SCIENTIFIC INSTRUCTION IN GIRLS' SCHOOLS. 251 



cliild than science, is really better suited by its nature to the mental 

 activity of early years. The integral defect of the old-fashioned 

 system of education (in which the Miss Pelicoes were so carefully 

 trained) was its being based upon an excessive amount of pure mem- 

 orizing; and from this error we have undergone in recent years a 

 strong revulsion of feeling. Unfortunately, this has led, like all effect- 

 ive reactions, to the commission of faults in the other extreme, and 

 we are now in danger of losing sight of the fact that the acquire- 

 ment of knowledge hy memory must, and ought to, constitute a large 

 part of early education. So much has been said of late as to the duty 

 of imparting to children a right understanding of natural laws, that 

 we overlook the necessity of storing their minds with a knowledge of 

 many subjects other than science. In the brief span of school life it 

 is imperative to teach a fair amount of ancient and modern history; 

 to cultivate the gift of tongues; to discipline the mental faculties in 

 the precision of mathematical thought; and to instill a moderate 

 acquaintance with the literature of English-speaking people, together 

 with a reasonable facility of expression in the English language. 

 Now if, in addition, it were possible to provide for a number of scien- 

 tific studies the time necessary to derive from each one of them its 

 special educational advantage, then indeed no effort would be too 

 great to accomplish such an end. But it is not possible. E^either the 

 mental nor the physical capacities of youth are equal to such a strain. 

 But, some one asks: Is not good scientific training of greater 

 importance than other branches of education? Why should not a 

 large amount of time be devoted to practical work in science from 

 the beginning of school life, even if other subjects are set aside for 

 the purpose? I answer, because the miiids of young children are 

 peculiarly apt at the kind of study in which the exercise of memory 

 (I do not, of course, mean memorizing) plays an important part. In 

 our recent and highly commendable efforts to reform the practice 

 of learning largely by rote, we have undervalued the educational 

 significance of the fact that children are able, by the intelUgent 

 exercise of their memories, to acquire information with ease, and 

 to retain it securely, while those who have passed the point where the 

 brook and river meet learn in this manner only with wearisome 

 effort, and even then remember but imperfectly. Precisely the re- 

 verse obtains in scientific training. The qualities of mind which 

 enable a student to reap the full benefit of observation and deduction 

 grow with mental growth and strengthen with intellectual strength. 

 If the non-scientific side of education is curtailed in the early years 

 of school life, the pupils will be greatly the losers in all matters 

 within the province of art and letters. If, on the contrary, their sci- 

 entific training is postponed to a late period, they will find it a gain 



