PUBLIC SCHOOL SPIRIT.

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 40, 16 August 1921, Page 2

PUBLIC SCHOOL SPIRIT.

, Lord Burnham, at Taunton School: ■ "There never was a time when the qualities of distinction and leadership were so badly wanted as to-day. I do not think there is much chance for those who rely 'on what are' called hereditary claims. That does not apply only to thestatus. to s which a man has claims as an hereditary, legislator, but to all those who have gone into comfortable" jobs, because they are the sonis of their fathers. I do not think you will find in future that there are many what we called in war slang 'cushy' jobs- waiting for you., You will have to prove your ability in the world in which little favour will be shown, because of prescriptive rights, vested interest, and privilege. I have always believed in the genius of British education. Which has created the independent citizens of our Empire. It may have been lacking in scientific perfection, but it has a freedom and liberality about it which have always been the admiration of the world. Above all, the tradition of our British, education has been confirmed and maintained- by the spirit' of. our public schools,, which have never been kept within the narrow bounds of military orders or academic restrictions. I believe the crying need of our time is for moral courage, the courage of civil life. There is no doubt we have a painful example in the crisis through which the country is now passing. Thero would have been no trade dispute of tho gravity of that which we hope is now about to end, if there had been moral courage on all sides. For eight weeks the coal strike ha® been going on, yet it could have been settled within a few days had moral courage prevailed. If you met, any Labour leader he would confess that, in the first place, the stoppage ought not to have taken place, and, secondly, it should have been de- : termined within a few days. They would not tell their followers from tho. platform what they thought, because they lacked . moral courage, just as did the men on the other side. It has been the want of moral courage which has prevented the coal owners in the

past denouncing those amongsft them who allowed there workers to live in miserably unhealthy dwellings, and who had not been ashamed to make inordinate gains from the sweated conditions of Labour. Both have suffered from the lack ot moral courage, which has created an atmosphere of ill-will .and suspicion in which all things evil havo flourished like rank weeds. There is nothing that will better foster and help to maintain a standard-of'moral cour- ■"* ago than.tie training such as you boys are getting in this great school."