276 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Jan. 



APPENDIX C. 



On the Teaching or Science at Harrow School. 



From this time forward, natural science will be made a regular 

 subject for systematic teaching at Harrow, and a natural science 

 master has been appointed. 



But for many years before the Royal Commission of Inquiry 

 into the Public Schools had been appointed, a voluntary system 

 for the encouragement of science had been in existence at Harrow. 

 There had been every term a voluntary examination on some 

 scientific subject, which together with the text-books recommended, 

 was announced at the end of the previous term. Boys from all 

 parts of the school offered themselves as candidates for these 

 voluntary examinations, and every boy who acquitted himself to 

 the satisfaction of the examiners (who were always two of the 

 masters) was rewarded with reference to what could be expected 

 from his age and previous attainments. The text-books were 

 selected with great care, and every boy really interested in his 

 subject could and did seek the private assistance of his tutor or 

 of some other master. The deficiencies of the plan, if regarded 

 as a substitute for the more formal teaching of science, were too 

 obvious to need pointing out ; yet its results were so far satisfac- 

 tory that many old Harrovians spoke of it with gratitude, among 

 whom are some who have since devoted themselves to science with 

 distinguished success. 



One of the main defects of this plan (its want of all system) 

 was remedied a year ago, when two of the masters drew up a 

 scheme, which was most readily adopted, by which any boy staying 

 at Harrow for three years might at least have the opportunity 

 during that time of being introduced to the elementary concep- 

 tions of astronomy, zoology, botany (structural andclassificatory), 

 chemistry, and physics. These subjects are entrusted to the 

 responsibility of eight of the masters, who draw up with great 

 care a syllabus on the subject for each term, recommend the best 

 text-books, and give weekly instruction (which is perfectly 

 irratuitous) to all the boys who desire to avail themselves of 

 it ; indeed, a boy may receive, in proportion to the interest 

 which he manifests in the subject, almost any amount of assist- 

 ance which he may care to seek. Proficiency in these examina- 

 tions is rewarded as before ; and to encourage steady perseverance, 



