ON THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, 165 



work, why not for mechanical drawing and handicraft in boys' schools ? * 

 Another instalment of the evidence was issued in June last. 



With reference to the first-named subject of inquiry, Her Majesty's 

 inspectors and others who were examined appear not only of opinion that 

 elementary science is of importance, but some maintain, with Matthew 

 Arnold, that ' Naturkunde should be a necessary part of the programme.' 

 Most of them agree with the view expressed by this Committee, that the 

 absolute preference given to English as a class subject should be 

 abolished, and the choice thrown perfectly open. 



With reference to the second subject of inquiry, the evidence of 

 Sir Philip Magnus, Dr. Crosskey, Mr. Hance (Clerk to the Liverpool 

 School Board), and others is distinctly in favour of it, showing that it is 

 both desirable and practicable. 



It appeared to your Committee that the British Association should 

 contribute its views on these subjects to the Royal Commission, and they 

 accordingly passed a resolution to that effect. This met with the approval 

 of the Council. Two of the members of the Committee have since given 

 evidence. The Rev. Dr. Crosskey enforced strongly the importance of 

 elementary science and technical instruction, and more recently Sir 

 Henry Roscoe, as the mouthpiece of the Committee, presented a series of 

 the reports of this Committee and a memorial emphasising the two points 

 of special importance, viz., as to the absolute preference given to English, 

 and as to the want of provision for ensuring the instruction of pupil 

 teachers in any kind of elementary science. The memorial also repeated 

 their approval of tbe recommendation of the Royal Commission on Tech- 

 nical Instruction, ' That proficiency in the use of tools for working in wood 

 and iron be paid for as a specific subject, arrangements being made for 

 the work being done, so far as practicable, out of school hours. That 

 special grants be made to schools in aid of collections of natural objects, 

 casts, drawings, &c., suitable for school museums.' 



An important meeting of gentlemen interested in popular edu- 

 cation was held at the house of Mr. George Dixon at Birmingham 

 last November, at which some of your Committee were present. This 

 has led to several courses of action. The resolutions come to at this 

 meeting were adopted in the following form by the School Board for 

 Birmingham : — 



I. That it is desirable that an enabling Bill should be introduced 

 into Parliament to give School Boards power to provide and maintain 

 schools in connection with the Science and Art Department, in which a 

 course of instruction extending over a period not exceeding three years 

 may be given in accordance with its regulations, such schools to be open 

 only to scholars who have passed the sixth standard in public elementary 

 schools. 



TI. That in Article 113 of the Code of Regulations of the Education 

 Department, affecting evening schools. Paragraphs IV., V., and VII. of 

 sub-section (b) should be omitted. These paragraphs read thus : — ' IV. No 

 scholar may be presented for examination in the additional subjects alone. 

 V. No scholar may be presented for examination in more than two of the 

 additional subjects. VII. Scholars presented for examination in the 

 third or fourth standard, if they take one additional subject, must take 

 English ; if they take two, the second subject must be drawing, geography, 

 or elementary science.' 



III. That the words in Article 13 of the Code of Regulations of the 



