The Opening Ceremony 93 



tinuation-classes, in which it may be possible for the 

 teachers to qualify themselves to give instruction in 

 these subjects. We hope that this new departure 

 may do something, as I have indicated, to increase 

 the interest which is felt in the schools of the rural 

 districts by all who are connected with them, by the 

 children themselves, by their parents, and by their 

 employers ; and we hope that it will give a stimulus 

 to the appreciation of education, which hitherto, as I 

 have said, has been somewhat lacking in certain dis- 

 tricts of the country. But it must not be supposed 

 for a moment that we believe that Nature-study need 

 be exclusively confined to the rural schools. We 

 think that, with some variations, rendered necessary 

 by the varying conditions of life, and by the various 

 diversities which exist in our country, this Nature- 

 study may with great advantage be introduced into 

 all schools, urban as well as rural. 



But upon this point of the connection of the exhi- 

 bition with this new educational departure, I would 

 ask you to allow me to use the words of one who is 

 much better qualified to speak on the subject than 

 I am, and to read an extract from a letter which I 

 have received from Mr. Medd, the hon. secretary of 

 this exhibition, to whose disinterested and unwearied 

 exertions the existence of this exhibition is almost 

 entirely due, and who has, I think, expressed in this 

 letter, in terms which I could not attempt to improve 

 upon, the nature of the connection which this exhibi- 

 tion will have with the new educational departure 

 and the manner in which it will illustrate the object 

 which we have in view. Briefly, the exhibition came 

 about thus : — 



