FEDERAL CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION. 787 



interest, and the monetaiy stream will flow bountifully. Let us sow 

 our seed in prepared ground, and we shall reap an abundant harvest. 

 Who is to do the work of preparation? Who but the teacher, 

 who is the key to nearly all our educational problems. And what 

 the teacher needs for this work is something more than professional 

 knowledge and professional skill ; he needs also professional zeal ; nay, 

 more, the missionaiy spirit, glowing with enthusiasm for the better- 

 ment of man. Working in that spirit he will not only win for himself 

 fuller recognition, higher appreciation, and more adequate remunera- 

 tion, but he will awaken the people to the possibilities of national 

 improvement that lie in true education, and fix in their minds the 

 determination to convert these possibilities into realities. 



ll._]S-OTES OX THE FEDEEAL CONFEEENCE ON EDUCATION, 1907. 

 Bii ESTELLE CRIBB, M.A., Ipswich Grammar Scliool. 



To all who are genuinely interested in the advance of education, 

 the year 1907 must be regarded as marking an epoch. For the first 

 time in the history of the Empire, a conference on education was 

 called, to which were invited representatives from each State in his 

 Majesty's dominions. This conference was summoned by the League 

 of Empire to meet on Empire Day, 21:th May, 1907. It is noteworthy 

 that the Conference of Premiers, which it is hoped has strengthened 

 the bonds of Empire, was held in London during the same month. But, 

 perhaps, in hardly any direction is the Imperialistic idea so full of 

 promise as in educational matters, and the gathering together of 

 enthusiasts in a common cause from such various States must result 

 in immense benefit to the Empire as a whole. 



This conference was summoned to discuss primarily a scheme for 

 a Federal Council of Education for the Empire. To it were invited : — 

 (1) Representatives of each part of the Empire, nominated by the 

 several Governments or educational departments; (2) delegates ap- 

 pointed by the universities, museums, and other educational bodies 

 of the Empire. 



As I was to be in London at the time, the Queensland Govern- 

 ment kindly appointed me to act with Sir Horace Tozer as its 

 representative. 



The meetings were arranged in three classes : — 



1. The official conference, attended only by the representatives; 



2. The full general conference of representatives and delegates; 



3. The open and sectional meetings, which all persons 



interested might attend. 



Great interest was taken in these last-mentioned meetings, and 

 at them papers were read or speeches made by well-known men, such 

 as the Right Honourable Arthur Balfour, Sir Gilbert Parker, Dr. : 

 Parkin, Professors Saintsbury, Sonnenschein, Bury, and Madame 

 Bergm an-0 st erb ei'g. 



On Friday, 24th May, the representatives and delegates were 

 received by the President of the Leagnie of Empire, Lord Tennyson, 

 after which the conference was formally opened by Lord Crewe, . 

 President of the Privy Council, the only department of State which is 

 concerned with the Empire as a whole. The opening speech was 



