Harvard Preparatory Schools.

Previous to 1869 very little attention was paid to the relations of Harvard College to the different preparatory schools. But President Eliot realized at once the important position which secondary schools bear to the college. He conferred with the heads of the different preparatory schools as to how the relations between school and college could be made more agreeable. As a result of these conferences many changes were made in the requirements for admission to college as well as in the course of study in the secondary schools.

The most noteworthy change was the provision which allowed a substitution of mathematics and modern languages for Greek, a change which the secondary schools had long fought for.

In his annual report of 1890, President Eliot again urged that the relations between Harvard and the secondary schools be made more harmonious. He has recently done much to make them so by his attitude towards the report of the committee of ten on secondary education. Another movement which Harvard has fostered was the organization of the Schools Examining Board, which is composed chiefly of Harvard teachers.

The great importance of having intimate relations between Harvard and its fitting schools will be readily recognized when it is seen that in the last twenty-five years seven schools have prepared for Harvard 2430 boys. Of these Phillips Exeter Academy contributed 620, Boston Latin School 527, J. P. Hopkinson's School 331, Cambridge Latin School 290, Roxbury Latin School 270, Phillips Andover Academy 223, and St. Paul's School 169. The schools next in order are: Newton High School 117, Somerville High School 99, St. Mark's School 77, Chauncey Hall 52, and Groton School 47 since 1886.

Exeter has led in most years, although the number of men coming from there has steadily decreased since 1891. This is due chiefly to the fact that the number of boys now at Exeter is less by a third than it was in 1891.

It is gratifying to see the increase in recent years in the number of boys coming from Andover. More came from Andover this year than in any other year within the last twenty-five. Andover was originally a Harvard school exclusively, but has for a long time been primarily a Yale school. It has at times been impossible to fit for Harvard at Andover, but now there is every opportunity for such preparation there and Harvard is rapidly regaining its hold. Recently Principal Bancroft said that there will be more boys coming from Andover next year than this year, and the indications are that in 1896 there will be as many coming to Harvard as will go to Yale.

The table following gives the number of men who have come from the seven leading schools since 1870:

Year Phillips Exeter Academy Boston Latin School Hopkinson's School Cambridge Latin School Roxbury Latin School Phillips Andover Academy St. Paul's School

1870 23 23 0 16 4 6 3

1871 25 18 8 7 6 3 2

1872 32 13 1 7 9 14 1

1873 40 18 11 11 3 13 2

1874 25 12 6 10 6 9 0

1875 26 27 7 8 11 1 11

1876 34 10 10 10 6 5 3

1877 18 21 10 18 8 8 2

1878 20 13 7 15 10 4 5

1879 24 13 9 10 14 4 3

1880 25 23 11 7 8 4 6

1881 19 17 4 11 14 3 4

1882 23 17 14 8 11 5 5

1883 25 20 14 8 7 11 9

1884 25 21 18 5 12 8 7

1885 29 17 10 11 15 8 2

1886 16 25 19 14 12 10 5

1887 19 31 23 4 19 6 10

1888 22 25 19 14 12 14 12

1889 20 28 9 14 10 12 8

1890 28 25 15 13 12 12 12

1891 34 24 20 23 12 12 13

1892 25 27 36 11 11 15 19

1893 22 36 26 19 19 17 16

1894 21 23 24 16 19 19 9

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Totals 620 527 331 290 270 223 169