October io, 1901J 



iVA TO' RE 



593 



aimed at with advanced sludents, not encyclopctdic knowledge. 

 Method was far moreiniporlanl than mere information. Advanced 

 students should be left to work independently as much as 

 jiossible. Research should be encouraKed, but futile investiga- 

 tions were a mistake. Stress should be laid upon writing up 

 the results of any piece of work in good literary form. 



In the subsequent discussion. Prof. Miall said that in his 

 elementary teaching at the Yorkshire College the laboratory 

 work was the most important part of the work. Lectures were 

 not given, but after a period in the laboratory a discussion on 

 the facts observed took place in the lecture room, and the 

 students were expected themselves to give an account of their 

 work. They very soon learnt to express themselves clearly 

 .ind easily, and had little difficulty in passing examinations. 

 Prof. Marshall Ward agreed that observations formed a very 

 important part of elementary botany, and children could be 

 taught to reason from facts observed. With advanced students 

 research was a powerful stim-ulus in developing interest in the 

 subject. Prof. Withers believed that the study of science might 

 well begin with natural history. Chemistry and physics should 

 then be taken, and such a subject as botany might again be taken 

 up in the higher forms. But as a training in scientific method 

 he thought the value of botany was often extremely small. 



Prof. Armstrong considered that more attention might be 

 given to systematic botany, and science altogether should be 

 taken more seriously in schools, and at least half the school 

 time should be given to practical work. Chemistry and physics, 

 as well as botany, were required in order to give the student a 

 good knowledge of scientific method. Ur- D. J-I. Scott said 

 that there was often too much specialisation in the syllabuses 

 drawn up for elementary classes. His experience as an examiner 

 had shown him that the subject could be easily crammed without 

 developing any real knowledge of the subject. Dr. Kimmins 

 gave the opinion, as the result of his experience, that botany 

 was often very badly taught in schools because of the want of 

 properly trained teachers. He thought it was a pity that there 

 was a tendency to replace it altogether by physics and chemistry. 



Sir John Gorst said that it seemed to him that one of the 

 best science subjects for purposes of general education was 

 botany, especially for rural schools. The provision of laboratories 

 and apparatus was a difficulty. Perhaps the County Councils 

 might help with these. Properly trained teachers were required, 

 and the subject should have attention in Training Colleges. 

 Too many rural teachers at the present time were not properly 

 qualified to give simple lessons in botany. 



The chairman in closing the discussion said that it had been 

 of great interest, and he felt that improvement would take place 

 as soon as a good supply of properly trained teachers could be 

 obtained. 



Organisation and Administration. 



The other subjects dealt with in the Section belong more to 

 the organisation and administrative side of education than to 

 the aims, scope and methods of science teaching, so a brief 

 mention of them will be sufficient in these columns. Sir Henry 

 Roscoe introduced the subject of the organisation of technical 

 and secondary education, and in commenting upon it Sir 

 Michael Foster said that whatever legislation was brought 

 forward it was to be hoped that no distinction would be made 

 between primary and secondary education. Sir Philip Magnus 

 spoke in favour of the unification of educational effort by the 

 creation of local authorities to be responsible for education in 

 their areas. A paper by the Bishop of Hereford on the influence 

 of the universities and examining bodies upon the work of 

 schools contained a plea for the recognition of science and 

 modern languages as substitutes for Greek in Responsions. It 

 was pointed out that the existing requirement of Cireek from 

 every candidate desiring to enter the older universities, together 

 with the accompanying exclusion of modern languages and 

 science, practically dissociates the whole class of modern 

 schools or modern departments in schools from direct university 

 influence, and the effect is found to be specially unfortunate in 

 the modern departments of the large secondary schools. The 

 paper will be printed in full by the Association. Among other 

 subjects discussed were commercial education, and the mechan- 

 ism of education in Scotland. Dr. J. H. Gladstone also read 

 his annual report on the teaching of science in elementary 

 schools, hitherto presented to the chemistry section, but there 

 were few other papers, the system adopted in the arrangement 

 of the programme being to accept only one or two papers for 

 each meeting, and these to be on definite topics requiring dis- 



NO. 1667, VOL. 64] 



cussion. By this means attention was concentrated upon 

 particular aspects of educational work instead of being directed 

 this way and that by a variety of papers. The system has 

 worked so successfully that it will probably be followed at future 

 meetings of the Section. 



FORTHCOMING BOOKS OF SCIENCE. 



Mr. Felix Alcan (Paris) gives notice of: — " Les maladies de 

 I'orientation et de I'equilibre," by Prof. J. Grasset ; " Manuel 

 d'Histologie pathologique," by Profs. V. Cornil and L. Ranvier, 

 illustrated, tome second. 



