Page:A Few Words on the Future of Westminster School.djvu/16

 (though some of these too are situated under analogous conditions in large towns) are enabled to supply, would be more satisfactory in many ways to the masters than a system where their intercourse with the boys is limited entirely to the hours spent within the walls of the school-room.

2. To consider next the best use of the endowment fund. The two main elements of this are election of boys to 'college,' and the election to junior studentships at Christ Church and exhibitions at Trinity.

(a) To consider the case of the last of these two elements first. Under the present constitution the competition for Christ Church and Trinity is confined to members of 'college' only. No change seems to the writer more imperatively required than that the competition should be opened, as it has been at Winchester with the happiest results, to the whole School, a certain amount of previous residence, say three years, being the only condition requisite for eligibility. This would create a wholesome feeling of rivalry within the walls of 'college,' and save its members from the intellectual stagnation which, it cannot be doubted from the past history of the School, has tended to arise from the too great certainty of securing the ultimate election to Christ Church or Trinity. The privilege of an almost gratuitous education in 'college' for four years, which will be the case if the Public Schools Bill passes in its present form, is quite sufficient attraction in itself to render it wholly unnecessary to make it imply absolute certainty of further emoluments at the University. It is probable too that the ablest boys, as at Eton and Winchester, will be generally found among the 'Queen's Scholars.' On the other hand, cases will arise where, either from