682 REPORT— 1900. 



contained a long room, or rather passage, leadinfr into tlie lecture tlieatl'e, and 

 closed at each end -with glass doors. In this room, which was fitted up as a 

 laboratory, and used principally as a preparation room for the lectures, Mr. Hall 

 performed experiments with the few hoys who assisted him with his lectures. As 

 accommodation was at that time strictly limited, he nsed to suggest simple 

 experiments and encourage the boys to carry them out at home, and afterwards 

 he himself would examine the substances which they had made. 



From this small beginning the teaching of chemistry in the City of London 

 School rapidly developed, and this school now possesses laboratories which 

 compare favourably with those of any school in the country. 



The Manchester Grammar School appears to have been one of the first to teach 

 practical chemistry. In connection with this school a small laboratory was built 

 in 1868: this was replaced by a larger one in 1872, and the present large labora- 

 tories, under the charge of Mr. Francis Jones, were opened in 1880. 



Dr. Marshall Watts, who was the first science master in this school, taught 

 practical chemistry along with the theoretical work from the commencement in 

 1868. 



As laboratories were gradually multiplied it might be supposed that boys were 

 given the opportunity to carry out experiments which had a close connection with 

 their lecture-room courses. But the programme of laboratory work which became 

 all but universal was the preparation of a few gases, followed by the practice of 

 qualitative analysis. The course adopted seems to have been largely built up on 

 the best books of practical chemistry in use in the colleges at that time ; but it was 

 also, no doubt, largely influenced by the requirements of the syllabus of the 

 Science and Art Department, which contained a scheme for teaching practical 

 chemistry.' Even down to quite recent times it was in many schools still not 

 considered essential that boys should have practical instruction in connection with 

 lectures in chemistry. 



A Report issued in 1897 by a special Committee appointed by the Technical 

 Education Board of the London County Council adduces evidence of this from 

 twenty-five secondary schools in London, in which there were 3,960 boys learning 

 chemistry. Of these 1,698 boys, or 43 per cent., did no practical work whatever ; 



' I find on inquiry at tlie P.oard of Education that practical work in qualitative 

 analysis formed part of the examinations for teachers" certificates in inorganic 

 chemistry which were held at South Kensington annually in November from 1859 

 to 1806 inclusive. A syllabus for this examination was published in the Science 

 Directory for 1859, the following portion of which relates to practical work: — 

 ' Outlines of Qualitative Analysis. Reactions of the principal mineral acids and 

 bases. Course pursued in the application of these reactions to the analysis of a 

 mixture of several acids and bases.' Three questions were set involving the quali- 

 tative analysis of (1) a mixture of two acids and two bases soluble in water or 

 acids ; (2) a mixture of two acids and two bases partly or entirely insoluble in water 

 and acids ; (3) more complicated mixtures. The candidates for these certificates 

 were not examined in practical organic chemistry. 



The first practical examination in chemistry for students was held by the Board 

 in 1878, in the Advanced Stage and Honours only of inorganic chemistry, the analysis 

 of simple salts being prescribed in the former, and of complex mixtures in the latter 

 examination. Previously to this, however, special extra payments had been made on 

 the results of instruction in practical chemistry, and questions dealing with labora- 

 tory practice were set in the ordinary written examinations in chemistry, and were 

 ' as far as possible so framed as to prevent answers being given by pupils who had 

 obtained their information merely from books and oral instruction.' The Inspector, 

 however, when visiting the schools might call upon anj^ students who were to be 

 presented for these special grants to perform experiments in his presence. This 

 system was continued in the elementary stage of inorganic chemistry till 1882. 



In 1878 the syllabus for organic chemistry extended these two methods of 

 practical examination to that branch of the subject. In the syllabus published in 

 1 882 the present division in all stages of both organic and inorganic chemistry into 

 distinct theoretical and practical examinations was commenced. 



