loo First Conference 



We have all met persons who have taken a uni- 

 versity degree, and yet do not understand why the 

 moon appears to change its form, who think that 

 corals are insects, whales fish, and bats birds, who do 

 not realize that England has been over and over again 

 below the sea, and still believe that the world is not 

 more that 6000 years old. It may be said that 

 ignorance on these points does not directly affect life, 

 but at any rate the ignorance of the simplest laws of 

 health does lead to most deplorable results. 



No doubt both Oxford and Cambridge have ad- 

 mirable science schools. A man can study there with 

 many advantages and under excellent teachers. But 

 the prizes and fellowships are still given mainly to 

 classics and mathematics. Moreover, natural science 

 is not yet regarded as a necessary part of education. 

 Degrees are given at these seats of learning, and now, 

 alas! even at the University of London, without re- 

 quiring any knowledge of the world in which we live. 

 Our universities give excellent teaching, they prepare 

 learned specialists, but are places of instruction rather 

 than of education. The most profound classical 

 scholar, if he knows nothing of science, is but a half- 

 educated man after all — a boy in a good elementary 

 school has had a better education. The responsibility 

 rests, as it seems to me, mainly with the universities. 

 The public schools tell us that they must conform to 

 the requirements of the universities, the preparatory 

 schools are governed by the public schools, and hence 

 the tendency is to specialize the education of boys 

 from the very beginning of school life. These are no 

 peculiar views of mine. They have been reiterated 

 by students of education from Ascham and Milton to 



