§ 33. Dr. Kingasked the Secretary of State for War how many boys from secondary grammar schools and how many boys from independent and direct grant schools passed the latest written examination for places at Sandhurst; and how many of each group were awarded places by the interviewing board.
§ Mr. HeadThirty-nine boys from secondary grammar schools and 114 boys from independent and direct grant schools passed the latest written examination. The corresponding numbers later selected for the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, by the interviewing board were 22 and 96.
§ Dr. KingWill the Minister assure us that he stands by the views expressed by his colleague the First Lord of the Admiralty, that we want the best officer material, independent of the social origin of the children? Is he aware that in the last Sandhurst examination, six of the first 10 in the written examination were 803 rejected and the 85th was accepted? Some of us are still uneasy about social barriers being used in the selection of candidates.
§ Mr. HeadI do not think that this interviewing board in any way makes rejections because of social barriers. We have now started a school for the very purpose of opening up the Army. In the first batch 48 candidates were accepted, of whom only four were from the public schools.