ox THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 481 



The Teaching of Science in Elementary Schools. — Report of the Com- 

 mittee, consistinri of Dr. J. H. Gladstone (Chairman), Professor 

 H. E. Armstrong (Secretanj), Lord Avebury, Professor W. R. 

 DuNSTAN, Mr. George Gladstone, Sir Philip Magnus, Sir 

 H. E. RoscOE, Professor A. Smithells, and Professor S. P. 

 Thompson. 



TiiK introduction of the Block grant, in place of the former Examination 

 grants in Elementary Day Schools, deprives your Committee of the oppor- 

 tunity of giving the usual statistical data as to the number of children 

 receiving instruction in scientific subjects. The loss of this interesting 

 information is, however, more than made up by the satisfaction of knowing 

 that the teachers are now more free to adopt true educational principles 

 than when they were trammelled by the necessity of preparing their 

 scholars for an official examination, on the result of which the financial 

 position of the school would be dependent. 



One of the returns of the Board of Education does, however, afford 

 some indication of the measure of attention given to certain subjects as 

 compared with others. According to this the number of departments in 

 which subjects of a more or less scientific character are taken are as follow.s, 

 though the number of scholars is no longer gi\ en (the numbers are for 

 schools in England and Wales) :- 



Algebra 1.2G6 



Euclid }p-^ 



Mensuration ;'*^'_ 



'Mechanics . •^''^' 



Checni.strv ^^•> 



I'hysics " 1^;* 



Elenientarj- Physics and Chemistry . . . 152 



Animal Physiology . 4i;> 



Hygiene .....■••• p"^ 



Botany l-^S 



Principlps of Agriculture 20 



Domestic Economy or Domestic Science . . 1,070 



These correspond with what were formerly known as specific subjects 

 of instruction. 



In the case of the Evening Schools your Committee are able to con- 

 tinue the tabular statement for another year. Though the total given is 

 somewhat larger than in the two years immediately preceding, it will be 

 noticed that in Mathematics and Physics there is a general falling off, the 

 only increases worth noting being in those subjects that may be more 

 appropriately designated ' applied science.' 



Botli the Day and the Evening Schools are now passing through a 

 crisis in their history, and may be regarded as in a transition state. The 

 Day Schools under School Boards are adversely affected by the regulation 

 of the Board of Education, limiting the age of scholars to fifteen years. 

 There were .3,G97 scholars of fifteen years and upwards in the year ending 

 August ."^l, 1901. The corresponding numbers were 4,146 in 1898, .3,817 

 in 1899, and 3,828 in 1900. The Evening Schools under the same 

 authority are not allowed to give instruction to adults except with the 

 consent of the County Council or the County Borough Council, as the 



1902. I I 



