1232 president's address. 



out of ten depraves the taste which it is meant to refine. A good 

 teacher indeed may make any subject instructive and attractive; and 

 intelligence and imagination may be cultivated even in the learning 

 of English Spelling, English Weights and Measures, and Exercise 

 Books in general. But I do not thank the subject for that which 

 may be extorted from it. I need not pursue a matter upon which 

 I have enlarged on previous occasions, but confine myself to the 

 repetition of the statement, that science can never under our 

 present plans of school work, obtain even elbow room. 



But the scientific spirit may enter unperceived, and turn to 

 advantage even the poor opportunities that are grudgingly 

 conceded. The alphabet itself may be scientifically taught. It 

 must indeed be learnt by rote, since alphabetical arrangements of 

 things are in universal use ; and without reason, since it must be 

 difficult to explain to a child why GH may stand for the same sound 

 as F. But the organic distinctions of articulate sounds and the 

 methods by which each is formed may be made quite intelligible, 

 and are quite scientific subjects. The Latin Grammar itself — though 

 the Accidence must be committed to memory with or without reason 

 — affords abundant material for the foundation of the Sciences of 

 Grammar, Logic, and Comparative Philology. Weights and 

 Measures, especially of area and capacity, can be used as an 

 admirable introduction to Geometry. And so with all other 

 subjects. Much has to be simply committed to memory, in order 

 to be used as soon as possible. But to learn by heart what one 

 will not use for a dozen years, or never, is sheer waste of time. 



To know by heart the Table of Atomic weights might be 

 convenient for the Chemist, especially in the examination room, 

 but few have been bold enough to support the proposal that this 

 and the like tasks should supplant the old-fashioned Poetry Book. 

 Because nothing should be enforced upon the mere memory except 

 such facts or formulas as are wanted for immediate and continuous 

 use. Passages of Poetry and Oratory are not merely committed 

 to memory ; but are absorbed by the whole mind, reason and 