Among Mr. Edward Arnold's forthcoming books are : — " The 

 Balancing of Engines," by Prof. W. E Dalby, illustrated; "A 

 Handbook on Fermentation and the Fermentation Industries," 

 by Charles G. Matthews, illustrated ; " Human Embryology 

 and Morphology," by Dr. A. Keith, illustrated ; "A Text-Book 

 of Zoology," by G. P. Mudge, illustrated. 



Messrs. George Bell and Sons give notice of: — "Elementary 

 Science," by D. E. Jones and Dr. D. S. Macnair ; " Inorganic 

 Chemistry," by Prof. James Walker, F.R.S. ; " An Introduction 

 to the Comparative Anatomy of Animals," by Dr. G. C. 

 Bourne, vol. ii. : — The Coehmata; "Elementary Differential 

 Calculus," by Prof. A. Lodge, with an introduction by Prof. 

 Oliver J. Lodge, F.R.S. ; "An Elementary Treatise on Cubic 

 and Quartic Curves," by A. B. Basset, F.R.S. 



Messrs. .A. and C. Black promise : — " \ Treatise on Elemen- 

 tary Statics" (for the use of schools and colleges), by W. J. 

 Dobbs ; " New Descriptive Geographies: Africa, Central and 

 South America, North America," edited by Dr. A. J. Herbert- 

 soh and F. D. Herbertson. 



Me.ssrs. Blackie and Son, Ltd., will issue: — "The World of 

 Animal Life, an Introduction to the Wonders of the Animal 

 World," illustrated. 



In the list of the Cambridge University Press we notice : — 

 "Fables and Folk Tales from an Eastern Forest," collected 

 and translated by Walter Skeat, illustrated ; " Mathematical 

 and Physical Papers," by Sir G. G. Stokes, F.R.S., vol. iii. ; 

 "Scientific Papers," by Lord Rayleigh, F.R.S., vol. iii. It is 

 expected that the work will be completed in four volumes. 

 "The Electrical Properties of Gases," by Prof. J. J. Thomson, 

 F.R.S.; "Electric Waves," being an Adams Prize Essay in 

 the University of Cambridge, by H. M. Macdonald ; "A 

 Treatise on Determinants," by R. F. Scott. A new edition 

 by G. B. Mathews, F. R S.; "The Algebra of Invariants," by 

 J. H. Grace and .\. Young ; " A Primer of Botany," by F. F. 

 Blackman ; "Zoological Results based on material from New 

 Britain, New Guinea, Loyalty Islands and elsewhere, collected 

 during the years 1S95, 1S96 and 1S97," by Dr. Arthur Willey. 

 The entire work will be completed with the publication of 

 part vi., which will be issued during 1901, and will contain Dr. 

 Willey's monograph on Nautilus and other articles, including 

 an account of the Ascidians by Prof. W. .\. Herdman, F.R.S. 

 " Reports of the Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits 

 by the Members of the Expedition," edited by Prof. A. C. 

 Haddon, F.R.S., vol. ii. : — Pliysiology and Psychology. It is 

 expected that the work will be completed in five volumes. 

 " Biometrika. A Journal for the Statistical Study of Biological 

 Problems," part i. ; " The Fauna and Geography of the Maldive 

 and Laccadive Archipelagoes," being the account of the work 

 carried on and of the collections made by an expedition during 

 the years 1899 and 1900 under the leadership of J. Stanley 

 Gardiner, part i. of vol. i. ; " Index Nominum Animalium," 

 compiled by C. Davies Sherborn under the supervision of a 

 committee appointed by the British Association and with the 

 support of the British Association, the Royal Society and the 

 Zoological Society, vol. i. (1758-1800); "Fossil Plants," a 

 manual for students of botany and geology, by A. C. Seward, 

 F.R.S., vol. ii.; "Electricity and Magnetism," by Dr. R. T. 

 Glazebrook, F.R.S., "Hegelian Cosmology," by J. McT. E. 

 .McTaggart ; " Essays on Educational Subjects," by Prof. S. S. 

 Laurie. 



Messrs. Cassell and Co., Ltd., will publish: — "The Earth's 

 Beginning," by Sir R. S. Ball, F.R.S., illustrated; and new 

 editions of: — ^" Tumours, Innocent and Malignant, their Clinical 

 Characters and Appropriate Treatment," by J. Bland Sutton, 

 illustrated; "Surgical Applied Anatomy," by Sir Frederick 

 Treves, K.C.Y.O. , assisted by Dr. Arthur Keith, illustrated. 



