354 



NA TURE 



[January 2 1, 1909 



out leaving other studies undone, natural scicr.ce taught 

 by masters who retain the keen curiosity of the boy, who 

 are still as serious as the boy, and who can beat him 

 in handiness and research, is an integral part of educa- 

 tion. It is eminently fitted to cherish his seriousness, to 

 develop his curiosity into r.esearch, and to multiply his 

 formative dexterities. 



" I admit a little bias against abstract science for boys. 

 Some mathematics must enter into the curriculum ; but 

 my impression is that most schoolboys are almost as in- 

 capable of abstraction as terriers. Some older boys can 

 get no inconsiderable grip on universals ; but it is a 

 topsy-turvy education which begins with universals and 

 ends with a few particulars. For most boys natural 

 history and mechanics may prove more congenial than 

 chemistry. 



" Science is not a hobby, nor even a modern system of 

 utilitarian ingenuity ; it is a way of observing and inter- 

 preting everything, including religion. In later life, most 

 of us have to concentrate upon specific studies or crafts ; 

 but while I plead for even more differentiation for the 

 various boy than at present he has, I protest that to 

 box off ' science ' artificially on a ' modern ' or any other 

 ' side ' is to perpetuate an unnatural schism. .'\n educa- 

 tion which is not modern is an anachronism. I do not 

 desire to see headmasters more specifically scientific than 

 linguistic ; but he who is to mould a school should inspire 

 it as a whole, and be in full and understanding sympathy 

 with every part and function of it. If he only knows 

 so much of science as to misunderstand it, or just to 

 tolerate it, the educational mill will continue to throw 

 out, to the right and to the left, batches of half-educated 

 men." 



Mr. L. Gumming, in moving a vote of thanks, took 

 the opportunity to point out that their boys had to pass 

 examinations, and that examiners set questions on 

 "abstract science." Dr. Garnctt, in seconding the vote, 

 directed attention to the fact that some boys can learn 

 from reading, some from tactile perceptions. We should 

 be ready to gain access to the mental citadel by the par- 

 ticular gate which happened to be open. In his reply, 

 the president said that there will be a great saving of 

 time when the scientific spirit gets possession of the 

 school and compels coordination in teaching. The uni- 

 versities were partly to blame for the perpetuation of the 

 segregation of schoolboys into classical, modern, and other 

 sides, as their prizes are on the side of Greek and Latin. 



Mr. M. D. Hill gave an account of the anthropometric 

 work which has been carried on for fifteen months at 

 Eton. Anthropometry includes psychological and physio- 

 logical characters as well as morphological, tracing corre- 

 lations between characters while examining the effect of 

 environment. Psychologists, ethnologists, and statesmen 

 require data which must be obtained from anthropometrv. 

 .Already the examination of 500,000 children in Scotland 

 as to colour of hair and eyes has solved problems of race- 

 migration. Their %vork at Eton was connected with 

 medical inspection. Instructions for practical work could 

 be found in the report of the committee of Section H of 

 the British .Association, 1008. Mr. Gray, as secretary to 

 this committee, expressed the hope that public schools 

 would take up the inquiry so as to make it national in 

 scope. We want an audit of national physique. Mr. Earl 

 (Tonbridge) had found the value of such observations from 

 the schoolmaster's point of view, as thev make possible 

 the detection of defects, and in his experience remedial 

 treatment has resulted in the improvement of the physical 

 tone and alertness of boys. 



In the afternoon there was a discussion on the British 

 .Association report on the sequence of science studies in 

 boys' schools. Mr. G. F. Daniell introduced the subject, 

 saying that the inquiry had shown the existence of genera! 

 agreement as to the subjects to be taught and as to their 

 sequence, but that great diversity of opinion and practice 

 exists in regard to methods. This diversity was approved ; 

 the teacher's liberty should be preserved and the influence 

 of external examinations restricted. Mr. W. D. Eggar 

 (Eton) spoke of the growth of geography as a school 

 subject. This quite desirable growth had made the sub- 

 ject too wide for one teacher ; he advocated putting physio- 

 graphy into the science course, and leaving commercial 

 NO. 2047, VOL. 79] 



and historical aspects to be aealt with by other than 

 " science " masters. Mr. R. G. Durrant (Marlborough) 

 read a paper on teaching the nature of solution in schools, 

 and advocated the introduction of the ionic theory as soon 

 as the boys had some idea of atoms and molecules. Mr. 

