September 12, 1907] 



NATURE 



505 



Mr. Andrews showed a number of views illustrating the 

 structure and other features of the district and its coast- 

 line. 



On one afternoon the section joined with Sections C 

 and K to listen to an illustrated lecture by Prof. Conwentz 

 on the need of preserving what may be called " natural 

 monuments" (typical scenery, flora and fauna, &c.), and 

 the measures adopted or to be recommended to this end. 

 Another lecture, by Mrs. Leonidas Hubbard, presented a 

 graphic account of a journey in Labrador, during which 

 the lecturer completed the work begun by her late 

 husband in the survey of two previously unexplored rivers, 

 the navigation of which is rendered difficult and 

 dangerous by the many falls and rapids. Lastly, a short 

 extempore account of the general and economic characters 

 of British New Guinea was given by Dr. W. M. Strong, 

 a Government official who had just arrived in England 

 on furlough. 



Reports were presented by the committees for investi- 

 gations in the Indian Ocean (Mr. J. S. Gardiner) ; for the 

 study of the relations between rainfall and river dis- 

 charge (Prof. McCallum and Dr. Herbertson) ; and for 

 that of oscillations of land-level in the Mediterranean (Mr. 

 R. T. Giinther) ; and grants were obtained for the further 

 prosecution of the work of the two first. 



EDUCATION AT THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 



"yWO joint conferences were held, the first with 

 Section H, on Anthropometrics in Schools. The 

 report of a committee of Section H on anthropometric 

 investigation in the British Isles was presented by Mr. 

 J. Gray (secretary). The anatomical subcommittee re- 

 ported on methods of taking chest measurements, on hair 

 colours, and on iris colours. A series of schedules of 

 proposed anthropometric measurements for the use of 

 schools has been drawn up, suggestive as to what could 

 be done with limited opportunities. A psychological sub- 

 committee has drawn up a list of thirty-four mental 

 characters, on which they suggest observations on a scale 

 indicating average or more or less marked over or under 

 development of each character. The educational sub- 

 committee (Mr. E. N. Fallaize, convener) states some ot 

 the aims of anthropometric observations in schools as the 

 determination of averages and standard deviations, the 

 correlation of physical and mental growth, the detection 

 of the unfit, and the testing of the efficiency of different 

 systems of education. -Vlr. J. Gray recommended that 

 measurements and observations in all schools should be 

 made in accordance with the scheme of the .Anthropometric 

 Committee of the British .Association, that the data 

 obtained should be entered on the card schedules, and each 

 subject's dossier kept in an envelope as recommended by 

 the committee. Dr. F. C. Shrubsall showed some lantern- 

 slides of the results already obtained by anthropometric 

 methods, including a comparison of the relative statures 

 of Jewish and British children, the Jews leading at first, 

 but both alike at age twenty-two ; the heights of the 

 professional, commercial, and artisan classes, the pro- 

 fessional always leadinc : the percentage distribution of 

 stature in Scotland, Liguria, and Sardinia, showing the 

 Scottish stature as taller than the Sardinian ; a map 

 showing the average statures in different counties of the 

 British Isles; the range of variation at different ages in 

 schoolboys, showing that the tallest aged five was taller 

 than the smallest aged ten. This demonstration was most 

 impressive, indicating both the importance of the results 

 already obtained and the risks of generalising from 

 imperfect statistics or with inadequate knowledge. 



The discussion thus begun was adjourned and con- 

 tinued throughout the afternoon. Sir Victor Horsley 

 read a resolution already accepted in the committee of 

 Section L : — " Resolved that, in view of the national 

 importance of obtaining data on the question of physical 

 deterioration, this association urges upon the Government 

 the pressing necessitv of instituting, in connection with 

 the medical inspection of school children, a system of 

 periodic measurement which will provide definite inforrn- 

 ation on their phvsical condition and development." This 

 resolution was afterwards adopted by the general com- 



NO. 1976, VOL. 76] 



mittee of the association, and, pending further consider- 

 ation by the coulicil in November, it was agreed that it 

 should be communicated to persons interested without 

 delay. 



