FBDEBAL CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION. 791 



their courses and standards between the universities of the Empire, 

 and to take action accordingly." 



Teaching of English Section — "" That this conference urges the 

 importance of the study of the English language and literature as an 

 essential part of school training, on the grounds of practical utility, 

 an enlightened patriotism, and the humane ideal in education." 



" That in the teaching of living languages the direct system be 

 used, with occasional explanations in the mother-tongue of the pupil, 

 when it is evident that the latter has not understood the teacher." 



" That the object of the teaching of English should be to develop 

 in pupils the power of thought and expression, and the power of appre- 

 ciating the content of great literary works, rather than to inculcate 

 a knowledge of grammatical, philological, and literary detail." 



'■ That fairy tales, skilfully used, provide a valuable means of 

 literary education for young children." 



On three afternoons, scenes from a children's historical play, " The 

 Story of the Armada," written by Miss Amice Macdonald, were acted 

 by the boys and girls of St. Margaret's County Council School, West- 

 minster. I believe the performance was very good, but, unfortu- 

 nately, I was not able to attend it, as other meetings were being 

 held at the same time. 



Before proceeding further, I should like to express here my wai-m 

 appreciation of the services of Mrs. Ord Marshall, the honorary 

 secretary, to whom fell the chief work of organisation in connection 

 with this conference. 



The Leagaie of the Empire showed its wish to help the repre- 

 sentatives from the colonies in a veiy practical way by securing for 

 us invitations to pay \"isits, which proved both pleasant and instinic- 

 tive, to Oxford, Cambridge, Eton, Winchestei-, and Birmingham, and 

 also to the training ship " Exmouth." 



The visit to Birmingham I should like to mention in some detail, 

 as in that city there is so much of educational interest to a young 

 State. The people of Birmingham had very hospitably invited the 

 representatives who could spare the time to spend two days in their 

 city. There, as Mr. Chamberlain was too unwell to perform the duty, 

 we were received by Sir Oliver Lodge, and conducted by him over the 

 grand new university, of Avhich he is vice-chancellor. At this univer- 

 sity nearly half a million sterling has just been spent in the building 

 and equipment of the engineering school. There is a faculty of arts, 

 but it has to be content with the old and much smaller building. We 

 also visited the two King Edward YII. High Schools — one for boys, 

 the other for girls. At these schools I noticed particularly the 

 excellent arrangements for the science lessons. 



Next day I paid visits to a school for cripples, a school for the 

 mentally delicient, and one for the deaf and dumb. At these schools, 

 though saddened by the sight of so much suffering, I was both sur- 

 prised and delighted to see how much care and patience had been able 

 to accomplish in partially curing the ills and in brightening the lives 

 of the pupils. Except in the class for the worst cases of imbeciles, I 

 was niet eveiywhere by smiling faces. In all these schools dinner was 

 provided free to the pupils, and in most cases prepared by the pupils 

 themselves. 



