In the first place, the present paper refers to conditions prevailing in England only, to the exclusion of Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Secondly, the term " public school" has, in England, a rather special meaning. A public school is generally understood to be an endowed secondary school of fair size, educating boys of the upper and middle classes, independent of state control except in so far as its income is supplemented from public funds. Public schools may be either boarding schools or day schools, but most of them belong to the former category.