ETON COLLEGE

in Eton, Berkshire, largest public school (independent secondary school) in England and one of the highest in prestige. It was founded by Henry VI in 144041 for 70 highly qualified boys who received scholarships from a fund endowed by the king. Simultaneously, Henry founded King's College, Cambridge, to which scholars from Eton were to proceed. The connection is continued by the reservation of 24 scholarships there for Etonians. Today, as throughout the school's history, Eton names 70 King's Scholars, or Collegers, each year based on the results of a competitive examination open to boys between 12 and 14 years of age. In recent years King's Scholars have been required to pay fees. The King's Scholars are boarded in special quarters in the college. The other students, called Oppidans, now number more than 1,000 and are housed in boardinghouses under the care of house masters. The Oppidans generally come from England's wealthiest and most prestigious families, many of them aristocratic. Boys enter Eton at about age 13 and continue there until they are ready to enter university.