NATURE 



219 



THURSDAY, JULY 23, iJ 



THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMISSION 



THE claims of science to form an integral part of a 

 liberal education are, without doubt, making pro- 

 gress. Readers of the early numbers of Nature will 

 remember how it was, with justice, complained that 

 scarcely a single Scholarship or Fellowship was to be 

 obtained at the old Universities for science alone. In 

 more recent numbers the statement has to be modified — 

 there is not yet a sufficient proportion. Now it is ac- 

 knowledged on all hands, that the teaching of a subject 

 at school and its recognition at the Universities are in- 

 separably connected — and especially with regard to 

 science. The Colleges say. We cannot give more scholar- 

 ships, because a sufficient number of men of good attain- 

 ments do not present themselves ; and the Schools reply. 

 We cannot spend ourtime on subjects forwhich there are so 

 few rewards. Both profess willingness, but each calls on 

 the other to take the initiative. One might, perhaps, be 

 inclined to wonder that this question of pecuniary rewards 

 should be of so much consequence as consciously to over- 

 ride the acknowledged main object in view — that of giving 

 the best possible education. But it must be remembered 

 that scholarships at the Universities are the honours of a 

 school — the only means it has of showing to the world 

 that it is doing its work well. 



The progress due to the stimulus of scholarships is 

 from these reasons slow, though perceptible ; and the 

 friends of science have been looking therefore to the 

 Royal Commissions on Scientific Instruction, and on the 

 Public Schools, to supply a stimulus from another quarter. 

 The proposed " Regulations " of the latter Commission 

 which have just been issued will be welcomed by those 

 who heartily wish for the progress of Science Teaching. 

 Ignoring, of course, the question of University scholar- 

 ships, they indirectly settle it by placing .science on 

 exactly the same level as mathematics, and enforcing the 

 necessary outlay for its efficient teaching. And there 

 can be little doubt that this is the right end at which to 

 begin the reform, for it is a narrow view to consider the 

 Universities as making the demand by offering rewards, 

 and the schools as affording the supply. It is the public 

 that demand scientifically educated men, and the schools 

 first, and then the Universities, are called upon to supply 

 them. 



These Regulations apply, of course, to a very limited 

 number of schools, some of which have already done much 

 that is now required of them ; but they are the most im- 

 portant schools in the kingdom, and will inevitably in- 

 fluence all others by the standard thus set. If these 

 Regulations be confirmed the nail will be driven home, 

 and science will be established as a necessary part of 

 every public school curriculum. 



The following are the Regulations to which we especially 

 draw attention, and which are common to all the schools 

 in the view of the Commission : — 



" 2. In every examination determining the position of 



a boy (not being one of the senior boys) in the school, or 



in any report of a general examination, the proportion of 



the marks to be assigned to mathematics shall be not 



Vol. X. — No. 247 



less than one-eighth, nor more than one-fourtb, as the 

 governing body may think fit. 



"3. In every exanrination determining the position of 

 a boy (not being one of the senior boys) in the school, or 

 in any report of a general examination, the proportion of 

 the marks to be assigned to natural science shall be not 

 less than one-eighth, nor more than one-fourth, as the 

 governing body may think fit. 



" 4. In any examination for the senior boys, the pro- 

 portion of the marks to be assigned to the several subjects 

 of study shall be determined by the head master, with the 

 approval of the governing body. 



" 5. The governing body shall from time to time deter- 

 mine the point in the school list above which the boys 

 shall be reckoned as senior boys for the purposes of these 

 regulations. 



" 6. The head master shall give facilities so far as prac- 

 ticable to any senior boy, at the request of his parent or 

 guardian, to pursue any particular subject or subjects of 

 study as may be deemed most expedient for him, and to 

 discontinue any other subject or subjects of study for that 

 purpose. 



" 7. The governing body shall, as soon as possible, 

 provide and maintain out of the income of the property of 

 the school, or out of any other means at their disposal for 

 the educational purposes of the school, laboratories, and 

 collections of apparatus, and of specimens." 



It will be observed that the wording of Nos. 2 and 3 is 

 identically the same, except the substitution of the words 

 Natural Science for Mathematics — thus placing these two 

 subjects upon exactly the same level. With regard to the 

 limits one-fourth and one-eighth, taking it as approximately 

 correct that the proportion of marks in an examination 

 will be that of the time devoted to the subject, these two 

 together will require at least one-fourth of the whole time, 

 a larger proportion than is now given to mathematics in 

 most schools, especially with those who are not " senior 

 boys ; " and thus an encroachment on the classical time 

 is involved, and this lower limit is not likely, therefore, to 

 be much exceeded, in these great schools at all events. 

 But even this will insure greater breadth than under the 

 old system, and will secure that every boy shall know 

 something of the elements of science before he goes on 

 to the elegancies of classics. 



The individual character, however, of particular schools 

 is not interfered with, for this depends essentially on the 

 work of the senior boys ; and for them by Regulation 4 

 the head master may arrange the marks to suit the old 

 traditions of the school. Yet, when we consider the effect 

 of Nos. 6 and 7, we may doubt whether the individuality 

 will continue so well marked. For with laboratories to 

 work in, and specimens to handle, and facilities to pursue 

 their favourite subject, it is impossible but that some fair 

 proportion of the scholars should be attracted by the 

 charms ot physical investigation or of natural history, 

 and mix the honours of the school. 



Of all the proposed Regulations, however, the most 

 pregnant with consequences is the last. 



There is no need surely in these days to insist on the 

 absolute necessity for " laboratories and collections of 

 apparatus and of specimens," if science is to be taught at 

 all ; and we may look, therefore, on this as simply the 

 definition of the term " Natural Science ;" it is not book 

 learning, but science learnt from Nature herself by prac- 

 tical work. If a governing body be called on to provide 

 such laboratories, we may rely on it that for the credit ot 

 their school they will do it well, and a good laboratory 



