EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



You XVIII. Fehiu Ai;v. l!)()7. No. G. 



Tho lUH'd of a systematic study of llie science of education was the 

 main subject discussed in the address of Dr. C. M. Woodward as 

 retiring president of the Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 at its New York meeting. Doctor Woodward called attention to 

 the fact that "the history of education is full of the records of 

 whims and fancies, of exjieriments real and imaginary, conducted 

 in order to prove the worthlessness of some theories and the worthi- 

 ness of others. Every parent has a dimly defined theory of how 

 his boy ought to be educated, and every teacher looking back over 

 his own experience as a pupil formulates more or less clearly a 

 ' system ' for the proper education of his pupils. It goes without 

 saying that such theories and so-called systems are generally' shallow 

 and inadequate;'' but they nevertheless have their influence under 

 our present conditions, and contribute to the confusion. 



The speaker expressed his belief in a science of education, as a 

 safe guide to the proper development and adjustment of our educa- 

 tional systems. " I do not claim to have formulated the science 

 of education," he said, '* and I know of no one living who has ven- 

 tured to make such a claim; and yet I believe that a science of 

 education is possible — and it is high time that we set about a sys- 

 tematic study of its essential features, with a view to a formal 

 statement of its main principles." 



He called attention to some of the fundamental principles which 

 need to be woi'kcd out on a scientific basis — ■'''' P^ducational values are 

 to be determined, taking into consideration age, sex, environment, 

 taste, brain development, and probable sphere of usefulness." And 

 he proposed the organization of a new section of the American 

 Association, to be devoted to the advancement of the science of 

 educatifm. pointing out a Avide range of questions for consideration 

 by such a scientific body. 



President Woodward's suggestions are especially timely in view 

 of the changes both in subjects and in methods which are now taking 

 place in school curricula, changes so marked that the term " new edu- 

 cation " is not infrequently applied. The " new " in education has 



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