356 



NATURE 



[June 28, 191 7 



Dr. J. B. Ambrosetti as president; VI. Physics and 

 chemistry, under the presidency of Dr. E. H. Ducloux, 

 who discussed the chemistry of chlorophyll ; VII. Applied 

 science, presided over by Dr. T. Amadeo, who urged 

 the importance of a well-organised national institute 

 for agricultural research; and VIII. Teaching and 

 history of natural science, presided over by Prof. V. 

 Mercanti, who discussed the teaching in the national 

 colleges and normal schools. Papers were numerous, 

 especially in reference to Tucuman, and among the 

 evening lectures was a valuable discourse by Dr. 

 Hermitte on the petroleum worked at Comodoro 

 Rivadavia. 



The next congress is to be held at Mendoza, and 

 it is hoped meanwhile to establish in all the provincial 

 capitals institutes or societies to work in association 

 with the Argentine society. 



EDUCATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION. 



THE appreciation of the urgent need for an imme- 

 diate improvement and extension of the supply 

 of educational facilities for all sections of the. popula- 

 tion is common alike to administrators of education 

 and to teachers of all grades. During recent months 

 special meetings of associations of educational workers 

 of many tyi>es have been held, at which reports and 

 resolutions have been adopted, which summarise the 

 experience gained in various localities and in all kinds 

 of educational institutions. 



One of the latest competent authorities to issue a 

 report on educational reform is the Association of Educa- 

 tion Committees. Since June of last year the executive 

 committee of this association has been considering irn- 

 portant educational questions, with the object of contri- 

 buting help to our administrators in the task of educa- 

 tional reconstruction to which they are committed. 

 It is impossible here to enumerate all the recommenda- 

 tions included in the comprehensive report recently 

 issued by the association, but attention is directed to 

 the importance attached in the report to the necessity 

 for an adequate provision of instruction in science. 

 The general tenor of the replies to a question on the 

 subject from education committees throughout the 

 country is that in the elementary schools the rudiments 

 only of science can with advantage be taught, between 

 the ages of twelve and fourteen, and that it is not 

 desirable to extend the range of the science teaching 

 given In these schools much, If any, further than at 

 present. In secondary schools, however, there is a 

 large majority in favour of an increase of science 

 teaching. With this view the executive committee con- 

 curs, but thinks that the science teaching to be given 

 In elementary schools should be made general, and 

 should proceed upon much more definite and systematic 

 lines than It does now. In many schools science Is the 

 last subject considered In framing the time-table, and 

 any kind of equipment, or none at all, Is often ccn- 

 sidered adequate, while the training of teachers, other 

 than specialists, for givmg good lessons In science is 

 often very defective. The committee desires to record 

 its emphatic opinion that it is essential In the best 

 interests of the nation that much more attention should 

 be given to the teaching of physical science in every 

 type of school. It should be made impossible for any 

 child to leave school without having had a full oppor- 

 tunity of learning at least the basic principles of 

 science. In elementary schools the teaching can only 

 be elementary, but, even so, It must be adequate. In 

 secondary schools science should be the basis of the 

 teaching on the " modern side," and that side should 

 be of equal standing with any other. The mistaken 

 view which puts science in antagonism to the older 



NO. 2487, VOL. 99] 



features of a liberal education should be vigorously 

 combated. 



So far as continuation classes are concerned, the 

 report reveals some diversity of opinion. Of 

 the one hundred and two education committees 

 which replied to the question on the desirability of com- 

 pelling children who have left school to attend classes 

 for further education, only twelve were opposed to the 

 introduction of compulsion. Of the remainder, a few 

 would carry on the further education only to the age 

 of sixteen or seventeen, while sixty-five were in favour 

 of compulsion up to eighteen. On the important point 

 whether such education should be given in the day- 

 time, or in the evening as now, only eight committees 

 out of one hundred and six were in favour of a con- 

 tinuance of entire evening teaching, though some 

 others thought that a part of it might be given in the 

 evening. 



The Assocljitlon of Directors and Secretaries for' 

 Education, which includes the chief administrative 

 officers for counties and county boroughs throughout 

 England and Wales, has issued a series of resolutions 

 dealing with Important educational questions requlr- 

 Ing legislative or administrative action. Among the 

 resolutions of particular Interest are the following : — 

 In the Interests of the State no child or young person 

 should be debarred by lack of means from the highest 

 education of which it is capable. The upper limit of 

 compulsory full-time attendance at the elementary 

 school should be raised universally to fourteen years. 

 The power of local education authorities^ to supply or 

 aid the supply of education other than elementary, as 

 provided by the Education Act, 1902, should remain 

 unimpaired. It should be the duty of local education 

 authorities to make adequate provision of such forms 

 of higher education as are needed for their areas. 

 The limitation of the amount which may be raised 

 by rate under the Education Act, 1902, section 2 (i), 

 should be removed. It is desirable in the interests of 

 educational efficiency as well as of economy that the 

 Board of Education should resume its statutory 

 powers with regard to agricultural education and 

 should provide itself with the necessary expert 

 j staff. A system of compulsory day continuation 

 i schools should be established, with a minimum of eight 

 : hours' instruction per week, or at least 320 hours per 

 i year, between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years, 

 i the instruction to be given between the hours of 

 j 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. An obligation should be laid (i) 

 ' on all employers to allow full time for instruction, 

 ' Including time for travelling, without deduction of 

 j wages; (2) on parents and pupils as to attendance; 

 and (3) on local education authorities to make the 

 necessary provision. The total hours of labour and of 

 ! school attendance during the continuation-school period 

 j should not exceed forty-eight per week. The posses- 

 ! slon of an approved certificate testifying to the com- 

 : pletion of a satisfactory course in *a secondary school 

 I ending not earlier than sixteen years of age should 

 entitle the holder to exemption from compulsory con- 

 tinuation-school attendance between sixteen and 

 eighteen years of age. Adequate provision of scholar- 

 ships from elementary schools to secondary and tech- 

 nical schools, and from secondary schools to places 

 of higher education of university rank, should be an 

 integral part of each authority's scheme. 



The Association of Technical Institutions also has 

 drawn up a programme of educational reform, with 

 special reference to technical Instruction, which should 

 assist the Board of Education in Its important' task of 

 extending and completing our system of national 

 education. 



A special committee was appointed by the associa- 

 tion consisting of the council and six representatives 