Prof. M. E. Sadler hoped that a medical bureau would 

 be instituted, preferably by the Board of Education, but 

 with the cooperation of the medical staff of the Local 

 Government Board and of the Home Office. It was 

 desirable that the central authority should give supervision 

 in order that observations mav be made on a uniform 

 basis. Mr. J. Ramsay Macdonald, M.P., regarded anthro- 

 pometrics in schools as a necessary scientific basis for 

 social legislation and educational policy. Mr. E. Meyrick, 

 F.R.S., of Marlborough College, spoke on the practical 

 difficulties in obtaining measurements of growth in school- 

 bovs, perturbations and inaccuracies being so consider- 

 able that the final results were nearly valueless. Sub- 

 sequent speakers, thinking perhaps of height rather than 

 of growth (or difference of consecutive heights), freely 

 declared that the accuracy of the measurements did not 

 much matter so long as there were plenty of measure- 

 ments used in the average, but no one indicated exactly 

 what standards of accuracy were possible or desirable. 

 Mr. Cecil Hawkins, of Hail'eybury, read a paper on types 

 of physical development in schools. .\ series of diagrams 

 was distributed having in each case age as the abscissa, 

 and for ordinate either height, weight or girth. Across 

 each of these a series of nearly equidistant curves was 

 drawn to show the progressive development of twenty 

 different grades of boys (each equally probable). This 

 svstem makes it easv to plot the course of any individual 

 boy and to compare him, not merely with the average, but 

 also with his own tvpe, and to see how his height, weight, 

 and girth are losing or gaining relatively to each other. 

 Prof. Findlav referred to the suggestions of Prof. Arm- 

 strong that more might be done to interest the scholars 

 themselves in these measurements and in the necessary 

 calculation of results. c, ■ j 



The discussion on The Scholarship System afforded a 

 full day's work, the morning being devoted to the transi- 

 tion from the primary school to the secondary day school, 

 and the afternoon to 'the preparatory school, public school, 

 and university. The opening paper, by Prof. M. L. 

 Sadler and Mr. H. Bompas Smith, greatly assisted tlie 

 discussion bv focusing attention on points raised by their 

 recent inquiry, the results of which will be most welcome 

 on fuller publication. New sections of the community are 

 demanding access to secondary schools, and it has become 

 necessary either to extend the scholarship system or to 

 embark upon a policy of free, or nearly free, secondary 

 education under public control. Maintenance allowances 

 are also necessary. The demand for secondary education 

 has been accelerated bv new regulations for the training 

 of pupil-teachers. A scholarship system must give the 

 opportunity of long training for individuals of unusual 

 capacity, and not merely brief but widespread encourage- 

 ment to average ability. The records kept of the later 

 careers of scholarship holders are at present inadequate, 

 but the evidence points to an overwhelming majority pass- 

 ing into literary, clerical, and other non-industrial call- 

 ings. The scholarship question should be looked at from 

 a national point of view, not only from the standpoint 

 of the personal advantage and preferment of the individual 

 scholar. Ability should be directed towards those call- 

 ings in which 'the individual, by natural aptitude and by 

 physical stamina, can best render valuable service to the 

 nation. Hitherto preferential treatment has been given 

 to the recruiting of the more literary professions. At 

 present special advantage is given to urban districts. 1 he 

 fixed values of the scholarships at public schools and 

 universities might well be reduced, but ample supple- 

 mentary allowances should be given to those scholars who 

 need them, after private inquiry into the circumstances of 

 each case The best examinations now conducted tor 

 junior scholarships are confined, so far as written tests 

 are concerned, to papers in English and arithmetic. A 

 simple oral test is desirable. The examiners should also 

 have access to the pupil's school record. Stress should 

 always be laid upon physical fitness; this would be an 

 incentive to the healthy up-bringing of children and dis- 

 courage neglect of the candidate's health. Mr. R. Blair, 



