long before
1909 says the writer. So far back as the reign OF
Stephen OF both the Cathedral School OF
St PauPs and the Abbey School at Westminster
Coiet, adhereat Of the new learning ana a re-
former. who. but for Archbishop Warham, might
have been bounded down for 'heresy,' seems to
have been out OF conceit with the existing schooI
He was rich man. and had inherited lands from
IFS father. twice Lord Mayor OF London. With
these he founded and endowed a school in
the east end Of st. Paurs Church for hundred and
ffty-three to be taught free in the same Dr.
L.lpfon, the learned author OF Colets life, says
the reason for this number of scholars is I'M
certain It was reserved for the Jewish advocate.
then Mr.. Jessel. in a case concerning the school
came into the Chancery Courts not half a cen
tury ago, to suggest that the explanation was 10
he found IN the New Testament, and the number
OF the miraculous draught Of fishes. This number
Of scholars at that time would be very large, and
would make St PauIs Of the biggest schools
81 not the biggest. in England. Winchester ana
Elton had each seventy scholars and some day
boys or oppidans in addition; but probably neither
would reach regular total Of l53. His scholars
were TO be "of all nations and countries indiffer-
entity Two other interesting features show the
bent OF Colet's mind Coet's ST. PauPs appears 10
have been the first school in which Greek was
taught and IT also, are told the nrst school
IN England in which the statutes expressly for
bade cockhghting. The subsequent history OF the
school foundation has been not entirely free from
storms Colet. to be expected from a man
Of his lesnings chose ecclesastics but married
citizens of established reputation to manage his
trust and selected the MERGERS Company for the
purpose of which his father had been member;
and the MERGERS Company to this day select from
among theiy own number the majority of COVER
nors who with certain representatives nominated
by the universities, supervise the school By an
accident" the school did not appear IN the sched-
ule 70 the Public Schools Act, and its property be-
came vested in the Charity Commissioners. Colets
original endowment produced in 1888 $40 year;
in 1894 the annual income f1So0o. DIT. Walker
and the company have waged several pitched
battles with the Charity Commissioners as TO the
proportion Of this income TO be devoted to St Pauls
and the destination Of the surplus, The commits
sdoners seem 10 have had wild notions Of combin-
Eng with the very successful upper grade secondary
boys school lower grade secondary girls school
an obvious means OF running both. The settlement
ultimately arrived in 1890 shortly that st.
Paul's should receive two-thirds of the income Of
the Coletine estates. but never less than $4,000
year. while the rest was TO go 10 the St Pauls
girls school The governing body was 10 remain
constituted in the way already mentioned without
representation from the County Council, as had
been suggested. As regards one-third Of the foun
datton scholarships. special weight shall be at
tAched to subjects proper to the modern depart
ment, and Greek shall not be required"
The question of change of site and removal from
minds Of the authorities for no less period than
80 years That famous Pauline. Pepys, records
that even IN his time Pauls School, they tell me,
must be taken away and rhen, fear. 1t will be
long before another place. such they say is
promised is found" Any who remembers the
old school it but twenty years ago, with its
gloomy cavernous basement-the school playground
pierced with Of heavy pillars and barring
out the curious crowd Of passeTs with heavy iron
grating-would hardly share in Pepyss fears.
Though some neighboThood less disturbing than
traffic laden Cheapside and Ludgate Hill was re-
quired, there was intention Of making st. Paul's
adrotuess several acres were purchased at West
Kensington a. TO bring the school in touch with
don. and the site has the additional advantage of
allowing the boys to make use Of the river at
Of distinguished alumni St PauI's has had more
riors, John Churchill, Duke OF Marlborough, not
rst Barons North and Paeet Judges ike Lord
Jeffreys Bloody Jeffreys' and Lord Truro and in
and the latter's SON THE last Of the Barons and
n more ACADEMIC lines Jowett, the great Master
OF Balhol. ana tSarham, the author OF the IN
And what of the modern St. Paul's? How does
large and modern, II OF somewhat monotonous
ruddlness-a good eXpanse Of playing fields at the
back. Wen managed preparatory school across the
Snuuication and connection with the larger school
and passing one hundred boys a year into the lat
she To1don nsrent a'3n-eciestee tbsee sd,tentages
There 5S3 boys in the school, though this is
somewhat below the average of past years. and
900 at Colet Court the preparatory school for boys
from eight to twelve, making the total numbers
together close on one thousand But what does
st Pauls stand for in the educational world? The
question IS not easy to answer in sentence. To
the outside world St Paul's stands as the most
successful scholarship winning school Of modern
whether residential schools like Elton Winchester,
or day schools like Merchant Taylors or the City
Of London School the results achieved by st. Paul's
four open scholarships at Oxford fourteen at Cam
bridge, eighteen in all and all direct from school
To this list must be added for the year three fell
loWshlps gained by old Paunes at their respective
colleges four university scholarships four college
Classes in Classics one in sthematics and four in
natural science or sixteen first classes gained dur
Nor is the school less successful in winning schol-
arshps at the hospitals in passing boys into the
attained civil appointments and fourteen passed
into Sandhurst or Woowich, the greater part Of
A list Ike this must strike fear to the heart Of
Jo we ta 5av scbnHi are bnndT scHo e oT Nm
boarding SCHOOLS are pass gchoQls. St PauFs Ger
personality Of the famous head master and
successes is simple. He himself does not
teach, but somehow. no one quite knows how,
ne has an intimate knowledge Of the capac-
which is to the boy as Wei as TO his form MASTER
little short OF nystifying You've done wonders"
ne sald on one occasion. reviewing the last years
work with captain Of the school, then about TO
tteaNe ana tnen characterisucaily ADDED, And so
in the lower third. who had one term in the
school and managed somehow 10 luke French
II IS often charged against St PauI's that con-
and frst classes Paulnes do very little in after
life: that they driven too fast at first their en-
put IL is that many boy OF mediocre ability. when
under the immediate stimulus Of the exceptional in
tellectal atmosphere OF ST. Paurs attains success
neyonS his form t Later in life when this stimulus
DR.. Walker ADDS another point, and undoubtedly a
true one. that Il is becoming harder every day to
attain the biggest successes that life has to ofrer
without Influence" and influence his bows very