400 
SCIENCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
HE seventeenth annual meeting of the Association 
of Public-School Science Masters was held at 
Eton College on January 3 and 4. In his presidential 
address, Prof. H. H. Turner dealt with two main 
points, namely, that few boys have in them the making 
of scientific investigators, and that more openings are 
required for those who possess these attributes. Just 
as some boys have no sense of appreciation for music, 
soothers are dead to scientific things, and may have 
a habitual dislike to them. It must, of course, be 
acknowledged that such types exist, but like indiffer- 
ence or antipathy can be found to all school subjects. 
Prof. Turner dealt with instruction in science as if its 
intention was to produce experts, whereas up to the 
age at which specialisation is. permitted in a school 
course, the scientific teaching should be that which can 
claim a place in general education as justly as the 
teaching of letters, history, and mathematics. Boys 
who specialise in science afterwards may become in- 
vestigators, but at present the careers open to them 
are few, and the prospects in them are unpromising. 
Prof. Turner suggested the formation of a Research 
Civil Service, parallel to the existing Administrative 
Civil ‘Service. There is plenty of work to be done, 
such as the survey cf our Empire, geodetically, mag- 
netically, gravitationally, bathymetrically, and in other 
ways. There are forestry and fisheries, and industrial 
research of many kinds. Work is less likely to fail 
than workers. Modern researches aie often of em- 
barrassing length and involve much labour, but schools 
may help with some of them, and Prof. Turner gave 
a number of instances, of which ‘‘ upper-air research” 
was one. He quoted Capt. Cave’s opinion that such 
work is suitable for boys, and would be scientifically 
valuable. Mr. O. H. Latter, of Charterhouse, in 
seconding a vote of thanks to the president, proposed 
by Mr. C. E. Ashford, of the Royal Naval College, 
Dartmouth, thought that the views of parents would 
have to be taken into consideration when contemplat- 
ing purely scientific investigation in schools. In this 
‘connection he read the following letter received by him 
as typical of the attitude of many parents towards 
certain studies of natural history :— 
“‘T wonder if I may ask your co-operation in regard 
to my son? I believe you are the principal natural 
science master, and that he has been under your 
tuition from time to time. The boy’s extraordinary 
liking for what I regard as the most repulsive branch 
of natural history—newts, beetles, and insects—is a 
source of much disappointment both to his mother and 
to me. Can you either directly or indirectly turn his 
mind to a higher and more refined branch of the subject 
—hirds, trees, or flowers? I cannot help feeling that 
the tendency of his present study is degrading, and I | 
shall be glad to know if you think you can influence 
him in the wav I suggest. If you can, I shall be 
extremely grateful to you.” 
Prof. R, A. Gregory, in opening a discussion on 
“Science for the Rank and File,” said it is necessary | 
to distinguish clearly between courses of work suitable 
for the rank and file and those intended as preliminary 
training for scientific or industrial careers. One has 
to do with science as an essential element of a liberal 
education; the other with vocational instruction. The 
former is at least as important as the latter, and little 
justification can be found for the concentrated attention 
given to a few subjects, with the view of imparting 
knowledge of experimental methods, when such a 
course means that the wonders of the fields beyond 
are kept outside the range of vision. For the impart- 
ing of the rudiments of a liberal education to all pupils 
the descriptive and qualitative school science of a 
NO. 2464, VoL. 98] 
NATURE 
[JANUARY 18, 1917 
| generation ago is better adapted than the quantitative. 
work in-the narrow fields mapped out for instruction — 
to-day. A plea was made for the introduction of de- 
scriptive lessons and reading intended to stimulate 
interest in scientific work and achievement and their 
relation to modern life, instead of limiting the teaching 
to dehumanised material of physics and chemistry. 
Different aspects of this general subject of science for. 
all were put forward in papers on :—A scheme of in- 
struction in science for all boys throughout their school 
career, i.e. some science indispensable for all boys, by 
Mr. F. S. Young (Bishop’s Stortford); the teaching of 
science on the classical side, by the Rev. S. A. 
McDowall (Winchester); the age for beginning serious 
science, by Mr. W. D. Eggar (Eton); classics the basis" 
of a scientific education, by the Rev. A. L. Cortie, 
S.J. (Stonyhurst); how far can the advantages derived 
from teaching classics be derived from science? by the 
Rev. F. G. Forder (Charterhouse). 
On the second day of the meeting, the first subject 
of discussion was technical bias in schools, and the 
papers read were :—School science in its relation to 
modern industrial problems, by Mr. E. R. Thomas 
(Rugby); school chemistry with a technical bias, by 
Mr. W. J. Gale (King’s College School, Wimbledon) ; 
value and danger of giving a technical.or topical trend , 
to scientific education, by Mr. D. Berridge (Malvern). 
There was also a discussion on the place of text-books 
in science teaching, opened by Mr. G. N. Pingriff 
(University College School). 
In the course of the discussion on technical bias in 
schools, Prof. A. Smithells said that in teaching science 
it should never be forgotten that however perfect 
might be the inculcation of scientific method, however 
sound the mental discipline, however powerful the in- 
tellectual weapon they supplied, unless they showed 
how science bore upon the environment and avocations 
of human life—unless, in fact, they humanised it— 
science could not flow effectually into the general cul- 
ture of the nation. ; i 
Mr. C. L. Bryant, secretary of the association, in 
reading the report of the committee, said that towards: — 
the end of 1915 it was decided to arouse public opinion 
on the lack of appreciation of science in this country, 
and as the result of the work of a sub-committee, Mr. 
M. D. Hill was able to form what became known as 
the ‘‘ Neglect of Science Committee.” The committee 
of the association has also drawn up a memo- 
randum containing a statement of facts, prin- 
ciples, ‘and policy, which served as a text for 
discussion between a deputation and the Govern- 
ment Committee on Science in Education. In 
view of the growing opinion that training in science 
forms an essential part of a liberal education, the com- 
mittee of the association has drafted a scheme of work 
which it considers to be suitable for all boys at the 
public schools up to. the age of about sixteen and a 
half years. The meeting passed, nem. con., a motion 
expressing general approval of this scheme. 
FERTILISERS AND AGRICULTURAL 
‘ PRODUCTION. 
ap ee, January issue of Blackwood’s Magazine con- 
tains an important article by Prof. W. Somer- 
ville entitled ‘Increased Agricultural Production.” 
As indicative of the present position of British agri- 
culture, the author points out that of the food con- 
sumed we produce only one-fifth of the wheat, rather 
more than half the meat, one-quarter of the butter 
and margarine, one-fifth of the cheese, and nearly all 
the milk. The chief factor causing the reduction of 
the area of land tilled was the great increase in the 
: 
a Sr Or 
