hostile. One of them, however, the _Church Times_ reviewer, was
virulently hostile, and appeared to us not merely to dislike our
educational policy, which he had every right to do, but to blaspheme
against the very idea of a liberal education. As we have quoted from
no other "Church" paper, we should like to remark here that a number of
other such papers, representing various schools of religious thought,
gave the book a generous welcome.

Our experiments perished in the dark days of last spring. Within only
a month or two came the turn of the tide. It is bitter to reflect
that, could they but have survived until victory and peace brought a
return of political sanity, they might have weathered the storm and
conciliated some of their bitterest enemies, and reached safety.
Possibly, though gone, they have left their mark.

Meanwhile pneumonia has carried off, in the prime of early manhood,
their staunchest friend among our colleagues. He was not one who took
any but a very small part in the actual conduct of the experiments. He
once lectured to _The Politics Class_ on "Liberalism." But he had a
genius for sympathy, and always, when difficulties arose, it was to him
that we turned, because he had the gift of making us feel that it was
still worth while to persevere. Had we been wiser, he could perhaps
have served us still further by bringing us into touch with some of
those who differed from us, and helping to a mutual understanding. For
everyone was his friend. The dedication of this book had already been
chosen before he died, and we are unwilling to alter it, but perhaps we
may also venture to offer it as an unworthy tribute to the memory of
Alan Gorringe.

CONTENTS

CHAP.

PREFACE
I. THE RISE
II. THE COLLAPSE
III. PROPAGANDA
IV. CONTROVERSY
V. CAPTURE BY THE STATE
VI. THE MAKING OF "POLITICIANS"
VII. PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND FREAK SCHOOLS
VIII. MORALITY
IX. RELIGION
X. CURRICULUM
XI. THE YOUNG GENERATION AND THE OLD
APPENDIX

"That such an experiment should have been permitted in one of the great
public (English) schools is a sign of the greatest promise for the
future."--_Aberdeen Free Press_.

"Of all the objectionable and inept proposals for reforming the
education of our public schools we must award the palm to the scheme of
teaching boys politics."--_Saturday Review_.

"We do not believe the authors have delivered all their
message