lO PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



what ^ they have done to advance the cause of Science in the 

 colleges of the country. 



I can now proceed to answer the question as regards the 

 suitable equipment of the colleges for the efficient teaching of 

 the Science subjects. To the best of my knowledge, there is not 

 one college at the present time in the Union of South Africa 

 which is supplied with the necessary amount of scientific 

 apparatus, materials and practical means of instruction for the 

 efficient experimental and practical teaching of all their students 

 in all those subjects which are contained in the syllabuses of the 

 Intermediate and B.A. Examinations. In this respect — that is 

 to say, in the supply of the necessary apparatus, materials, and 

 practical means of instruction — all our colleges are at present 

 deficient and in a starving condition. Mr. ]\Ialan, our Union 

 Minister of Education, is fully aware of this condition, but 

 unless he has the co-operation of his colleagues in the Ministry 

 and the support of Parliament, he is not able to materially assist 

 the struggling colleges in advancing the cause of Science. 



Notwithstanding the indifferent attitude of the Government 

 of the Cape Colony during the la.st fourteen years, which mani- 

 fested itself in the scanty and inadequate provision made for 

 the teaching of Science in the colleges, it must be admitted, 

 that some progress has been made, and that the country has 

 derived some benefit from the increased facilities which have 

 been provided by the governing bodies of the colleges for teach- 

 ing and studying Science. Whilst formerly most of our young 

 men studied Law, or Medicine, or joined the Church, at present 

 a considerable proportion of the matriculated students proceed 

 to the technical walks of life, taking up some branch of engineer- 

 ing, or they devote themselves entirely to the study of some 

 iiranch of Science, such as Geology, Biology, Metallurgy, 

 Q^e,-niVj,| Technology, and others. We must look to these men 

 particularly for carrying on research in their respective sciences. 

 Owing to the fact that at the ]:)resent time a large proportion of 

 students follow the technical or purely scientific courses, the 

 three professions, which were formerly the only choice for the 

 ambitious Scnith African student, have been considerably 

 relieved, and in this respect the growth and development of 

 the sciences at our colleges have had a most beneficial effect 

 on the social condition of the people. What has been done up 

 to the present is merely the beginning of a new development in 

 our system of Higher Education. Much more remains to be 

 done. The South African youth should receive in South Africa 

 such scientific and technical training as to enable him to take 

 his share in the development and in the scientific exploration of 

 his native land, this large and beautiful country. South Africa. 



But besides this growth of the Science Departments in our 

 colleges, there are many signs, hopeful indications, of the steady 

 progress and advancement of Science in South Africa. Is not 



