INTRODUCTION xix 



conceptions of national education. It has been 

 fashionable for the well-to-do to choose for their 

 children an education devoid of Science and indeed 

 devoid of continuous intellectual effort. So long 

 as the subjects of education were mainly ancient 

 languages and the humanities the knowledge which 

 they thus failed to acquire was no great loss. 

 Though the discipline of study would have been 

 valuable the knowledge would have possessed no 

 practical value except so far as it enabled them 

 to earn a living by continuing the traditional 

 system of education. But the fatal consequence 

 of these educational methods was that it was 

 considered no shame that a man should leave his 

 University not only ignorant of Modern Languages 

 and Science but also unprovided with any eco- 

 nomical or commercial training that could be of 

 value to him in practical life. This example has 

 been followed by other classes of the community 

 who have naturally accepted the standards of 

 education adopted by the wealthier classes as 

 being the best, and thus much of the best human 

 material that England produces has been sent to 

 its work in life without any special preparation for 

 the task before it. 



To remedy this in our Industries it is not suffi- 

 cient that our youth should be taught the facts of 

 Science. They must also be trained in its methods. 

 In every industry there is scope for research and 

 on it must depend the maintenance of our position 



