14 president's address. 



Library of New South Wales, for a special donation of some 

 partial sets of Anthropological publications, comprising 34 com- 

 plete vols., 37 incomplete vols., 39 Bulletins, and 11 Reports, 

 issued by twelve Societies, not previously contained in the 

 Society's Library. 



If I have spent some time on personal topics, I liope that you 

 will pardon me. They will serve to turn your attention to two 

 different kinds of scientific knowledge. The educationists of this 

 State have laid stress on the analytical sciences, mathematics, 

 physics, and chemistry, and have, perhaps unwittingly, under- 

 valued the biological sciences. The student in our Universities 

 is forced to learn the analytical sciences, and is handicapped if he 

 wishes to study zoology, botanj^, and geology. Some have advo- 

 cated extending this handicap to the teaching of these sciences 

 in schools. I am still a young man, and I remember well the 

 frequent expression of the wish that the student entering the 

 University should have had no previous instruction in science. 

 A liberal education at school with no science was to be the 

 prelude to specialism consequent on learning a little chemistry or 

 physics. The people of this State owe to Mr. Peter Board, 

 C.M.G., Director of Education, the adoption of that great prin- 

 ciple of toleration, of suiting the subjects to the inclination of 

 the child. Instead of trying to teach all children the same 

 subjects, the child may select a certain proportion of the subjects 

 to be studied. Lately an attempt has been made to influence 

 the child's selection by giving different marks to different subjects 

 at the examinations for leaving certificates. As free education 

 at the University is granted on the results of this examination, 

 it is obvious that those desiring better education will only learn 

 subjects carrying the highest numbers of marks. What we seek 

 in this State at the present time is the opportunity to study the 

 natural objects that interest us, without hindrance. When we 

 plead for freedom in the choice of subjects in education, we 

 desire that those in schools may be taught those subjects which 

 attract their attention and hold their minds. We protest 

 against the suggestion that any study of natural objects bespeaks 

 a worship of materialism destined to wreck the progress of our 



