3IO 



NA rURE 



[July 30, 1896 



tliruuyhoiu the wliole course below the-high school. In the 

 next place, they agreed that in these early lessons in natural 

 science no text book should be used ; but that the study should 

 constantly be associated with the study of literature, language, 

 and drawing. It was their opinion that the study of physiology 

 should be postponed to the later years of the high school course ; 

 but that in the high school, some branch of natural history 

 proper should be jntrsued every day throughout at least one 

 year. Like the report on physics, chemistry, and astronomy, 

 the report on natural history emphasises the absolute necessity 

 of laboratory work by the pupils on plants and animals, and 

 would have careful drawing insisted on from the beginning of 

 the instruction. 



As the laboratory note-book is recommended by the conference 

 on physics, so the conference on natural history recominends 

 that the pupils should be made to express themselves clearly 

 and exactly in words, or by drawings, in describing the objects 

 which they observe ; and they believe that this practice will be 

 found a valuable aid in training the pupils in the art of expres- 

 sion. They agree with the conference on physics, chemistry, 

 and astronomy that science examinations should include both a 

 written and a laboratory test, and that the laboratory note-books 

 of the pupils should be produced at the examination. The 

 recommendations of this conference are therefore very similar to 

 those of the physical conference, so far as methods go ; but there 

 are appended to the general report of the conference on natural 

 history sub-reports which describe the proper topics, the best 

 order of topics, and the right methods of instruction in botany 

 for schools below the high school, and for the high school itself, 

 and in zoology for the secondary schools. Inasmuch as both 

 the subject-matter and the methods of instruction in natural 

 history are much less familiar to ordinary school teachers than 

 the matter and the methods in the languages and mathematics, 

 the conference believed that descriptive details were necessary 

 in order to give a clear view of the intentions of the conference. 

 In another sub-report the conference give their reasons for re- 

 commending the postponement to tlie latest possible time of the 

 study of physiology and hygiene. Like the sixth conference, 

 the conference on natural history protest that no person should 

 be regarded as qualified to teach natural science who has not 

 had special training for this work — a preparation at least as 

 thorough as that of their fellow teachers of mathematics and 

 the languages. 



Geography. 

 Considering that geography has been a subject of recognised 

 value in elementary schools for many generations, and that a 

 considerable portion of the whole school-time of children has 

 long been devoted to a study called by this name, it is somewhat 

 startling to find that the report of the conference on geography 

 deals with more novelties than any other report, exhibits more 

 dissatisfiiction with prevailing methods, and makes, on the 

 whole, the most revolutionary suggestions. 



It is obvious, on even a cursory reading of the majority and 

 minority reports, that geography means for all the members of 

 this conference something entirely difierent from the term 

 "geography" as generally used in school programmes. Their 

 definition of the word makes it embrace not only a descrip- 

 tion of the surface of the earth, but also the elements of botany, 

 zoology, astronomy, and meteorology, as well as many con- 

 siderations pertaining to commerce, government, and ethnology. 

 "The physical environment of man" expresses as well as any 

 single i^hrase can the conference's conception of the principal 

 subject which they wish to have taught. No one can read the 

 reports without perceiving that the advanced instruction in geo- 

 graphy which the conference conceive to be desirable and 

 feasible in high schools cannot be given until the pupils have 

 mastered many of the elementary facts of botany, zoology, 

 geometry, and physics. It is noteworthy also that this conference 

 dealt avowedlyand unreservedly with the whole range of instruc- 

 tion in primary and secondary schools. They did not pretend 

 to treat chiefly instruction in secondary schools, and incidentally 

 instruction in the lower schools ; but, on the contrary, grasped 

 at once the whole problem, and described the topics, methods, 

 and apparatus appropriate to the entire course of twelve years. 

 They recognised that complete descriptions would be necessary 

 in all three branches of the subject — topics, methods, and equip- 

 ment ; and they have given these descriptions with an amplitude 

 and force which leave little to be desired. 



