V NOTES OF AN AFTER-DINNER SPEECH 131 



moment. I think I do not err in saying that if 

 science were made a foundation of education, 

 instead of being, at most, stuck on as cornice to 

 the edifice, this state of things could not exist. 



In advocating the introduction of physical sci- 

 ence as a leading element in education, I by no 

 means refer only to the higher schools. On the 

 contrary, I believe that such a change is even more 

 imperatively called for in those primary schools, 

 in which the children of the poor are expected to 

 turn to the best account the little time they can de- 

 vote to the acquisition of knowledge. A great step 

 in this direction has already been made by the 

 establishment of science-classes under the Depart- 

 ment of Science and Art, — a measure which came 

 into existence unnoticed, but which will, I believe, 

 turn out to be of more importance to the w^elfare of 

 the people than many political changes over which 

 the noise of battle has rent the air. 



Under the regulations to which I refer, a 

 schoolmaster can set up a class in one or more 

 branches of science; his pupils will be examined, 

 and the State will pay him, at a certain rate, for 

 all who succeed in passing. I have acted as an 

 examiner under this system^ from the beginning 

 of its establishment, and this year I expect to 

 have not fewer than a couple of thousand sets of 

 answers to questions in Physiology, mainly from 

 young people of the artisan class, who have been 

 taught in the schools which are now scattered 



