i8 



NA TURE 



[November 6, 1902 



schools, and the work done in them is of a most inspiring 

 character both to teacher and pupil. 



The science programme for the Irish intermediate or secondary 

 schools was dealt with by Mr. Gill, who though by training and 

 inclination a humanist, expressed his complete satisfaction with 

 the aims and scope of the scheme. The programme was intro- 

 duced for three reasons, which Mr. Gill expressed.as follows : — 

 " First, because we believe that science has a part as well as 

 letters in the science of general education — (remember, I am 

 speaking now only of the science part of the programme, and 

 only of the secondary schools) — and, secondly, because the 

 teaching of experimental science according to this programme 

 involves a method now commonly called the heuristic method, 

 which we believe has a great educational value and may be 

 applied to the advantage of the study of other subjects as well 

 as science. The third reason is the special value of science in 

 connection with technical instruction." 



Mr. Gill confessed that in admitting the claim of science in 

 general education, and standing as its champion, he did so as a 

 convert, and one who has been brought to that realisation of 

 the power and value of science which is forced upon every 

 modern man. " Scientific physics," he remarked, " which 

 have now their recognised place in public instruction, are ad- 

 mittedly no more difficult to learn or to teach than Latin or 

 Greek, and in our Irish public schools at the present time I 

 venture to say Latin and Greek are not so well taught as our 

 experimental science, with all the great drawbacks and the 

 difficulties which have beset us in the endeavour to provide 

 teaching power. The secondary school which has to do with 

 the future leaders, the industrial and intellectual leaders of the 

 country, would hardly be true to its function as a preserver of 

 the equipoise of general knowledge, would hardly be a living 

 institution informed by the spirit of the age, if it failed to take 

 notice in its curriculum of the place science occupies to-day 

 in the mental and material life of society." 



Dr. W.J. M. Starkie, Resident Commissioner of National Edu- 

 cation in Ireland, created a sensation among Irish educationists 

 by a paper in which he criticised the recent reforms of primary 

 and secondary education, undertaken with a view to their co- 

 ordination. Pie condemned the managerial control of national 

 schools in Ireland, and pleaded for that which every civilised 

 country in Europe has long since attained — a single local 

 authority for education outside of technical schools and univer- 

 sities. Nothing can be done, however, until educated and inde- 

 pendent laymen come forward in sufficient numbers to make 

 their influence felt on such authorities. 



As regards English schools, Dr. J. H. Gladstone read the 

 report of the committee on the teaching of science subjects in 

 elementary schools ; but the changes which have been caused 

 by the introduction of the Block grant in place of the former 

 examination grants have made it difficult to arrive at definite 

 information as to the number of pupils receiving instruction in 

 science. It is felt that the time has now arrived for a general 

 survey of the progress made since the committee was appointed 

 in 1S79, and such a statement will, it is hoped, be presented to 

 the Association next year. 



Before any subject can be taught with success, the health of 

 the pupil and the training of the teacher have to be considered. 

 A preliminary report of the committee on the conditions of 

 health essential to the carrying on of the work of instruction in 

 schools was presented by Prof. C. S. Sherrington, F. R.S. At- 

 tention has so far been directed to the following points : — The 

 periods of day appropriate for different studies, the length of 

 lessons, and periods of study suitable for children of different 

 ages ; anthropometrical and physiological observation forms in 

 use in various schools with a view to preparing a typical form 

 for general use ; anthropometrical and physiological observ- 

 ations recorded in different schools for a series of years on the 

 same children ; investigations into the causes of defective eye- 

 sight in school children and a definition of the conditions 

 necessary for preserving the sight ; the practical knowledge of 

 hygiene possessed by school teachers. Much interesting infor- 

 mation has been collected and tabulated, and it is hoped that 

 when the final report is presented next year some action will be 

 taken upon its recommendation. 



