president's address — SECTION J. 711 



the scientist. In agriculture, in mining, in manufacturing enterprises, 

 ia municipal sanitation, on almost every hand there is the call for 

 scientific investigation. Why should not Australia contribute more 

 widely to the world's scientific knowledge? The plea that we cannot 

 imdertake this work because we are a young nation is the plea of 

 ineptitude. The qualities that make for successful scientific research 

 are not wanting in the Australian people. The necessary enthusiasm, 

 imagination, initiative, and resoui-cefulness are available. But there 

 is a lack of the atmosphere in which these can bear fruit, the atmos- 

 phere that only our higher educational institutions can supply. It is 

 for the schools to create a public that can appreciate scientific work. 

 It is even now diflScult to convince the so-called' practical man that the 

 student in his laboratoiy can improve the product of the farm or of 

 the mine. The theorist in the inquiry room of science is met by the 

 practical man with the cold look of scepticism. Reliance is rather 

 placed on what is called common sense, forgetful that Nature herself 

 rises in revolt " to teach our common sense its helplessness" (as 

 Browning puts it). Empiricism, with its lack of progress, its imita- 

 tive methods, looking to precedent for its guide, can only give place 

 to freshness and originality in industry and business as a larger and 

 larger proportion of the population has had its eyes opened to the 

 methods of science, and been taught to appreciate the lessons which 

 scientific inquiry enables the student to learn. Pasteur, in 1870, asks 

 '' why France found no superior men in her hour of peril ?" And he 

 finds the reason in " the forgetfulness, disdain even, that France had 

 for the work of her great intellect, especially in the realm of exact 

 science." In the absence of widespread instruction through the agency 

 of the schools, the time may come when the verdict will apply in 

 Australia, that no great work can be done here because of our un- 

 belief. 



THE OUTLOOK. 

 Some forecast may, perhaps, be ventured upon. This address 

 commenced with a reference to the turbulence of the world's thought- 

 currents. Education as an organised function of society cannot fill its 

 right place if it lags behind — nay, more, if it does not keep well in 

 the head of these currents. No education system can afford to plume 

 itself on the finality of its methods. It cannot be static, nor should 

 it wait to be thrust into the current of progress. From the very 

 nature of the case it is needful that in many directions educational 

 organisation should lead public sentiment on education, even at the 

 risk of temporary misconception and condemnation. No very profound 

 examination of the larger movements of civilised society is needed to 

 show that public education is to play a larger and larger part in the 

 fulfilment of distinctly national purposes. The question will become 

 more insistent, not merely what is it doing for the progress of this or 

 that individual, but in doing that, what is it doing of set purpose for 

 the nation as a nation? 



As time goes on the evolution of the industry will become more 

 and more bound up with our educational systems. The school will 

 become the adjunct of the workshop, and the workshop a class-room 

 of the school. The gap between the desk of the pupil and the bench 

 of the artisan, or the office of the business man, will be bridged, and 



