April 20, 1876] 



N A TV RE 



493 



for training the observing powers of pupils in the country ; 

 which should be judiciously directed by the teacher so as 

 to render the observations continuous and systematic as 

 far as they go ; they should be always duly recorded, 

 dated, and correctly described. But the encouragement 

 of making collections must be done cautiously, as boys 

 are too prone to be thoughtlessly cruel. Of course in- 

 formation on animals may be given informally. With 

 regard to botany nearly twenty years' experience of teach- 

 ing boys and girls of all ages and of nearly all classes, has 

 convinced me that it may be commenced as soon as one 

 likes. The plan pursued by my father at Hitcham (of 

 which an account will be found in the Leisure Hour for 

 1862, p. 676) clearly proved the advantage to be derived 

 by village school children, and I can corroborate it by my 

 own attempts in another village ; for there was a marked 

 increase in the general intelligence, to say nothing of 

 botany giving the children an amusing and instructive 

 employment in the fields instead of their idling in the 

 street — a fact noticed and strongly approved of by their 

 parents. This subject, whatever may be the objections 

 to others, can be taught to almost infants. 



With regard to electricity, magnetism, and the elements 

 of chemistry, beyond the last of these, I have no expe- 

 rience, but should fancy that the manipulation required 

 would be unattainable before the ages of eleven or twelve, 

 and the abstract nature of force would scarcely commend 

 itself to the understanding before that age. 



Physical geography, however, is ansther subject which, 

 although affording less scope for the observing powers as 

 botany, is by no means absolutely wanting in this respect. 

 I cannot say that roy "young boys [were] more (or less) 

 attentive, active-minded, diligent when they [were] doing 

 arithmetic than when they [were] at a lesson on physical 

 geography." One principle I wculd insist upon is to 

 appeal to the eye, as well as or rather more than the 

 imagination, of young people. Hence in teaching this 

 science, where no direct obber\-ation of the facts is pos- 

 sible (as of glaciers, in Warwickshire), my plan was to 

 procure abundant and good illustrations, while the chief 

 facts connected with their motions and formations would 

 be illustrated by diagrams on the black board. Yet the 

 eti'ects of river and atmospheric action may be actually 

 seen, of:en to a considerable extent, everywhere; and 

 icarine action having been learnt and uaderstood at 

 school, has been eagerly looked for when a visit to the 

 sea-side was forthcoming. Here, however, not only facts 

 should be taught, but their causes, or forces in action 

 which have produced them and the study will then never 

 be dry. Physical geography has its value in realising in 

 the pupil's mind the true nature of sequences between 

 cause and effect, and he thus begins to grasp the funda- 

 mental principle of philosophy or " continuity" of action. 

 I have found boys of eight thoroughly able to appreciate 

 the elements of the subject ; of course by adapting the 

 facts and reasoning to their capacities. 



Physical geography, being simply "modern geolog>'," 

 should invariably precede geology, which above all sub- 

 jects cultivates inductive reasoning, and I have foimd boys 

 from about twelve well able to grasp the main facts and 

 reasonings. If they happen to be near any fossilifei ous 

 strata or where a variety of rock specimens may be 

 procured, the encouragement to collect as many as 

 possible should be given at any preceding age, for the 

 most fascinating pursuit in science is undoubtedly col- 

 lecting. (I have to this day crag shells collected at the 

 age of eight, when I was first initiated into geological 

 mysteries.) Collecting, however, is of course only the 

 preliminary stage, and one's scientific lore must not be 

 allowed to rest there. 



Before twelve I agree with Mr. Wilson that practical 

 chemistry should not begin for reasons already men- 

 tioned. But, however, Mr. Wilson says, " Science 

 should be introduced into a school, beginning at the top 



and going downwards gradually to a point which will be 

 indicated by experience," surely this is inverting a funda- 

 mental principle of education, and we may ask why should 

 science be thus singled out .•' Why not begin at the 

 top with Latin and arithmetic, and work downwards ? 

 Science, however, has its "elements" and its "ad- 

 vanced" stages like everything else. The soundest 

 method seems to me to select the science for each 

 age or capacity of pupils, and for the teacher himself to 

 adapt the branch selected to them. Let him begin with 

 botany — with children of the age of six, if he pleases — 

 and by using the schedule he will find it almost self- 

 adapting to the child's powers, as I have more fully 

 explained elsewhere (see a paper " On the Practical 

 Teaching of Natural Science in Schools," Educational 

 Times, March i, 1876}. Physical geography might come 

 next with pupils from eight to twelve, then the experimental 

 sciences or geology from twelve upwards. The obser^'ing 

 of the habits of animals might go along with any other 

 science as an out-door instructive amusement, and be 

 limited to no age. 



Mr. Wilson talks of the difficulty of a " bored and weary 

 schoolmaster teaching science informally."' Passing by the 

 fact that if he be bored and weaiy, it is largely due to his 

 own want of interest in teaching or in engaging that of his 

 pupils ; I would maintain just the opposite opinion, that 

 assuming a teacher to be such, informal teaching in natural 

 history has a wonderful invigorating effect and re-awakens 

 the attention which may have become dull by monotony. 

 Thus I have often found during a lesson in Latin, e.g., 

 \'irgii's " Georgics," passages to be constantly occurring 

 when " collateral science " can be invoked. And what is 

 a proof of its value is, that it becomes suggestive to the 

 pupils themselves, so that I have been obhged to check 

 the superabundance of questions lest a Latin lesson 

 should resolve itself into one on natural histor}'. 



Beyond such informal teaching as this I would never 

 encourage it as a principle for teachers solely to 

 act upon, with young children, though, of course 

 there need be no restrictions in giving it them ; but if 

 science is to be taught at all — and all such informal 

 methods are not really teaching — let it be thorough as far 

 ai it goes, lest it should lapse into a slipshod informality. 

 It is the charm of the schedule system of botany that it 

 demands close and accurate observation in the dissec- 

 tions, and the writing compels accxiracy in the result as 

 well as impresses the facts firmly upon the memon'. 

 Mr. Wilson is doubtless right in laying stress upon the 

 necessity of secisring abundance of capable teachers, 

 which will probably ever be one of the chief difficulties 

 to contend against. George Hen ^low 



NOTES 



iL Leverrier has sent to M. Waddington, the French 

 Minister of Public Instruction, a propo:al for the immediate 

 construction of the great refractor for the Paris Observatory, 

 which is to be finished in two yeais and five months. A tender 

 has been sent to XL Leverrier by M. Eichens, the constructor of 

 the great reflector, for that purpose ; M. Leverrier proposes 

 the acceptance of SI. Eichens' offer. 



M. Leverrier has been appointed president of the Scien- 

 tific Committee of the Assemblee des Societes Savautes, which 

 is to be held at the Sorbonne next week. 



An Academy of Science has been established at Kansas City, 

 Mo., United States, with appropriate sections for geologj', zoology, 

 botany, local history, nnmismatlcs, &c One of the cliief objects 

 of the association is to form a museum of specimens which will 

 represent the minerals and fossils, and the fauna and flora of 

 Missouri, Kansa?, and the territories. 



From a communication received by the Scottish Meteorolo- 

 gical Society from their observer at Stykkisholm, Iceland, dated 



