442 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



So far as I can discover, there is no organisation of the 

 teaching in our schools — scarcely any of our Headmasters are, 

 in any sense of the term, masters of method. A new race of 

 Headmasters is required, who will make the study of edu- 

 cational method their proper occupation — a race of broad- 

 minded, practical men, who will be in touch with the world 

 and prepared to put every form of commercialism aside. Such 

 men will need the whole-hearted support not only of their 

 staff but also of the public — as the public, at present, are as 

 much in need of conversion to right methods and right objects 

 as are the Headmasters. 



But in order that justice may be done to all subjects we 

 must not only de-specialise the teaching and co-ordinate and 

 co-relate subjects — much other de-ing has to be done ; the 

 absurd notion that each particular subject must be taught week 

 by week, throughout the entire period of attendance at school, 

 should be abandoned in favour of the " block system " which 

 prevails in places of higher instruction. Experimental studies 

 cannot be carried on in any proper way, honestly and exactly, 

 in the odd hour or two per week now grudgingly devoted to 

 such work — time is the essence of success. It will therefore 

 be necessary to bring all the teachers in a school into close 

 co-operation in order that they may make arrangements to 

 share the time which is available in different ways, week by 

 week, so that at one time this, at another time some other 

 subject, may receive the necessary attention. 



Such proposed dislocation of the time table will, I know, 

 meet with the most active opposition, as Headmasters and 

 staff will no longer be able to enjoy that comfortable con- 

 dition of repose so dearly loved by the profession when the 

 change I insist on as necessary is made ; but when at last 

 they see that it is inevitable, they will actually be imitating 

 the ways of the world and doing themselves no end of good 

 by becoming live beings. 



I make earnest appeal to you to disturb the existing con- 

 dition of affairs, because you represent the cream of the 

 profession — because you, of all teachers, are likely to be the 

 most active, the most alert, the most ambitious and more 

 willing and more competent to institute experiments than 

 your literary or mathematical brethren. 



