658 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



formation of a Research Civil Service, parallel to the existing Administrative Civil 

 Service. His second point was the embarrassing length of modern-day researches. 

 But he said that it was not impossible for schools to assist in these, and he sug- 

 gested a number of researches which schools (rather than individuals at schools) 

 might undertake. Upper-air research was one of these, and he quoted Captain 

 Cave's opinion that such work was suitable for boys and might be of real value to 

 science. Referring to the popular movement in favour of a more scientific education, 

 Prof. Turner said that he feared lest too much was expected from compulsory 

 education in science. He thought that many boys were hopelessly unscientific, 

 just as many were hopelessly unmusical. 



Mr. C. E. Ashford (Headmaster of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth), in 

 proposing a vote of thanks to the President, called attention to the change in 

 note in the address from that to be found in the writings of Huxley and his school, 

 who insisted on the suitability of science for all, while Prof. Turner found the 

 position of science so secure now that he could safely emphasise the fewness 

 of those suited to research. It was not, however, the only aim of science in 

 general education to produce investigators ; every boy should be taught to know 

 something of the value and scope of the subject, even if he was unscientific 

 himself. After the vote of thanks had been passed, Sir Ronald Ross was elected 

 President of the Association for the coming year. 



Mr. C. L. Bryant (Harrow) presented to the members the report of the Com- 

 mittee on the year's work. This showed clearly that they had not neglected the 

 chief duty of the Association— to promote the teaching of natural science in the 

 public schools. Towards the end of the year 191 5 it was decided to attempt to 

 arouse public opinion on the poor position which science takes in education in this 

 country by means of a campaign in the Press. A letter was written on the subject 

 and received the signatures of thirty-six men well known in the world of science 

 and in public affairs. This letter gave great stimulus to the growing discontent ; 

 and, as a result, Mr. M. D. Hill, then Chairman of the Association, was able to 

 form what is now known as the Neglect of Science Committee. Since its birth 

 the latter has worked independently of the parent Committee, though they are in 

 accord as regards their general aims. 



In a great many of the public schools at the present time science is not a com- 

 pulsory subject. In the State-aided schools, of course, science is taken by all 

 boys. But in both classes of schools the teaching of natural science seems to 

 have been designed to suit the needs of future specialists. To most boys science 

 means little more than the elements of hydrostatics, heat, and chemistry ; they have 

 no vision of the wider realms of the subject. The Committee have, therefore, been 

 insisting that training in science should form part of the education of every boy, 

 and at the same time they have indicated the general lines which such training 

 should follow in the public schools. For the latter purpose they have drawn up a 

 syllabus entitled " Science for All," in which water-tight compartments are broken 

 down and the human aspects of the subject are prominent. In this, special 

 attention has been given to the service of science to man and to the inculcating 

 of scientific method rather than to the acquiring of detailed knowledge in a 

 restricted field. The syllabus suggests a general method of treatment and is not 

 intended as a prescription ; the preamble, indeed, expressly states that the teaching 

 in the different schools ought to follow lines varying with the localities and other 

 circumstances in which they are placed. In this connection, at a subsequent stage 

 of the meetings, the following resolutions were passed nem. con, : 



