THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL THROUGH HALF A CENTURY.

This article focuses on the current state of grammar schools in Great Britain by making a brief survey of their development since the beginning of the twentieth century. In the field of English education, it is generally asked whether a traditional institution like the grammar school is really fitted to meet the varying demands of a world in which the pace of change increases in both social and industrial organization. The debate about the implementation of a legislation in 1944 has caused a revival of interest in what happened in 1902, when large-scale provision first became possible for the education of the more able. During this period it was a commonplace to point out that the schools were preparing a disproportionate number of their pupils for the black-coated jobs. The maintained grammar schools, supposedly, have always had a bias towards mathematics and science, the subjects that can make a very good preparation for an industrial career. This became apparent as soon as the schools were encouraged to develop sixth form courses by the new grant system of 1917, by which each Advanced Course earned an additional grant of #x00A3;400 per annum. According to the author, in providing the technicians of the future the grammar schools are not doing too well, but there is no doubt whatever of the willingness of the schools to play their part in meeting the needs of a technological age.