33^ 



NATURE 



[June 21, 1917 



to specialise in science is not the one best 

 suited to give to all — " some knowledge of the relation 

 of the) sciences to one another and a just conception 

 of the means by which they advance." For the limited 

 class an exact knowledge of the elements is essential. 

 If this exact knowledge is required from all, the 

 majority find the process dull ; they get no further 

 than the elements, and when the dreaded examination 

 is over they forget even these, and have no further 

 interest in the subject. Natural science, like Latin and 

 Greek, disappears from their lives. 



And so, if this be at all the correct view, an impor- 

 tant task for the university is to develop a new method 

 for the ordinary teaching of science, not merely to 

 require that science should be taught, but to discuss 

 and determine how this can best be done, and then 

 to train and send out into the world men capable of 

 doing it. The method will not lend itself easily to 

 " the process of controlling education bv examination 

 with a limited time," and if a test of the pupil's 

 knowledge is required, some other plan for this pur- 

 pose must be devised. 



One of the consequences of the war will be a greater 

 appreciation of the value of science. Let us in Cam- 

 bridge be ready to take advantage of this and help to 

 strengthen our country by raising up a generation 

 which realises to some extent what science has done, 

 and how real progress in nearlv every walk of life i? 

 inseparablv bound up with the advancement of natural 

 knowledge, which in the past the university has done 

 so much to promote. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Cambridge. — Mr. F. H. Jackson, of Peterhouse, 

 has been approved for the degree of Doctor of Science. 



London. — The Senate has resolved to institute for 

 external students a B.Sc. degree dealing with the 

 administration and management of urban and rural 

 lands and estates, and a scheme wath the necessary 

 syllabuses and regulations is in course of preparation. 



Oxford. — Mr. J. J. Manley, the curator of the 

 Daubeny Laboratory, has been elected to a fellowship 

 at Magdalen College. Oxford, for the prosecution of 

 special researches in physics and chemistry. Mr. Man- 

 ley's talents as a teacher of practical chemistry have 

 long been recognised by several generations of pupils, 

 a list of some 500 of whom has been recently printed. 

 Among them we note the names of Prof. Soddy and of 

 many well-known younger science teachers. Mr. 

 Manley is widely known for his interesting observa- 

 tions on the anomalous behaviour of delicate balances 

 and bv his ingenious devices for increasing accuracy 

 in weighings. A re-investigation- of Landolt's work 

 on the apparent change of weight during chemical 

 reaction was the subject of a more recent paper in 

 the Philosophical Transaciions, and he has lately suc- 

 ceeded in constructing platinum resistance thermo- 

 meters of a sensitiveness greatlv in advance of any 

 that had previously been made. Magdalen College and 

 Mr. Manley are equally to be congratulated on this 

 election, which promi'-es to be of considerable service 

 to the cause of physical and chemical research. 



On June 19 the annual report of the delegates of 

 the museum was presented to Convocation. The re- 

 port directs attention to the fact that the members of 

 the staff and other workers In the museum departments 

 on war service have been further increased. The death 

 in action of Mr. Geoffrey Smith, demonstrator in 

 zoology, is recorded; and details are given of the 

 handing over of a large part of the museum buildings 

 for the use of the Royal Flying Corps. Separate re- 

 NO. 2486, VOL. 99I 



ports from the various scientific departments are 

 added, all of them giving evidence of much activity 

 in spite of the present adverse conditions. The report 

 of the curator of the Pitt-Rivers Museum includes an 

 especially long list of valuable donations. 



At the same meeting of Convocation, decrees were 

 passed allowing, under certain conditions, that candi- 

 dates in the science and other honour schools should 

 be examined in part only of their subjects, and em- 

 powering the examiners to award distinction to those 

 who have attained a high standard therein. This pre . 

 vision will apply solely to those whose regular course 

 of study has been interrupted by war service. 



The extremely valuable collections of Arachnida, 

 containing rtiore than 1000 types, with the library, note- 

 books, drawings, and papers in connection therewith, 

 bequeathed by the late Rev. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 

 were gratefully accepted, and ordered to be deposited 

 in the University Museum, and placed in the charge 

 of the Hop%> professor of zoology. Prof. E. B. Poulton. 



The Maharaja of Benares has founded a gold medal, 

 to be known as the "Lady Chelmsford Medal." for 

 award annually to the best student of the Lady Hard- 

 inge' Medical College for Women, Delhi. 



Two "British Dyes" open research scholarships, 

 each of the yearly value of about 60I., are offered in 

 connection with the Huddersfield Technical College. 

 They are tenable for one year, with the possibility of 

 renewal. Applications must reach the secretary of the 

 college by, at latest, July 6. 



Two scholarships in naval architecture, each of the 

 value of 90I., have been founded by Col. Smith Park, 

 C.B., of Glasgow, for students of the University. 

 The scholars are required to have remained at a 

 secondary school until they have obtained the higher 

 grade leaving certificate, whieh admits to the Univer- 

 sity courses for graduation In arts or science. 



The debate in the House of Lords on Tuesday, 

 June 12, dealing with the future policy of the Board 

 of Education so far as it has been foreshadowed in 

 the speeches of Mr. Fisher, was chiefly notable for 

 the views expressed in protest against a too early or 

 undue specialisation in the schools, whilst demanding 

 that science should find its due place in the scheme of 

 education, especially in the great public schools, as a 

 subject of vital importance for the effective training of 

 the citizen, so as to enable him to take a sound view 

 of the questions w-hich arise In modern life. The 

 events of the war. intimate and contingent, have made 

 if plainly clear that training in the facts of science 

 and the inculcation of the scientific habit of mind are 

 essential to the national well-being. The purpose of 

 the schools is, as Lord Haldane well put it, not to 

 make of their pupils Latin or Greek scholars, or men 

 of science, but to make them men, and to develop their 

 humanitv in the best and broadest sense. In short, 

 their business is so to train their pupils as to give 

 them a liberal outlook in preparation for such special- 

 ised teaching In the classics or in the various branches 

 of science, pure or applied, or In other departments 

 of knowledge, as the universities can offer, or as the 

 various professions may require. In no other way 

 Can the public schools ensure the generous training 

 of all their pupils, and especiallv of those who aspire 

 to take a prominent part in public affairs, or shake 

 themselves free of the Incubus of conflicting extpt-nal 

 examinations. Indeed, not until the older universities 

 cease to retain compulsory Greek as an essential 

 feature in the examination for their most valuable 

 scholarships w-ill It be nossible for the public schools 

 to g-Ive to science its rightful place in their curriculum. 

 It is now^ seen to be essential that in the treatment of 



