REPORT OF THE SCIENTIFIC EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE. 11 



numeroiis examples worked by the boys ; into the elements of mechanism, 

 conversion of motion, the steam-engine, the equilibrium of roofs, bridges, 

 strength of material, &c. They are illustrated by a large collection of 

 models, and are very effective and popular Icctiires. 



The lectures in geology arc undertaken by another master. This subject is 

 only temporarily introduced, on account of the want of another experimental 

 school. "WTien this is buUt the third year's course •will be some part of experi- 

 mental physics, for which there already exists at Eugby a fair amount of appa- 

 ratus. |It is veiy desirable that boys should obtain some knowledge of geology, 

 but it is not so well fitted for school teaching as some of the other subjects on 

 several grounds. Perhaps a larger proportion of boys are uiterested in the 

 subject than in any other ; but the subject presupposes more knowledge and 

 experience than most boys possess, and their work has a tendency to become 

 either supei-ficial, or undigested knowledge derived from books alone. The 

 lectures include the easier part of LyeU's Principles, i. e. the causes of change 

 now in operation on the earth ; next, an account of the phenomena observ- 

 able in the crust of the earth, stratification and its disturbances, and the 

 construction of maps and sections ; and, lastly, the liistoiy of the stratified 

 rocks and of life on the earth. These lectures are illustrated by a fair geo- 

 logical collection, which has been much increased of late, and by a good col- 

 lection of diagrams and views to illustrate geological phenomena. 



Por chemistry the lecturer has a convenient lecture-room and a small but 

 well-fitted laboratory*, and he takes his classes through the non-metallic and 

 the metallic elements : the lectures are fuUy illustrated by experiments. Boys, 

 whose parents wish them to study chemistry more completely, can go through 

 a complete course of practical analysis in the laboratory, by becoming private 

 pupils of the teacher. At present twenty-one boys are studying analysis. 



This being the matter of the teaching, it remains to say a few words on 

 the manner. This is nearly the same in all the classes, mutatis mutandis : 

 the lecture is given, interspersed with questions, illustrations, and experi- 

 ments, and the boys take rough notes, which are recast into an intelligible 

 and presentable form in note-books. These aro sent up about once a fort- 

 night, looked over, corrected, and returned ; and they form at once the test of 

 how far the matter has been understood, the test of the industry, care, and 

 attention of the boy, and an excellent subject for their English composition. 



Examination papers are given to the sets every three or foiir weeks, and 

 to these and to the note-books marks are assigned which have weight in the 

 promotion from form to form. The marks assigned to each subject are pro- 

 portional to the number of hours spent iu school on that subject. 



There are school prizes given annually for proficiency in each of the branches 

 of natural science above mentioned. 



This leads us, lastly, to speak of the results. 



Pirst, as to the value of the teaching itself ; secondly, as to its effects on 

 the other branches of study. 



The experience gained at Rugby seems to point to these conclusions : — That 

 botany, structural and classificatory, may be taught with great effect and 

 interest a large ntunber of boys, and is the best subject to start with. That 

 its exactness of terminology, the necessity of care in examining the flowers, 

 and the impossibility of superficial knowledge are its first recommendations ; 

 and the successive gradations in the generalizations as to the unity of type 

 of flowers, and the principles of a natural classification, are of great value to 



* Anotliei- and larger laboratory and school for Experimental Physics will shortly be 

 built at Eugby. 



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