522 



NATURE 



[January 15, 1920 



On the same topic Sir Richard Gregory, although 

 advocating heuristic methods, thought that the sub- 

 stance of instruction suffered from concentration upon 

 method, and that laboratory work should be supple- 

 mented by a broad general course of descriptive lessons 

 given quite independently of the practical work. Dr. 

 E H. Griffiths said he hesitated to accept this divorce 

 of lecture and practical work. Mr. Mangham spoke of 

 the neglect of biological science in education, and 

 asked for a clpser co-operation between the lecturers 

 in various branches of science at the universities. 

 Dr. Lilian Clarke gave some interesting details of a 

 sound practical course of elementary science in girls' 

 schools, showing how the spirit of inquiry can be 

 aroused in botany as well as in chemistry. Her plea 

 for more time should not go unheeded ; for it is im- 

 possible to go far in such valuable work with only one 

 to one and a half hours per week. Miss Shove dis- 

 cussed the necessity of a thorough course of f-lemen- 

 tary chemistry and physics preliminary to a botanical 

 course. 



A joint session was arranged with Section F, when 

 a paper from Sir Herbert E. Morgan was read. The 

 paper had for its theme the real need of the country 

 for educated men in directing business affairs, men 

 educate] in the right way, with technical training 

 added to sound general knowledge and broad views. 

 _Mr. C. R. Fay emphasised the value of universitv 

 influence in business, and claimed that a central 

 school for all branches of economic science at the 

 univer-^ity would co-ordinate effort and effect a rapid 

 diffusion of new methods. Mr. H. N. Sullivan 

 thought that young men entered business too early. 

 Prof. Oldham described the work of the faculty of 

 commerce in Dublin University. Sir Hugh Bell said 

 that the bold step of appointing university men in 

 railway business was a success, but that it was 

 objected to by men whose promotion had therebv bc^n 

 affected. 



A discussion on continuation schools was opened 

 by Sir Robert Blair, who, speaking from the point of 

 view of the largest urban district, suggested that for 

 the first two years education should be general, and 

 for the second two may have a technical or commercial 

 bias derived from the occupation ; that residence is 

 the basis of obligation on the authority; that the 

 required eight hours per week should be taken in two 

 four-hour periods; that it would be inadvisable to 

 divide the four-year period between two schools, one 

 from fourteen to sixtc€n, the other from sixteen to 

 eighteen; that schools may be mixed, not dnal ; that 

 continuation schools will be ends in themselves and, 

 for some, "stepping-stones" to higher things. In- 

 terest, he declared, is the key to the problem of in- 

 struction ; the schools will be what the staff makes 

 them. Extra class-room activities are no less impor- 

 tant—libraries, clubs, games, and societies will attract 

 the adolescent. 



Mr. A. P. M Fleming followed with a paper on 

 works schools, in which he illustrated their advan- 

 tages, such as the close correlation between the school 

 work and the practical training in the works, the 

 increased facilities for the selection for employment 

 promotion, systematic training, and for ensuring 

 harmonious relations between the management and 

 the worker. Mr. J. S. Rainer took a rather contrary 

 view of works schools, and in a very able paper pre- 

 sented the W.E..\. point of view ,-is being opposed 

 to works schools. He contended that for efliciency 

 and success these schools must be entirely independent 

 of employers' control; for distrust of the employing 

 interest, as being almost entirely personal and mer- 

 cenary, would prevent such schools from giving sujt- 

 NO. 2620, VOL. 104] 



able and adequate education. The subjects of study 

 must be related to the interests of the pupil, and not 

 determined by the needs of trades or industries. .Mr. 

 G. F. Daniell dealt with the problem in rural dis- 

 tricts, and pointed out the need for transport facilities. 

 He urged close relations with the village clubs and 

 institutes, and thought that attendance could be ar- 

 ranged either for one day per week for forty weeks, 

 or for a seasonal attendance. Mr. C. A. Buckmaster 

 pleaded for full liberty to the teachers and for the pro- 

 vision of school societies and games, and thought that 

 the content of the curriculum was secondary to the 

 training of character. Lord Malmesbury advocated 

 the gradual elimination of those unable to profit bv 

 the education provided out of public funds, but w ould 

 encourage and spend as much as possible on the 

 best boys and girls. 



Dr. Vincent Naser, of Copenhagen, submitted pro- 

 posals for an exchange of students between Denmai-k 

 and Great Britain, and suggested the formation of 

 bureaux of international information in connection 

 with universities. 



Sir Richard Gregory spoke on the educational value 

 of the kinema — not to make learning easy, hut to 

 awaken interest and synthesise instruction, .^n fx- 

 hibition of some instructive films was given bv the 

 Community Picture Bureau. 



Bishop Wclldon, in opening a discussion on train- 

 ing in citizenship, said that something must be done 

 through co-operation or co-partnership to create a 

 fellow-feeling between capital and labour, and that 

 an enlightened patriotism as well as the dignity and 

 history of the Empire should be taught. 



Lt.-Gen. .Sir Robert Baden-Powell made an eloquent 

 appeal for the need of out-of-school training and en- 

 viionment as auxiliary to education for producing 

 eflicient human citizens. The wonderful success of the 

 Boy Scout movement suggests that the most impor:ant 

 duty of the schoolmaster is to discover what ]3ar- 

 ticular portion of his environment appeals most to 

 each of his pupils, and to use that as the med.um 

 for inducing mental activity. 



In a valuable paper on fundamental principles in 

 education Prof. A. N. Whitehead claimed that all 

 education is the development of genius, and showed 

 that the true ultimate problem before the educator is 

 how to impart knowledge so as to stimulate genius. 

 He showed that language is essential, but argued 

 that a child should not study a dead language until a 

 modern literature has gripped the imagination ; that 

 classical learning is the superstructure of a literary 

 education, and not the foundation. 



Mr. F. S. Preston submitted a paper in which he 

 emphasised the value of literary studies in the 

 development of imagination and the moral faculties. 

 .■\ paper from Prof. Marcus Hartog on the function 

 of examinations in education followed. 



The final sitting of the Section was occupied with 

 two excellent papers on the present position of private 

 schools in the educational system, one by Mr. R. H. 

 Hume, the president of the Private Schools .Associa- 

 tion, the other by Mr. Alex. Devine. These papers, 

 and the discussion that followed, brought out the 

 fact, little realised by many, that the number of 

 children educated in private schools approaches '.n 

 many places 50 per cent, of the school population. 



Reports by special committees of the section were 

 read and discussed, that on the free-place system 

 by Mr. C. A. Buckmaster and Mr. D. P. Berridge, 

 that on museums by Mr. Herbert Bolton, and that on 

 the registration of ■ chools by Lady Shaw — all em- 

 bodying valuable information and suggestions for the 

 educational reformer. 



