SCIENCE AND THE AVERAGE BOY 



By archer vassall, m.a., f.z.s.; 



Senior Science Master, Harrow School 



The teaching of science at public schools is now at a transitional 

 stage when discussion and constructive proposals especially 

 may do much to promote its future efficiency. 



The scientific training given at these schools was limited, 

 in the past, to such as might be obtained from attending 

 lecture demonstrations. The boys came to the lectures grouped 

 in forms according to their proficiency in subjects other than 

 science and without any regard being paid to their intellectual 

 interests or scientific aptitude. The subject of the lecture 

 was usually chemical in its nature, as in response to the 

 demand for some sort of science an equipment for the teach- 

 ing of chemistry was that first provided. This choice was 

 to some extent unfortunate. Headmasters and assistant masters 

 who had received only a classical, mathematical or literary train- 

 ing were ignorant, as many still are, both of chemistry and of 

 its inherent educational value. As formulated then this subject 

 did not touch daily life at many points, so that it was impossible 

 to explain its virtues to men without previous training in any 

 branch of science ; consequently, they could not be brought to 

 understand that it was necessary to make adequate provision, 

 both as regards time and other school machinery, for its study ; 

 still more was this the case when ultimately it was necessary to 

 provide for a sequence of studies in this and other branches 

 of science. 



The boys also were affected in somewhat the same way. 

 For various reasons, chemistry had no social prestige amongst 

 them, a contributory reason amongst others being that it 

 was taken in the least valuable hours, under impossible con- 

 ditions ; consequently science was looked on rather as a "rag" 

 than as a serious pursuit, the chief interest being the possibility 

 of an explosion or of some experiment going wrong. To the 

 majority of masters as well as of boys science figured as 



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