PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SPHOOLS

The examination of the scholarship list disclosing the fact that the best students in the University come from public schools and not from private schools gives rise to an investigation of the other side of the question. In athletics, analysis of the award of "H's" in the four major sports for the past five years shows that the greater part of them are held by men from private schools. A fact which strengthens the significance of these figures is that men entering college prepare in about equal numbers at both public and private schools.

Of the 197 letters awarded in the last five years, beginning in 1907-08, in football, baseball, crew, and track, 69 per cent, went to men from private schools, 27 per cent, to those from public schools, and 4 per cent, to those entering from other colleges. The number of private school men holding letters is two and one-half times as great as the number of public school men. The list by schools in the five years under consideration is as follows: private, 136; public, 53; other colleges, 8. The figures do not include letters awarded to managers, or to players by a special vote of the Athletic Committee.

Other interesting facts come to light in the analysis. Football and rowing are supported very largely by recruits from the private schools, 44 of the 52 men who won football letters during the five years were the product of private schools, 7 of public schools, and 1 of another college. In rowing, the difference is not quite so prominent; of the 38 holding "H's", 22 came from public and 16 from private schools.

Baseball shows a much more even balance of the two factors, the honors being almost equally divided. Of the 43 men winning distinction, 22 came from private, 20 from public schools, and 1 from another college. Track athletics, however, again throw the balance in favor of the private institutions. Sixty-four "H's" were awarded, 38 to private