Eton << EE tuhn >> College is the most famous of the English private secondary schools called public schools. The full name of Eton, a boys school, is the King’s College of Our Lady of Eton Beside Windsor. Many English statesmen, including a large number of prime ministers, have graduated from Eton. The school is in the town of Eton, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of London.
Around 1,300 boys, from 13 through 18 years old, live and study at Eton College. Eton offers courses in such subjects as ancient history, divinity, Greek, Latin, modern languages, mathematics, and science. Each student is assigned a tutor who provides assistance and instruction outside of classes.
King Henry VI founded Eton in 1440 for 70 Scholars. These Scholars, most of whom were poor, received scholarships and lived in the college. Soon, the school also began to admit Oppidans, who came from prosperous families and paid for their room and board in the town of Eton. Today, all students live at the college.
See also England (Education).
