More Than Victims of Horace: Public Schools 1914-1918

The involvement of public school boys in the Great War has often been seen in terms of ‘a race of innocents dedicated to romantic ideals’. It has been argued that an education based on the teaching of the classics (centered on the deeds of military heroes) and the playing of games underpinned this perspective.

In A School in Arms: Uppingham and the Great War, Timothy Halstead demonstrated that, in the case of Uppingham, this involvement was more nuanced than previously suggested. More than Victims of Horace argues that this was true for all public schools and explores the roles of both those who survived and those who died.

Key Themes Explored in the Book:

• The Professionalisation of the British Army (Pre-1914):
  The book examines the professionalisation of the British Army in the years leading up to 1914 and its evolving relationship with public schools.
• The Army’s Rapid Expansion After 1914:
  After the outbreak of the war, the British Army required a wide range of skills to operate effectively. The book investigates how public schools contributed to this expansion.
• Military Training and Preparation for War:
  The book delves into how public schools, with their varying approaches, were able to prepare their boys for war and identifies the common elements in the military training they provided.
• Contributions to the Home Front:
  As part of a nation in arms, public schools played a role not only in sending boys to the front but also in supporting the war effort on the home front.

A Scholarly Analysis:

Drawing on the archives of the Headmasters’ Conference and several schools, this book provides the first scholarly analysis of the role of public schools during the Great War. It offers a fresh perspective on their contributions and challenges the traditional view of their involvement.