ABSTRACT
In this paper I explore the nature, extent and impact of militaristic and militarized features in the structure and culture of the British public schools since 1900. I base the survey primarily on statistical data derived from the 1900, 1936 and 1972 editions of the Public Schools’ Tear Book and secondarily upon impressionistic material drawn from historical and sociological studies of public schools, both generally and individually.
I review militarization in the structure of the schools via a consideration of admission channels to the schools, the backgrounds of pupils, the connections of school personnel (governors, headmasters, bursars, teachers, and P.T. instructors), the systems of preparation for service entry admission, and school cadet forces and associated facilities and personnel. I review militarism in the culture of the schools via a consideration of their ‘military celebratory and commemoratory sub-culture’.
I end the paper by bringing together all the preceding material to produce a composite picture of the nature and extent of militarism and militarization at the three sample dates and over the period generally. My conclusion is that there was a substantial degree of militarism in the culture of the schools and a moderate degree of, mainly indirect, militarization in the structure of the schools.
