ABSTRACT
The teaching of poetry in Secondary Schools is accompanied by a decline in the amount of poetry freely read out of school. The taste for poetry seems to be rather stronger amongst Secondary School girls of all four ages than it is amongst Secondary School boys. It seems that girls are more responsive to poetry than boys and do display, particularly at 15+, stronger signs of a mature taste. Lyric and meditative poetry suffers a decline and then a revival–possibly the meditative element appeals more at 15+. Senior School girls seem to read as much poetry as Secondary School girls, and the numbers who never read poetry in their own time are much the same in both types of school. The teacher who concentrates on 'Great Poetry' in English lessons in these schools is in grave danger of losing contact with her pupils. Descriptions in poetry go down well with Senior School girls, particularly with the younger ones.