More distinctly than any other conference, they recognised 

 that they were presenting an ideal course which could not be 



NO. I 396, VOL. 54] 



carried into effect everywhere or immediately. Indeed, at 

 several points they frankly state that the me.ans of carrying out 

 their recommendations are not at present readily accessible, and 

 they exliibit the same anxiety which is fell by several other con- 

 ferences about training teachers for the kind of work which 

 the conference believe to be desirable. ,-\fter the full and 

 interesting descriptions of the relations and divisions of geo- 

 graphical .science, as the conference define it, the inost important 

 sections of their report relate to the methods and means of pre- 

 senting the subject in .schools, and to the right order in de- 

 veloping it. The methods which they advocate require not only 

 better equipped teachers, but better means of illustrating geo- 

 graphical facts in the schoolroom, such as charts, maps, globes, 

 photographs, models, lantern slides, and lanterns. Like all the 

 other conferences on scientific subjects, the ninth conference 

 dwell on the importance of forming from the itart good habits 

 of ob.serving correctly and stating accurately the facts observed. 

 They also wish that the instruction in geography may be con- 

 nected with the instruction in drawing, hisiory, and English. 

 They believe that meteorology may be taught as an observational 

 study in the earliest years of the grammar school, the scholars 

 being even then made familiar with the use of the thermometer, 

 the wind vane, and the rain gauge ; and that it may be carried 

 much further in the high school years, after jihysics has been 

 studied, so that the pupils may then attain a general under- 

 standing of topographical maps, of pressure and wind charts, 

 of isothermal charts, and of such com|)licated subjects as weather 

 prediction, rainfall and the distribution of rain, storms, and the 

 seasonal variations of the atmosphere. 



Their conception of physiography is a very comprehensive one. 

 In short, they recommend a study of physical geography which 

 would embrace in its scope the elements of half a dozen natural 

 sciences, and would bind together in one sheaf the various 

 gleanings which the pupils would have gathered from widely 

 separated fields. There can be no doubt that the study would 

 be interesting, informing, and developing, or that it would be 

 difficult and in every sense substantial. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCA TIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Prof. G. B. M.^vthews has resigned the chair of Mathe- 

 matics in the University College of North Wales, in order to 

 be able to devote more time to study and research. 



The Executive Committee of the City and Guilds of London 

 Institute have appointed Mr. W. E. Dalby, since 1891 Uni- 

 versity Demonstrator of Mechanism and -Applied Mechanics 

 at Cambridge, to the Professorship of Mechanics and Applied 

 Mathematics at the Institute's Technical College, Finsbun', 

 rendered vacant by the resignation of Prof. Perry. 



Science xe^oxls the dedication, at the University of Vermont, 

 of two new buildings — Converse Hall, a dormitory presented to 

 the University by John H. Converse at a cost of ^25,000 ; and 

 a science building presented by Dr. Edward H. Williams, 

 which, with its equipment, will cost about ;^40,ooo. The 

 dormitory was formally presented to the University by Mr. Con- 

 verse ; and the science building, in the absence of Dr. Williams, 

 by his son. Prof. Edward H. Williams, jun., of Lehigh Uni- 

 versity. On the front of the latter building arc three medallions 

 with the heads of Agassiz, Henry, and Prof. Marsh. The 

 building contains ample accommodation for the departments 

 of physics, chemistry, biology, electrical engineering, and 

 metallurgy. 



Earl Spencer, in distributing the prizes on Monday to the 

 successful pupils at Northampton School, spoke of the absolute 

 necessity of a sound primary education for a sound secondary- 

 technical and even University education. In Japan, and in 

 Canada, too, he found that both secondary and University 

 education were secured to the people. The fact that England 

 should be behind was rather curious, and he took it that a great 

 deal of it was due to the old grammar schools and the dislike of 

 Parliament, with these schools existing, to create a national 

 system of secondary education in England. That more secondary 

 and University education was required was illustrated by the 

 fact that, while Germany, with a population of 45,000,000, had 

 24,000 people using her Universities, England, with 30,000,000, 

 had only 5500 at the University. 



