March 9, 1899] 



NA TURE 



451 



by the students who present themselves for instruction in science 

 and technology. 



Broadly, the work of the evening classes may be grouped 

 under the heads of (i) mathematics and science, (2) technology, 

 (3) commerce and economics. A fair number of students, how- 

 ever, study languages and other literary subjects. 



In addition to the classes in the various branches of study in- 

 cluded under physics there is a three years' course in electrical 

 engineering, and workshop classes are arranged for the fourth 

 and succeeding years in electric wiring, fitting, &c. Courses in 

 telegraphy and telephony are to be held later to supplement the 

 other work. 



Students in the department of engineering begin with ele- 

 mentary machine drawing, and are only admitted to the 

 mechanical engineering lectures after they have made a certain 

 amount of progress in such drawing. There is also workshop 

 practice in fitting and machining, smith-work and pattern- 

 making. Students work for two or three evenings a week in 

 the shops, at a regular course of filing, chipping, scraping, lic. , 

 and are not allowed to go to the machines till they have proved 

 their efficiency at hand work. 



The department for the building trades is probably the most 

 numerously attended, a natural result of the fact that these 

 trades are strongly represented in the neighbouring localities. 

 An endeavour is made to get all technological students to go 

 through a course of building construction and to acquire an 

 elementary acquaintance with mathematics, practical geometry, 

 and e.xperimental science. A short course of lectures on the 

 •chemistry of building materials is given. Classes in builders' 

 quantities and quantity surveying are held, and practical work 

 is done in the brick-work and plumbing shops. A collection of 

 specimens of various woods arranged (or students' inspection at 

 any time, and practical work in masonry, plasterers' work, 

 house-painting and decorating, complete the facilities placed at 

 the disposal of all engaged in the building trade. 



In addition to a very complete course of lectures and practical 

 work in pure inorganic and organic chemistry, there have been 

 arranged in the chemical department, lectures to trade class 

 students on various technical applications of chemical and 

 physical science, and a course of elementary experimental 

 science, given by the Principal and the Head of the physical 

 <lepartment. This simple course forms an introduction to the 

 more sy.steraatic work in the chemical and physical departments, 

 as well as providing the necessary preliminary training for 

 students of technology. 



The department of commerce and economics at present in- 

 cludes classes in book-keeping, shorthand, type-writing, and 

 general commercial subjects. French and German are also 

 extensively studied. 



The women's department is in an undeveloped condition. 

 Needlework, dressmaking, and millinery are the only subjects 

 for which provision has yet been made. With the completion 

 of the new buildings, now being erected, the organisation of 

 classes in cookery, laundry-work, and general housewifery will 

 be brought to perfection, and a day school of domestic economy 

 will be started. 



The Northern Polytechnic has, in addition to the students 

 already referred to, a number working for University degrees, 

 and many studying literature, vocal and instrumental music, 

 elocution, and other subjects of a similar more or less recreative 

 character. 



The rapid increase of the numbers seeking admission has 

 already raised a difficulty as to accommodation, and for the 

 2000 individual students at present enrolled every available inch 

 of space has had to be utilised. A. 'T. Simmons. 



THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE ON THE 



SECONDARY EDUCATION BILL. 

 A DEPUTATION representing a conference held in Man- 

 -^ ^ Chester under the auspices of the Victoria University on 

 the subject of secondary education, was received on Friday last 

 by the Duke of Devonshire, Lord President of the Council, the 

 object of the deputation being to present to the Lord President 

 the following resolutions, which were passed at the Manchester 

 Conference : — 



(i) That, in the opinion of the conference, a Minister of 

 Education of Cabinet rank should represent the Education De- 

 partment in Parliament ; (2) that the creation of the consultative 



NO. 1532, VOL. 59] 



committee mentioned in Clause 3 of the Bill .should be obliga- 

 tory, and that the committee should be so composed as to be 

 competent to advise as well on the various grades of technical as 

 on those of secondary education ; {3) that it is desirable that 

 immediate provision be made for the institution nf local 

 authorities for secondary education ; (4) that the relations of 

 the proposed board of education to the Charity Commissioners 

 should be more clearly defined in the Bill, so as to avoid as far 

 as possible the risk of dual control. 



We print, from the Times report, an abridgment of the 

 speech delivered by the Duke on the occasion. 



As to the resolutions they had brought before him, he was 

 happy to see that the first one practically endorsed the action ot 

 the Government in relation to the Bill which was introduced last 

 year. The Bill which will .shortly be introduced will probably 

 be altered in some respects as to the constitution of the new 

 Education Department ; but he hoped that such alteration would 

 make it more satisfactory than even the provisions of the Bill of 

 last Session. 



The subject upon which Principal Bodington chiefly spoke 

 was that of the second resolution relating to the appointment 

 and con.stitut-on of a consultative committee. Principal Bod- 

 ington said that a certain amount of apprehension had been felt 

 in some quarters that the assumption by the Government of 

 supervision or control over secondary education might possibly 

 have the effect of crushing out the individuality which has 

 hitherto characterised the secondary school system, and might 

 tend in the direction of undue uniformity. He could assure 

 them that no such idea has entered into the minds of the present 

 Government, and that they are perfectly aware, and feel as 

 strongly as it is possible to feel, that it would be in the very highest 

 degree undesirable to attempt, in relation to secondary education, 

 to establish any such uniformity of system as must, perhaps 

 necessarily, exist as regards primary or elementary education. 

 And in so far as the appointment of an advisory committee 

 may tend to make it impossible that any such result may follow, 

 he attached very considerable importance to the constitution of 

 such a committee. Principal Bodington admitted, however — 

 and that is a point on which he felt equally strongly — that the 

 appointment of the committee must not be allowed in any degree 

 to impair the responsibility of the Minister himself 



It would, he thought, be a very unfortunate departure from 

 our constitutional system if the Minister were able to feel that 

 he was not absolutely and entirely responsible for the action of 

 his department, and if he were able to take shelter under the 

 advice of the consultative committee, however representative 

 that committee might be. 



As to the constitution of the consultative committee by the 

 Bill to be introduced, he did not think it would be desirable to 

 enter into too minute details. Words, however, he thought, 

 might very well be inserted in the clause setting forth that the 

 intention is to give it that representative character — repre- 

 sentative of the Universities, representative of other 

 parties interested in education, representative of the teachers 

 themselves, as well as persons directly nominated by the 

 Government, 



Secondary education ought probably in the new department to 

 have a sub-department of its own ; and technical education prob- 

 ably will remain, for the present, at all events, more closely 

 connected with the Science and Art Department. Secondary 

 education is concerned with boys and youths ; technical educa- 

 tion is concerned with youths and people of more advanced age ; 

 and he doubted very much whether it would be possible, with- 

 out unduly enlarging the size of the consultative committee, to 

 entrust to the committee duties connected with both secondary 

 and technical education. 



Not much had been said by the deputation on the subject or 

 the third resolution — the institution of local authorities for 

 secondary education. He trusted that anybody who did him the 

 honour to read the speech he made on the subject last year will 

 recognise that the Government are not in the smallest degree 

 insensible to the urgency of the constitution of these authorities. 

 If they refrained this Session from embodying proposals on that 

 subject in the measure which constitutes the central authority, it 

 would be for the reason stated last year. 



He could give the strongest assurance that nobody could feel 

 more than the Government that a measure which does not deal 

 with the constitution of local authorities must necessarily be an 

 utterly inadequate and imperfect one, and that it is the Govern- 

 ment's firm intention, if they should be successful in passing the 



