ON TEACHING CHEMISTRY. 81 



equations, properties, graphic formulag to sucli a degi-ee as to ensure 

 passing, wliich they all did. I was not surprised to find that in a short 

 time all had been forgotten. This system is adopted at many places.' 



XXXIX. ' The teaching of chemistry here is entirely regulated by the 

 Science and Art Department, for the simple reason that it would not 

 exist as a class subject without the pecuniary aid rendered by the 

 Department. 1 believe some really good work is being done ; but the 

 teacher is very much of a machine, and, however conscientious he may 

 be, he must primarily, under the circumstances, teach for examination, and 

 at times neglect what would be useful to his pupils because it would not 

 be useful for examination.' 



XL. ' In this school chemistry is optional, and the primary object 

 of its existence is the advantage of those boys who are going in foi- 

 examinations in which it will prove useful. ' 



XLI. ' There is great variation in the standards and methods of 

 various examinations. Three things are specially to be complained of : — 

 (a) the bookish nature of some examination papers ; (b) estimation of 

 the value of answers by comparison with text- books by inferior men, not 

 always the authors of the papers or themselves real chemists ; (c) want, 

 of judgment in setting papers arising often from ignorance at first hand 

 of the conditions of school woi'k.' 



XLII. 'With respect to examinations, I do object to men examin- 

 ing boys under sixteen who have never taught them, and who, therefore, 

 do not understand that the work of such students must differ not only in 

 quantity but also in quality from that of older pupils.' 



XLlII. ' I believe that 90 per cent, of those who are now taught 

 chemistry in this country are taught with the view of passing one or 

 other of the examinations held on the subject. Further, I believe that 

 most of the difi&culties of teaching chemistry are difiiculties of teaching- 

 it so as to comply with the requirements of examinations. Some one 

 has said that in the regulations of the Science and Art Department so 

 much is required to be known that there is no time for anything to be 

 done, which is an exaggeration of what I mean. With ordinary teachers 

 one thing is necessary — their pupils must pass. When that is secured 

 they may indulge in such novelties of method and procedure as they 

 like, but not until then. It would avail me nothing to say that my 

 instructions were faulty, that I knew and followed a more excellent way. ' 



XLIV. ' As to the influence of examiners. In my own teaching it 

 has been for the last few years )iH. I have given up trying to fit the 

 chemical instruction to the doubtful requirements of examination ; to do 

 so would take the vitality out of one's teaching and contract it.' 



XLV. 'With regard to the influence of external examiners on 

 the teaching, there is no doubt that this is very great, and that the 

 character of the teaching in our schools must depend in these high- 

 pressure examination-days on the requirements of the examiners.' 



^ XLVI. ' We have subjected our boys to two examining bodies — the 

 Science and Art Department and the University Board. In successive 

 years the boys from the same teaching universally succeeded under the- 

 former and almost universally failed under the latter.' 



XLVII. ' The examinations have been chiefly those held in connection 

 with the Science and Art Department, South Kensington. These 

 examinations have been for some years back highly satisfactory, and no- 

 undue prominence has been given to any one branch of chemical science 



1888. G 



