Miss Gurney's Address 223 



regard to the work of the Girls' PubHc Day-School 

 Company, the advice of Professor Huxley was sought 

 in early days, when a letter from him as to the lines 

 of education to be pursued was printed for the use 

 of mistresses. The same principles have guided the 

 work of the great pioneer schools, Cheltenham and 

 the North London Collegiate, and of numerous en- 

 dowed and other schools of the home-country and of 

 our colonies, as is evidenced by the exhibits here. 



In speaking of actual school work, I wish to point 

 out that all branches are now affected by a contact 

 with realities. The cubes of the kindergarten take 

 the place of long rows of figures; scales are used 

 early for measurements, and weights are understood ; 

 geography begins with maps of the room or of the 

 school-garden; and drawing, with brush-work, from 

 flowers or animals. Thus, when books are reached, 

 these do not convey mere words to the mind, but 

 carry on the thoughts and impressions derived from 

 real objects. 



The greatest of all the reforms has been in the 

 branch most closely connected with Nature-study; — 

 in the teaching of science. In place of the perusal of 

 such books as Mrs. Mareet's Chemishy and Natural 

 PJiilosophy^ girls are now taught on the heuristic 

 method; they have their laboratories, which they 

 prize; they are trained in experimental work, and 

 in the making of their own instruments; whilst in 

 their botanical and geological work they handle 

 plants and stones, and are taught to persevere in 

 research by the aid of microscopes. 



Some of the results may be seen in exhibits here, 

 as, for example, a series of dried flowers from Shef- 



