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In debating the merits of a bill concerning the rights and liabilities of hotel proprietors, Britain's House of Lords found itself up against a momentous question: should an a or an an precede hotel? In favor of an was Lord Faringdon, who begged "your Lordships to join me in making a demonstration in favor of elegance. Lord Conesford agreed, pointed out that h words that are not accented on the first syllable demand an. "I believe," said he, "that every one of your Lordships would say 'a Harrow boy,' but would also speak of 'an Harrovian.' " But what, asked Lord Rea, would Lord Conesford do with one-syllable words? "In the case of an inn sign of a public house, would he look at it as 'A Horse and a Hound' or 'An Orse and an Ound'?" Lord Merthyr fell back on no less an authority than Fowler to prove that an hotel would be hopelessly old-fashioned--but to no avail. When the debate was over, the ans won out. Said aman Lord Merthyr of an-man Lord Faringdon, an Etonian like himself: "It is rather sad to think that the noble Lord and I should have been educated in the same place, and at the same time, and that 40 years later we should come here to differ upon this question."

P: Faced with far more eligible candidates than the nation's lycees could possibly handle, French educational authorities decided to slash the number by giving the toughest entrance examinations in history. They succeeded only too well. This month 200,000 eleven-year-olds were forced to answer questions on Andre Gide, to analyze passages from Gabriel Hanotaux, and to solve problems such as: "A group of passengers contributed 850 francs each to rent a bus. Six withdrew, so the price was raised by 210 francs each. How many people finally formed the group?"* The result of the exam: 55% of the 200,000 flunked. French psychologists promptly erupted: "It is detestable," said one, "to advance the age of anxiety in such a manner." Said the Paris-Presse: "They have created a competition for little monsters." Last week Education Minister Rene Billeres backed down, promised to give the flunked eleven-year-olds a more eleven-year-oldish exam.

*The rather peculiar answer: 24.28.

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