IIL] TECHNICAL EDUCATION. 79 



great advantage of these classes is that they bring the 

 means of instruction to the doors of the factories and 

 workshops ; that they are no artificial creations, but 

 by their very existence prove the desire of the people 

 for them ; and finally, that they admit of indefinite 

 development in proportion as they are wanted. I 

 have often expressed the opinion, and I repeat it here, 

 that, during the eighteen years they have been in 

 existence, these classes have done incalculable good ; 

 and I can say, of my own knowledge, that the Depart- 

 ment spares no pains and trouble in trying to increase 

 their usefulness and ensure the soundness of their 

 work. 



No one knows better than my friend Colonel 

 Donnelly, to whose clear views and great administra- 

 tive abilities so much of the successful working of the 

 science classes is due, that there is much to be done 

 before the system can be said to be thoroughly satis- 

 factory. The instruction given needs to be made 

 more systematic and especially more practical ; the 

 teachers are of very unequal excellence, and not a few 

 stand much in need of instruction themselves, not 

 only in the subjects which they teach, but in the 

 objects for which they teach. I daresay you have 

 heard of that proceeding, reprobated by all true 

 sportsmen, which is called " shooting for the pot." 

 Well, there is such a thing as "teaching for the pot" 

 teaching, that is, not that your scholar may know, 

 but that he may count for payment among those who 

 pass the examination ; and there are some teachers, 

 happily not many, who have yet to learn that the 



