598 
remaining they gain most valuable experience by acting as 
monitors and prefects ; but this experience is enjoyed only by 
the few, and might be obtained at an earlier age. Then it is 
said that seventeen is too early an age to enter Oxford or Cam- 
bridge, but this has only been the case since schools have 
retained boys to prepare them for examinations and in order 
that they might assist in the management. I believe that the 
attempts which have been made in these latter days to do college 
work at schools and to establish engineering sides in order to 
find work for senior boys have had a most detrimental effect. 
It is said that the training given in technical schools is too far 
removed from practice ; but how much more must this be true of 
technical work done under school conditions? The excessive 
devotion to literary methods favoured by schools and the older 
Universities tends to develop unpractical habits which unfit 
many to face the rough-and-tumble life of the world, and is 
productive of a disinclination for practical avocations. By 
leaving school at a properly early period this danger is somewhat 
lessened ; moreover, it is necessary in many walks of life that 
school should be left early in order that the school of practice 
may be entered sufficiently soon to secure the indispensable 
manual dexterity and habits. Fora long time past we have been 
drifting away from the practical, and those who are acquainted 
with the work of the schools, especially the elementary schools, 
are aghast at the influence they are exercising in hindering the 
development of practical ability. We must in some way 
counteract this tendency. On the other hand, we have to meet 
the views of those who very properly urge that it is cruel to 
withdraw children from school even at the age we do. The 
two views must in some way be reconciled. The only way will 
be to so improve the teaching in schools that school becomes a 
palace of delight and the continuation school a necessity. The 
habits formed at school should be such that study would never 
be intermitted on leaving school. At present school so nauseates 
the majority that on quitting it they have neither desire nor 
aptitude to study left in them; the work done in it is so 
impossible to translate into ordinary practice, so foreign to 
outside requirements. 
The problem can only be solved by the scientific use of the 
imagination. The solution I would venture to offer is that an 
honest attempt be made to teach, not only the three R’s, but 
also a fourth, Reasoning—the use of thought-power—and that 
a properly wide meaning be given to all the R’s. 
Of all powers that can be acquired at school, that of reading 
is of first importance. Let teachers read what Carlyle says in 
the ‘‘ Hero as Man of Letters,” correcting his exaggerations by 
reading into his words some of the lessons taught by 
experimental science. Reading is not taught in schools in 
these days ; if it were, people would not waste their time on the 
rubbish which now figures as literature and for. which a rational 
substitute mzs¢ be found. A well-read man is worshipped at 
the Universities and is held up to all comers as a pattern, Why 
should not children be encouraged to be ‘‘ well read”’? Let us 
admit this and sow books in their path, Thring, in giving 
utterance to his ‘‘ Practical Thoughts on Education after Thirty 
Years’ Work,” speaks strongly on this point. ‘* Great interest 
will make up for want of time. Create great interest,” he says ; 
and these are noteworthy words. ‘‘ As soon as children can read, 
throw away all lesson books for a time. Let them read—let 
them read aloud—really read, not tumble through the pages. 
Give them to read poetry, the lives of good men, narratives of 
noble deeds, historical stories and historical novels, books of 
travel, and all the fascinating literature of discovery and adven- 
ture. The person who has once learnt to read wellis tempted to 
go on. And such books, selected by a carefully graduated 
scheme, would supply endless knowledge whilst kindling the 
mind, without any waste of time from drudgery and disgust. 
Geography, history and power of speech are all comprised in 
such books if properly used.” 
Thring here advocates what I would advocate—the znczdental 
method of teaching. Why should there be any set lesson in 
subjects such as history and geography? Nothing is worse, 
more stereotyped, more cramping to the intellect than the set 
lesson of so many lines or pages, of a sort of Liebig’s Essence of 
information, with the attendant obligation of committing the 
facts recorded in them to memory. The child, like the restive, 
high-mettled young steed, wants to be off and away—not to be 
held severely in hand. Why should not the method by which 
we get up a subject in later life be followed in schools? At least 
it should be properly tried. Let us give freedom to children, 
NO. 1719, VOL. 66] 
NATURE 
minute details whenever they are wanted. 
