New traditions of public schools originated in the beginning of the ninth century. By that time many other schools on the pattern of nine big schools described earlier had been established.
The tradition upto that time was that the schools which had satisfactory provisions of education, resident students, good results and those schools whose graduates could get admission in Oxford and Cambridge Universities for further studies, were called Public Schools.
Later on, the tendency developed that those schools, the headmasters of which were nominated as members of Headmasters’ Conference were called Public Schools.
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These schools have their own characteristics of arrangement and educational standard. Firstly, the tuition- fee and other expenses in the schools have been raised so high that children of average and low-income families find it difficult to bear the expenses.
Secondly, for admission, preference is given to those students whose parents have been the students of these schools. Thirdly, the standard of education has been raised and students are kept in preparatory schools attached to them before admission. Thus, three or four years and money of students are wasted.
The present number of such public schools in U.K. is about 80 or so. These schools have been praised in books written from time to time. These schools have been admired even outside Europe and the famous leaders in the foreign countries have been connected with these schools in one way or the other. Shri Jawahar Lai Nehru of India was student of Harrow School.
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The boys in these schools are developed in a particular pattern by keeping them in hostels so that they become accustomed to behave according to the ideals of the school. The controlled and regulated life of hostels affects the health and mode of behaviour of the students.
Special emphasis is laid on food, study, rest, games at a fixed time. During hostel life, the students develop their talents in different activities, to move ahead of others, winning positions and getting respect from their class-fellows and affection and praise from teachers.
This method helps them in future life. Being away from the family, they compensate feelings by getting sentimental satisfaction from their specific-achievements.