I've always found this stupid in the UK. Not only do we call paid for schools Public Schools, but we simultaneously call them Private Schools. It makes no sense!
[EDIT] wrong parent, right thread. Meant to reply to chrisseaton
[EDIT] wrong parent, right thread. Meant to reply to chrisseaton
Originally they were the only schools that educated members of the general public, rather than people just from the local village or church or things like that, so the name does make sense.