176 



NATURh 



January 9, 1919 



univi rsitj b} bi tnging the award of 

 within the domain of the Joint Matriculation Hoard, 

 higher papers being set for this special purpose. 1 he 

 id working of tin ■ iid, was owing to 



hi i.n i thai ill- Mat ii illation Board tairn d a 



substantia] bod) oi representatives oi the schools. 



In connection with the meetings then- was an 

 exhibition of apparatus, etc. Perhaps the most im- 

 portant thing shown was the- use of crystal viol- i to 

 compare the hydrion contenl of aqueous solutions of 

 acids by the colours obtained on adding measured 

 proportions of the dye. The "weakei " the acid, the 

 nearer is the lint to the violet end of the spectrum. 

 Ah. R. (.. Durrani (Marlborough College) Maims that 

 the margin of error in comparison with conductivity 

 data is very narrow, and that his method is both 

 simple and quick. Mr. Durrant also showed the use 

 of malachite-green solution in differentiating the 

 flames of the alkali and alkaline earth metal- by 

 cutting out the orange band from the spectrum ; by 

 this means the calcium flame appears bright green and 

 the strontium one ruby-red. 



During the nineteen years of its life the membership 

 of the association has been restricted to the public 

 schools. The basis has now been broadened so as to 

 include science masters in any secondary school which 

 is under the control of a corporate body. The name 

 has therefore been changed to "The Science Masters' 

 Association." Air. W. D. Eggar, of Eton College, 

 and Capt, W. J. R. Calvert, of Harrow School, are 

 the new secretaries. Mr. \V. W. Vaughan, the 

 Master of Wellington College, was elected president 

 of the association for the coming year. 



M 



MR. FISHER AND THE BOARD OF 

 EDUCATION. 

 R. LLOYD GEORGE is presumably busy fo lin- 

 ing his new Government, and rumour has it 

 that many changes of personnel are imminent. Some 

 two years ago, on the formation of the second Coalition 

 Government, a novel departure was made under the 

 of war conditions in the selection of men for 

 certain appointments, not in virtue of political services 

 for which due reward must be found, but in respect 

 of peculiar fitness and proved experience of the work 

 to be done. Among those invited to accept office was 

 \h . !1. A. L. Fisher, Vice-Chancellor of the University 

 of Sheffield, who had won the confidence of all classes 

 in the ana covered by the operations of the University 

 by the tact, judgment, and broad sympathy with all 

 forms of education he had displayed in the discharge 

 of his duties. He was invited by Mr. Lloyd George 

 tccept the Presidency of the Board of Education 

 vacated by Lord Crewe, and he consented, a seat in the 

 House being found for him in the Hallam division of 

 id. Mr. Fisher has proved a success, not merely 

 in the discharge of his duties as President, but also in 

 the advocacy of a far-reaching, not to say revolu- 

 tionary. Education Act, and of a measure of long- 

 delayed justice to the teachers in the shape of a 

 Superannuation Act, which will go far to make the 

 profession of the teacher attractive. He has won 

 golden opinions by the skill and judgment he dis- 

 played in piloting these measures through the House, 

 and he has breathed a new atmosphere into the Board 

 of Education which "brings hope with it and forward- 

 looking thoughts." These two measures stand to his 

 infinite credit; they still need careful guidance in 

 order to reap their full fruit and to make way for 

 further developments; and yet it is said that a change 

 in Mr. Fisher's position is imminent, born of his very 

 ;. No department of the State has suffered 

 more than that of education by the constant changes 

 NO. 2567, VOL. I02] 



of its ph IVi bei n no fewer than ten sin, e 



1902 — but it would nol i' its Status and its 



vital importance to the national well-being rightly 



[1 d. Ll ought to 1 ank « ith the high 1 1 

 offices, and be remunerated accordingly. Ii demands 



special know led-, and - xperience for its due disc hi 

 and in Mr. Fisher we have the man who rejoins in 

 both, united with an enthusiasm and devotion but 

 rarelj witnessed. Thai be should be assigned some 

 Othei duties in the political sphere would excite a 

 feeling of grave disappointmi nl throughout the country 

 at ibis 1 1 itii al time. 



\i tie- annual meeting ol the Incorporated Associa- 

 tion of Headmasters on Januar) ,;, tie president of 

 the association, Mr. F. B. Malim, Master of Hailey- 

 bury College, proposed, and the Rev. Dr. David, 

 Headmaster of Rugby, seconded, the following resolu- 

 tion, which was adopted unanimously: — "That this 

 association desires to express its profound satisfaction 

 at the educational developments initialed and carried 

 by Mr. Fisher as Minister of Education, and its con- 

 viction that il is of the first importance in the interests 

 of the nation that Mr. Fisher should continue in that 

 office and should be enabled to complete the great work 

 of which he has made so admirable a beginning; and 

 that I his association would regard it as a national 

 calamity if Mr. Fisher should be required to leave 

 the Board of Education at this juncture." 



Following the headmasters' lead, the teachers 

 assembled at the joint conference of educational asso- 

 ciations at University College, London, on January 4, 

 carried unanimously a resolution in the same sensi -. 

 which was proposed by Sir Henry Hadow and 

 seconded by Miss Busk. The motion was in the fol- 

 lowing words : — "This conference, composed of thirty- 

 nine educational associations, which is now assembled 

 at University College, London, wishes to urge the 

 importance of retaining Mr. Fisher as Minister of 

 Education. The educational developments accom- 

 plished by him during his period of office have given 

 profound satisfaction to the teaching profession. 

 Further, the confidence established between the Board 

 of Education and teachers through Mr. Fisher's ap- 

 pointment and achievements has inspired teachers with 

 a high sense of their responsibility in the training 

 of the youth of the nation, and it is of the utmost 

 importance that this confidence should be maintained 

 and strengthened by the continuance of Mr. Fisher in 

 the office of Minister of Education." 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE RESULTS OF 

 OUR SYSTEM OF EDUCATION. 1 



MAN A' problems of education would be solved if 

 a reallv good scientific test of the results of 

 1 dueation could be invented. I can imagine that if such 

 a test were to be applied, say, once a year to all the 

 forty million or so residents in this country, beginning 

 with the British workman and ascending, or descend- 

 ing, lo the Houses of Parliament, and even to the 

 Royal Society, the results might be surprising. But as 

 no such test is known, all we can do is to try to 

 form some kind of personal estimate and integration, 

 just as we try to measure lengths and areas by the 

 eve — a method full of fallacies, but unfortunately, 

 perhaps, the only one available. I propose, therefore, 

 to offer for your consideration, as briefly as possible, 

 my own life-notes on the subject. 



Let us begin with physical education. I 

 think, the British system has deservedlj s,-t the fashion 

 throughout the world. The young men of most coun- 



1 ; 1 «n the | residential address delivered at the animal meeting of the 

 ion ol Public S.h.K.l Si «1 December 31, 1918, by 



I M.i ... F.R.S. 



