The Boston Latin School, the Roxbury Latin School, Phillips Academy at Exeter and Phillips Academy at Andover and Mrs.Ripley's school at Waltham were the best schools for this purpose.
The boys from the Boston Latin School generally took their places at the head of the class when they entered.

Next came the best scholars from the other schools I have named.

But the bulk of the pupils were very poorly fitted.
There was, as it seems to me in looking back, little instruction of much value.

The good scholars and the bad went to the recitation together.

The good ones lost the hour, and the poor scholars got the benefit of hearing the good ones recite.
Their mistakes were corrected by the professor.