English Public Schools

Britain in Pictures #90

by Rex Warner

Part of the Britain in Pictures series published between 1941 and 1948 in an effort to boost morale and instill pride in a national identity during the war and early post-war years. Over 130 volumes were planned but only 126 actually appeared. The list of authors was an impressive who's who of the literary, political and arts communities of the time.

In this volume of the series, Rex Warner outlines the history of the English Public School system from the 14th century foundations through the first half of the 20th century.

Genres: History

48 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1945

About the author

Rex Warner was an English classicist, writer and translator. He is now probably best remembered for The Aerodrome (1941), an allegorical novel whose young hero is faced with the disintegration of his certainties about his loved ones and with a choice between the earthy, animalistic life of his home village and the pure, efficient, emotionally detached life of an airman.

Reviews

[David Burkam · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Public Schools have been, particularly during the last hundred years, among the most conspicuous aspects of English life, and among the most keenly debated.... The golden age of complacency was rudely shattered by the first World War. Along with other more or less venerable institutions the public schools were exposed to a growing volume of criticism."

All books in this series face a monumental task: how to refresh the memories and re-educate the British people as to who they are and where they came from (in fewer than 50 pages). The topics are timeless and deserve continual re-evaluation, but that broad assessment is essential at critical moments in history.