Given pupils in a condition to study with profit, it is desirable 

 that the teachers should be trained to direct their mental 

 activities. In a paper on the preliminary training of teachers, 

 with special reference to women, Miss L. E. Walter described the 

 various avenues to qualification as teachers in elementary 



schools, and suggested some practicable improvements in the 

 courses of study pursued between the ages of about fourteen and 

 eighteen years. She condemned the excessive book-work which 

 must be done by pupil teachers who desire to pass their 

 examinations, especially when scientific subjects are concerned. 

 It was urged that in every pupil teachers' school or centre the 

 students should be taught (i) how to read books with permanent 

 profit ; (2) how to increase their knowledge practically by 

 simple experiments as distinct from book-work. 



In the course of a brilliant address, Prof. H. L. Withers 

 pointed out that the problem of the training of teachers is 

 essentially different in a primary and secondary school. In the 

 former a considerable, though incomplete, system has been in 

 existence for the best part of a century, while in the latter the 

 provision made is still so defective that at least in the case of 

 boys' schools it may be said that we have everything to do from 

 the beginning. For the primary teacher large Government 

 grants are given, while nothing is as yet allowed for the 

 secondary. Primary schools are fairly homogeneous. Secondary 

 schools display a great multiplicity of types, social and educa- 

 tional, day and boarding. The problem in the two cases was, 

 therefore, treated separately by Prof. Withers. As regards the 

 latter, it was remarked that the multiplicity of types is so great 

 that anything like a single stereotype system of training would 

 be futile. The secondary schools themselves must take a large 

 share in framing an elastic variety of systems, and the training 

 provided must be consistent with all that is best and strongest 

 in our existing tradition. Analogy with other professions sug- 

 gests that a combination between the great schools and the 

 Universities is essential for the institution of a complete system 

 of professional training. Though in several respects the posi- 

 tion of men as regards training is quite distinct from that of 

 women, yet for the purposes of both who desire to obtain 

 their professional training at universities, each university should, 

 for the future, be equipped with a department of education as 

 effective as its departments of law and medicine. As much as 

 possible should be done to refer students to the principles of 

 mental, moral and physical science, upon which the theory and 

 practice of education must ultimately be based. 



In secondary schools a knowledge of educational principles is 

 not regarded as of much importance, and young men go to 

 them to teach without having received any training. In the 

 course of time some of them became good schoolmasters, gain- 

 ing experience at the expense of their pupils. In such cases 

 the school has the same relation to the teacher as the workshop 

 to the engineer, but there is little doubt that the master and the 

 engineer should receive some practical training before under- 

 taking professional duties. Prof. Perry's presidential address 

 on the training of engineers was discussed at a joint meeting 

 with the Section of Engineering. Among the points brought 

 forward in the course of the discussion were, that it would be an 

 advantage if students of engineering could spend five months 

 each year in a workshop and five months in a technical college ; 

 that preliminary training in habits of observation and accuracy 

 was of the greatest value ; that teachers should be kept in close 

 touch with the practice of their profession, and their laboratories 

 should be equipped with modern tools and machinery ; and that 

 we have little to learn from Germany in the matter of education 

 or of turning out work, but much to learn as regards financial 

 ability and the science of commerce. 



Language is an important factor in determining commercial 

 developments. It is therefore worth while to consider Sir 

 Frederick Bramwell's suggestion that the great commercial 

 nations — the United States, Germany, France and England — 

 should each adopt a common language to be learnt in addition 

 to their own, in order to facilitate intercommunication and save 

 the trouble of learning several languages for business purposes. 

 Italian was suggested as a suitable language for the purpose, 

 because it is easy of acquirement, founded upon a classic basis, 

 and could be adopted without arousing feelings of jealousy 

 among the nations accepting it. Latin was also suggested as a 

 suitable common language, as it w r as in mediaeval times. 



Many people believe that English will in the course of time 

 become the language of commerce, but if this is to be realised 

 more attention must be paid to the teaching of our mother 

 tongue in schools than is usually the case. Mr. P. J. Hartog 

 dealt with this subject in a paper which led to a good discussion. 

 He held that a mastery of our language is as necessary for the so- 

 called practical uses of the leaders in war, diplomacy, science 

 and commerce as for the historian and the philosopher. Though 



NO. 1723, VOL. 67] 



