1S70.] DAWSON — ON SCIENCE EDUCATION ABROAD. 279 



manufacturing uietropolis of Canada, which wc may surely ven- 

 ture to regard as at least a Canadian Manchester, and something 

 more important than a Canadian Zurich. 



WHAT IS BEING DONE IN MONTREAL. 



(1) We have at least advanced so far as to regard physical 

 science as a necessary part of a liberal education. In McGill 

 University some part of natural or physical science is studied in 

 each year of the College course, and we provide for honour studies 

 in these subjects, which are at least sufficient to enable any one 

 who has faithfully pursued them to enter on original research in 

 some department of the natural productions and resources of the 

 country, and to receive some considerable portion of the training 

 which such studies can give. We have provided in our apparatus, 

 museum, and observatory, the means of obtaining a practical ac- 

 quaintance with several important departments of science. But 

 in a general academical course of study too many other subjects 

 require attention to allow science to take a leading place ; and it 

 is not the proper course of educational reform to endeavour to in- 

 trude science in the place of other subjects at least quite as neces- 

 sary for general culture. We require to add to our general course 

 of instruction special courses of practical science, presided over 

 by their proper professors, and attended by their own technical 

 students. 



(2) The lower departments of science education are to some 

 small extent provided for by the teaching of elementary science in 

 the schools. This, imperfect though it is, is of value, and I at- 

 tribute to the partial awakening of the thirst for scientific know- 

 ledge by the small amount of science teaching in the ordinary 

 schools in the United States and in this countr}^ much of that 

 quickness of apprehension and ready adaptation to new conditions, 

 and inventive ingenuity which we find in the more educated por- 

 tions of the common people. The Provincial Board of Arts and 

 Manufactures also deserves credit for the attempts which it has 

 made, under many discouragements, to provide science and art 

 classes for the children of artisans. Proposals are also before the 

 Local Legislature for .Schools of Agriculture. The Local Gov- 

 ernment lias procured reports on this subject from the Principals 

 or' the Normal Schools, and has also sent a special agent to study 

 and report on the Agricultural Schools of France and Belgium, 

 which are well worthy of imitation. A still more important sug- 



