V NOTES OF AN AFTER-DINNER SPEECH 131 



instead of being, at most, stuck on as cornice to 

 the edifice, this state of things could not exist. 



In advocating the introduction of physical science 

 as a leading element in education, I by no means 

 refer only to the higher schools. On the contrary, 

 I believe that such a change is even more impera- 

 tively called for in those'primary schools, in which 

 the children of the poor are expected to turn to 

 the best account the little time they can devote 

 to the acquisition of knowledge. A great step in 

 this direction has already been made by the estab- 

 lishment of science-classes under the Department 

 of Science and Art, a measure which came into 

 existence unnoticed, but which will, I believe, turn 

 out to be of more importance to the welfare of the 

 people than many political changes over which the 

 noise of battle has rent the air. 



Under the regulations to which I refer, a 

 schoolmaster can set up a class in one or more 

 branches of science ; his pupils will be examined, 

 and the State will pay him, at a certain rate, for 

 all who succeed in passing. I have acted as an 

 examiner under this system from the beginning 

 of its establishment, and this year I expect to 

 have not fewer than a couple of thousand sets of 

 answers to questions in Physiology, mainly from 

 young people of the artisan class, who have been 

 taught in the schools which are now scattered 

 all over great Britain and Ireland. Some of my 

 colleagues, who have to deal with subjects such as 



K 2 



