548 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



of the elements of the physical sciences in all schools : to insist 



on the elements of chemistry, the elements of botany, the 



elements of physiology being taught in our ordinary and 



common schools, so that there shall be some preparation for 



the discipline of medical colleges. Teaching of the theory or 



Institutes of Medicine might then be confined, he argued, to 



physics as applied to physiology — to chemistry as applied to 



physiology — to physiology itself and to anatomy. Afterwards, 



when thoroughly grounded in these matters, the student might 



go to any hospital he pleased for the purpose of studying the 



practical branches of his profession. No better programme 



could be laid down now. 



What has London done to see it carried out ? Whereas 



formerly some knowledge of science was asked for from all 



candidates at matriculation, in the reconstituted University the 



subject is made alternative with Latin — truly a substitution of 



chalk for cheese. And snippet science is now required : the 



broad treatment thought of by Huxley, which was gradually 



coming into being in the schools, having been disallowed by 



the new regulations— to the great detriment of the schools. 



The University has taken many of the schools under its aegis 



and is seeking to influence them by inspection — but the 



inspectors are mostly amateurs ; no attempt is being made to 



utilise the services of those amongst us who really have paid 



attention to such matters, who could give useful practical advice 



to the schools 'as well as make them directly acquainted with 



the requirements of the colleges. Those concerned in the work 



generally and who determine what is done are no doubt actuated 



by the very best of motives ; like so many well-meaning people, 



however, they simply do not understand the problems with 



which they are nominally undertaking to grapple. Moreover, 



no attempt whatever has been made to " accredit " the schools 



to the colleges, in the manner followed in the Middle Western 



Universities of the United States : a plan full of promise, for it 



is said that in the States where this plan has been adopted the 



whole educational system has been improved and strengthened ; 



that the University is looked up to as a counsellor and friend of 



the schools, the University teachers learning much by continued 



intercourse with their scholastic colleagues and vice versa} 



1 Cp. Prof. T. Gregory Foster's report in the Report of the Mosely Educational 

 Commission. 