 G. H. Martin (Bradford) gave an account of his science 

 course for boys on the classical side. He had found most 

 successful results from geology, and he concluded that the 

 only form of science suitable to such boys was one which, 

 besides being of immediate application, furnishes the basis 

 of an after-school hobby and permanently enlarges the 

 mental outlook. .\ discussion followed, in which Sir 

 Clifford .AUbutt, Prof. Armstrong and others took part. A 

 resolution protesting against the refusal of the General 

 Medical Council to " recognise " public schools in their 

 regulations for the registration of medical students was 

 passed on the motion of Mr. C. I. Gardiner. 



As in former years, the exhibition of apparatus formed 

 an important and instructive feature of the meeting. 

 Twenty-foui members contributed useful and novel pieces 

 of apparatus, often of much ingenuity, and occasionally 

 of delightful simplicity. Several well-known firms of 

 apparatus dealers and publishers sent displays which filled 

 the great hall, and the whole display could not be exhausted 

 in the four and a half hours allotted to its examination. 

 We note a few of the objects of interest. 



Dr. T. J. Baker showed a safe method of liberating 

 hydrogen from water by action of potassium. A la3'er of 

 naphtha is poured on the water, and a fragment of 

 potassium is thrown in. The form of Hore's apparatus 

 exhibited by Mr. D. J. P. Berridge derived interest from 

 the fact that it was designed by a boy at Malvern. Mr. 

 Berridge 's still and water-bath (made by Fletcher, Russell 

 and Co.) is of a serviceable pattern for school laboratories. 

 Several teachers will thank Mr. Cooke for his method of 

 burning magnesium in steam by plunging an ignited helix 

 into a flask where water boils briskly. Mr. Cross exhibited 

 " components " for building up " simple machines " and 

 compounding them ; being well made, they should have 

 much educational utility. Electrical instruments such as 

 can be built in school workshops — perhaps the best way 

 of teaching electricity to many boys — were shown bv Mr. 

 L. Gumming. Quite a large and varied set of exhibits 

 was contributed by Mr. Garbutt, including a nearly fool- 

 proof apparatus for showing the volume composition of 

 hydrogen chloride, and an ordinary Bunsen burner con- 

 verted into a rose burner by drilling holes near the top 

 of the tube and putting a small flat asbestos circle or 

 dish on the lop. .Most of us have experienced trouble from 

 burettes with brol<en taps ; Mr. Hedley showed us how 

 to repair them with ebonite taps, shaped by any carpenter. 

 Mr. Martin's laboratory illustrations of geological pheno- 

 mena helped to enforce the arguments of his paper. Mr. 

 Rylcy's evaporating crucible and Mr. Talbot's lantern are 

 already well known. We liked Mr. Leyland Wilson's 

 improved shelf for ovens, and his method of purifying 

 sulphuretted hydrogen deserves trial. He passes the 

 iinpure gas over calcium hydrate and moist sawdust, 

 which absorb the sulphuretted hydrogen only. The latter 

 can be liberated at any desired rate whenever required by 

 passing a current of carbon dioxide over the calcium 

 sulphydrate. 



Among the trade exhibits we may mention the galvano- 

 meters and curved mirrors by Messrs. Philip Harris and 

 Co.. who have just issued an excellent catalogue. Messrs. 

 Becker have attained the acme of simplicity in their burette 

 stand, made in teak, at half-a-crown. We saw some 

 useful clamps for chemical and optical apparatus at the 

 stand of Messrs. Collins. Messrs. Reynolds and Branson 

 have fitted a thorouofhiy satisfactory microscope attach- 

 ment to the Stroud-Rendell lantern, and a blow-flv pro- 

 boscis was shown with good definition and illumination. 

 It is a pity that so few science-masters employ the lantern 

 microscope for class purposes. Good design and accurate 

 finish characterised the instruments for teaching mechanics 

 which Mr. O. Cussons had on view. Experienced workers 

 would not like to be without his " tripod and capstan " 

 stands and clamps. We were reminded that we live in an 

 age of luxury when we looked at Messrs. Griffin's electric 

 furnaces ; but the same firm caters for those who, from 

 choice or necessity, seek to reduce expenditure on 



