ON TEACHING CHEMISTRY. 73 



Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor H. E. Arm- 

 strong, Mr. J. T. Dunn, Professor W. R. Dunstan {Secretary), 

 Dr. J. H. Gladstone, Mr. A. Gr. Vernon Harcourt, Mr. Francis 

 Jones, Professor H. M'Leod, Professor Meldola, Mr. Pattison 

 MuiR, Dr. W. J. Eussell, Mr. W. A. Shenstone, Professor 

 Smithells, and Mr. Stallard, appointed for the pitrpose of 

 inquiring into and reporting on the present methods of teach- 

 ing Chemistry. {Draivn up by Professor Dunstan.) 



The Committee decided at first to restrict their inquiries to the teaching of 

 cliemistry in schools. With this object, in December last they addressed 

 the following letter to the Head Masters of Schools and the Principals of 

 Training Colleges, both in Great Britain and Ireland, in which chemistry 

 forms a part of the curriculum. The list of these schools was compiled 

 from the ' Educational Tear-Book.' 



Committee on Chemical Teaching. 



Dear Sir, — At the meeting of the British Association held at Man- 

 chester in September last, Professor H. E. Armstrong, F R.S., Mr. J. T. 

 Dunn, Professor W. R. Dunstan, Dr. J. H. Gladstone, F.R.S., Mr. A. G. 

 Vernon Harcourt, F.R.S., Mr. Francis Jones, Professor M'Leod, F.R.S., 

 Professor Meldola, F.R.S., Mr. Pattison Muir, Dr. W. J. Russell, F.R.S., 

 Professor Smithells, Mr. W. A. Shenstone, and Mr. Stallard were appointed 

 as a Committee for the purpose of inquiring into, and reporting on, the 

 pi'esent methods of teaching chemistry. 



It is felt that great difficulty exists at the present time in teaching 

 chemistry to elementary students, owing chiefly to the absence of agree- 

 ment among teachers as to the best modes of giving instruction and to 

 the diverse views of examiners. It is hoped that aii inquiry by this 

 Committee will be valuable not only to teachers of elementary chemistry, 

 but also to those who have the responsibility of examining in this subject. 

 The members of the Committee venture, therefore, to hope that you will 

 assist them by furnishing, at as early a date as possible, such a report on 

 the chemical teaching in your school as you consider will be most likely 

 to aid their inquiry, more particularly with regard to the following 

 points : — 



1. The objects with which chemistry should be taught in schools. 



2. The difficulties that are met with in teaching, and the best way of 



obviating them ; the influence exerted by external examiners on. 

 the character of the teaching. 



3. The methods which, in your opinion, are most likely to render 



the teaching effective as a mental discipline, and as a preparation, 

 for subsequent instruction in the higher branches of the science 

 or in applied chemistry. 



The Committee will also be greatly obliged for information on any 

 other points directly connected with the teaching of elementary chemis- 

 try ; any data with which you rvdy favour them will be regarded as con- 



