possessing special knowledge of the subject. Such a collection would be beyond the reach of most individual schools, but a combination might possibly be organised to share the cost of the slides and arrange for their circulation.

DORMITORIES.

A full consideration of the respective merits of cubicles and open dormitories would involve the discussion of a very difficult question. It is sufficient here to note that of the 108 head masters who have in their replies expressed an opinion very important point, there is a strong majority (93 to 10) in favour of open dormitories.

The maximum number of beds per room, suggested by Dr. Dukes in Barnett's Teaching and Organisation (16), is very nearly double the average derived from the answers of 85 Preparatory Schoolmasters, viz., 8.3. "Safety in numbers" is, no doubt, the theory that underlies much of the preference for open dormitories; but when once the number has been reached which will secure the existence of something like "public opinion" in the room, there appears to be no advantage and some disadvantage in multiplying beds. The number by which this desirable result may be attained cannot, of course, be fixed precisely, but 16 seems unnecessarily high for Preparatory Schools.

LAVATORY, ETC.

The answers tabulated above show a slight preference for the earth system, but this, of course is only possible, under certain conditions as regards situation. Whatever sanitary system may be adopted, simplicity of construction, facility for inspection, and constant watchfulness are essential to its successful working. A liberal provision of closets is desirable, say one to every seven or eight boys, besides one or more easily accessible from the dormitories. In the lavatory the fittings should be as strong and simple as possible; a basin to every five or six boys is a fairly liberal allowance. A dressing-room, for changing before and after games, is almost a necessity in a school of any considerable size. It should be easily accessible from the lavatory, but is perhaps better separated from it. To the dressing-room a drying closet is a very valuable addition, and, where hot-water pipes are used at all, its construction is a matter of no great difficulty or cost. With regard to bath-rooms, one to every six or seven boys is an ample allowance.

LIGHTING.

The question of lighting hardly admits of any discussion. Electric light is by common consent the best, but its adoption is, of course, not always practicable.

4333

C 4

WARMING.

With regard to warming, there is a strong majority in favour of open fires. Where both fires and hot-water pipes are used, the latter are in most cases supplementary, and are used for corridors, gymnasiums, etc. It may be reckoned then, that 83 per cent. of those who answered the question on this subject prefer fires for warming the inhabited rooms. This preference is no doubt largely determined by a recognition of the fact that open fires are a material aid to proper ventilation.

VENTILATION.

To the question on the subject of ventilation, 98 answers were received, so miscellaneous in character that it is practically impossible to tabulate them. Tobin's shafts, false window sills, and fanlights recur frequently among the methods recommended. There is practical unanimity as to the desirability of open windows, but perhaps hardly sufficient recognition of the fact that an open window does not always act as outlet or inlet exactly as is intended or required; and, further, that, whatever form of outlet be provided, it generally requires some assistance ---artificial heat, wind pressure, or the mechanical action of revolving fans--to secure its proper working. This is especially the case in summer. The inlet should provide a minimum of 2 square inches per head and should admit a continuous stream of 15 to 20 cubic feet of air per head per minute.

ACCESSORY BUILDINGS.

That large schools, numbering their pupils by hundreds, and frequently assisted by endowments, should be able to provide chapel, gymnasium, sanatorium, swimming bath, etc., is not very surprising; but it is at least noteworthy that these accessoriesdesirable but not absolutely essential-should be found in so large a proportion of schools whose average number of pupils is under thirty-seven. Especially noteworthy is the large number of instances in which a carpenter's shop is provided. The desirability of some manual training being included in Secondary Education has only recently been recognised, and the fact that ninety per cent. of the schools under consideration should already have made some provision for such training is at least remarkable.

PLAYGROUND, ETC.

The average extent of the playgrounds given above (viz. 67 acres) is probably somewhat misleading. In several instances there are, attached to schools in the country, grounds of 30 or 40 acres of which only a small part can be considered "playground" in the ordinary sense. An acre to every ten boys is a fairly liberal allowance; so that, even if the above figures were reduced by one-half, it would still indicate a good average equip

ment in this respect. A "dry" playground of gravel, or better still sand, is a very valuable addition; this must of course adjoin the school-house. It is, no doubt, preferable that the cricket and football field should also be within the school grounds, but in suburban districts and other places where land is especially costly, this is often impracticable.

The replies do not indicate much enthusiasm in favour of gardens. In ten cases out of fifty-three the answer given is to the effect that boys can have gardens "if they choose," and in three cases they have been found a failure.

CONCLUSION.

In conclusion it may be pointed out that the typical Preparatory School is entirely unendowed; it is therefore exposed to free competition, and depends for its very existence on its efficiency Again, it is comparatively a new institution, and cannot therefore boast of what is at once an invaluable possession and a serious obstacle to improvement a body of ancient tradition. How far the absence of tradition is to be counted for gain or for loss need not be discussed here; but free competition may probably be reckoned among the efficient causes of the high standard of equipment, intellectual and material, shown by the typical Preparatory School.

FRANK RITCHIE

THE TIME-TABLE OF WORK IN PREPARATORY SCHOOLS.

ATTEMPTED CLASSIFICATION OF PREPARATORY SCHOOLS.

Preparatory Schools are one of the results of specialisation in education. They do nothing but prepare boys for the Public. Schools, and even within that limitation there is a tendency among them to specialise yet further. Roughly speaking, they may be said, for the purposes of our subject, to be classified into four categories:-(1) Schools that make a special point of competing for scholarships; (2) Schools that do not compete for scholarships; (3) Schools that are specially preparatory for a particular public school; (4) Schools that prepare for the navy. It must, however, be distinctly borne in mind that there can be no hard-andfast line drawn between these four classes; but there does exist. a tendency in these directions, and many of the time-tables that have been returned clearly show to which class their particular school belongs, although in others the gradations are so varied and imperceptible that classification is impossible.

SCHOLARSHIP SCHOOLS.

Every year a very large number of valuable entrance scholarships are given by the public schools as the result of competitive examinations. To many parents, for various reasons, it appears a matter of great importance that their sons should win one of these. The different examinations vary in detail at various schools both as to standard and subjects set. Some preparatory schools make a speciality of learning these differences and of preparing boys for success in particular scholarship examinations, in this way appealing to parents who greatly desire scholarships for their sons. These schools are not, however, divided from other preparatory schools by a hard and fast line, because there are always among their scholars a considerable percentage who will be unable to rise to a higher standard than that of the simple pass examination, and also because of the variations in the scholarship examinations themselves. If the boy "A." were sure to win a scholarship at "B." school, he might, perhaps, for example, entirely drop French at his preparatory school; it