[OcTOBER 9, 1902 
and at least during early years lead them to read hard and 
wisely ; they will do so gladly ; and give them pictures innumer- 
able in illustration of their reading. And children must not 
only be taught to read books ; they must learn also to regard and 
use them as sources of information; the habit of flying for 
information to books must be cultivated. They must be 
constantly referred to dictionaries and works of reference 
generally ; they must be set to hunt up all sorts of stories. Of 
course the scholastic Beckmesser will object that such a system 
is impossible, that there would be an end to all discipline ; but 
to say this is to show a want of understanding of children and of 
faith in them, and is proof of failure to recognise their power of 
accepting responsibility when it is properly put upon them, 
The secret of success lies in beginning sufficiently early ; once let 
them appreciate what they are doing and the majority will work 
eagerly and spontaneously. 
But when the full meaning is given to the first of the R’s, it 
will be held to cover, not only the reading of printed or written 
character, but also the reading of some of Nature’s signs, to the 
end that sermons ay de discovered in stones and good in every- 
thing. That is to say, at the same time that they are acquiring 
the true art of reading, they must be learning the true art of 
experimenting—to find out things by putting questions of their 
own and obtaining direct answers. The teaching of the elements 
of experimental science must therefore accompany the teaching 
of reading. And great care must be exercised that the palate 
for experimenting, for results, isnot spoilt by reading. The use 
of text-books must be most carefully avoided at this stage in 
order that that which should be elicited by experiment is not 
previously known and merely demonstrated—a most inferior 
method from any true educational point of view, and of little 
value as a means of developing thought-power. I regard 
Huxley’s ‘‘ Physiography,” for example, as a type of the book to 
be avoided until method has been fully mastered. The great 
difficulty in the way of teaching the art of reading arises from 
the comparative paucity of readable books for young people. 
Text-books are not readable, and in fact tend to spoil reading ; 
and the majority of books are written for grown-up people 
having considerable experience of the world. The mistake is too 
commonly made of expecting children to master “‘ classics.” On 
the other hand, we need not fear allowing advanced books to fall 
into the hands of children; they are the first to despise the 
namby pamby stuff that is too frequently offered to them. A new 
literature must be created, if education is to be put on a sound 
basis ; something beyond mere word-painting is required, Books 
are wanted, written in a bright, attractive and simple style, full 
of accurate information, which would carry us over the world 
and give clear pictures of all that is to be seen, as well as of the 
character and customs of its inhabitants ; and books are wanted 
which, in like manner, would carry us back in time and sketch 
the history of the peoples of the earth. The various branches of 
science all need their popular exponents ; our books are for the 
most part too technical, and whilst much has been done to 
advocate the introduction of ‘* Science” into general education, 
little has been done to make this possible. Unfortunately, those 
who attempt to write readable books are too frequently not 
those who are possessed of sound knowledge, and it is time that 
it were realised by those who could write well and accurately 
that there is a duty incumbent upon them ; on the other hand, 
something should be done to stem the torrent of text-books 
which is now flooding the field of education with the 
destroying force of a deluge and making proper reading 
impossible. 
The true use of books has yet to be found and admitted ; we 
do not sufficiently recognise their value as stores of information 
and savers of brain waste. Why should long trains of facts be 
cominitted to memory but to be forgotten? It is impossible to 
believe that such a process is mental training; it must involve 
loss of energy and mental degradation. In future we must give 
the training at less cost and teach the art of going to books for 
Nearly every subject 
is taught in an eminently selfish manner at the present time, the 
expert declaring that the learner must become acquainted with 
all the main facts of the subject, instead of recognising that it is 
far more important to acquire knowledge of first principles 
together with the power of acquiring the knowledge of facts 
whenever these become necessary. | 
The second R may be held to cover, not only mere writing, 
but also composition. Why is the art of composition taught so 
badly? Because it is impossible even for children to make 
