THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS 419 



On my return from America, on reaching Queenstown, I 

 happened to see the Daily Mail of November 5, in which I 

 found a reference in one of the editorials to opinions expressed 

 by the new Headmaster of Rugby and by the Headmaster of 

 the City of London School as to the value of classical educa- 

 tion. Mr. David, I read, " had learnt that the classical system 

 was quite the best but he had learnt more and more to 

 realise that the modern was a very good second best." 



We must all feel that it was very gracious and good of 

 Mr. David to express such an opinion at the outset of his 

 career as a Headmaster. If the modern be a very good second 

 best already, as we are aware that the modern system — most 

 of us scarcely dare call it a system yet — is at best but in- 

 completely developed, we may well rest satisfied with the 

 admission and await the time when we have a modern system. 

 Mr. David will then perhaps be prepared to admit that it is 

 quite the best ; let us hope that he will co-operate with us in 

 giving it this position. 



Dr. Chilton is reported to have stated that Mr. David was 

 right in assigning the higher value to a classical education. 



" He recognised to the full the value of the modern side ; 

 but it is difficult — he said — to make a modern education a 

 liberal education. He did not think that it is possible to exert 

 by means of a purely modern system of education that liberal, 

 broadening influence upon the mind which is the chief merit of 

 a classical education. He hesitated to dogmatise but it was 

 his own experience that a classical education makes the master, 

 while a modern education makes the man." 



Now much of this is mere verbiage. What is a modern 

 education ? What in particular is a purely modern system of 

 education ? What is a liberal education ? Liberal is one of 

 those shibboleths applied to education behind which the literary 

 person always takes convenient shelter. What is the nature 

 of the liberal, broadening influence upon the mind which the 

 much-vaunted classical education gives ? Judged by results, 

 where and in what way is it manifest, at Oxford, for example ? 

 Its apparent effect is to make its votaries neglect, if not despise, 

 other branches of learning. " The classical education makes 

 the master, the modern the man." Good heavens ! This while 

 our masters are failing us in every direction and allowing the 

 men to be masters, for the masters so-called show no alertness, 



