TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 843 



How can a master of method iustruct us how to teach subjt'cts of which he has 

 only heard ? It cannot be done ; in point of fact, we are talliiuj^ about the thing — 

 beating about the bush — instead of treating tbe problem as one which can only be 

 solved by experiment. To teach metliod, you must know your subject ; one man 

 cannot know many subjects. Of course there are quite a number of good general 

 rules to be learnt, but the application of these must rest with the specialist ; and 

 the only proper way of giving training in method is to teach the subject in the 

 way it seems desirable that it should be taught. The end result of training 

 should be the development of a spirit of absolute humility — of the feeling that no 

 task is so difficult as that of teaching properly, no career in which finality is 

 more impossible to attain to, no career which offers greater opportunity for 

 perpetual self-improvement. The eflect of the narrow and unimaginative system 

 in vogue to-day is to send forth a set of young persons who arrogantly consider 

 that they are ' trained '; if they would only think of the amount of preparation 

 involved in training for athletic competitions, or in training race-horses even, they 

 would entertain more modest views and be aware that they have everything to 

 learn when they commence their woi-k. The Beckmessers reign supreme in our 

 training colleges of to-day ; they must be got rid of and true modest experts 

 introduced in their place. The test of efficiency must be a real one, not that of a 

 mere final examination. The inspectors must see to it that the instruction is 

 given always with a view to the fact that the students are to become teachers, 

 which at present seems to be the last consideration borne in mind Every effort 

 must be made to secure a higher class of student for the training colleges ; a fair 

 secondary training must be insisted on. A narrow spirit of trades unionism 

 pervades the primary school system at the present time; School Boards and 

 managers of Pupil Teachers' Centres make no effort to secure the assistance of 

 secondary teachers. 



My receipt for a training college would be : Develop thought-power and 

 individuality ; develop imagination. Teach whatever will do this most effectively ; 

 let special subjects be studied in the way that may best be followed in teaching 

 them subsequently. 



It is to the lastuig shame of our State organisation and of our School Boards 

 that so little has been done to provide competent teachers. 



The future rests with the Universities ; but to save the nation the Universities 

 must be practical: broader conceptions must prevail in them. A course of 

 training which will give true culture must be insisted on. The Universities have 

 recently shown a disposition — to use a vulgarism — to throw themselves at the 

 heads of the military authorities and to make special provision for the training of 

 military students. It is much more their office to train teachers. Why should 

 not the example to hand in the engineering school at Cambridge be followed ? 

 Why should not a special Tripos be established for teachers in training ? I believe 

 this to be the true solution of the problem, 



_ The desire now manifest in several of our large towns to establish new Univer- 

 sities comes most opportunely; it should receive every possible encouragement 

 from all who have the interests of our country at heart. I believe the objections 

 to be altogether fanciful — the outcome of academic views. It is said that the 

 value of the degree will go down like that of Consols. But in what does the value 

 of a degree consist ? Simply and solely in the evidence it affords of training. We 

 regard the Oxford and Cambridge degrees as of value because they are proof that 

 their possessors have lived for some time under certain conditions which are recog- 

 nised to be productive of good. The degrees of other Universities must soon 

 come to be regarded as proof of sound and healthy training. It must become 

 impossible to obtain degrees such as the University of London has been in the 

 habit of awarding, which have been the result of mere garret-study ; proof of 

 training wiU be required of all candidates for degrees. 



But I must now bring this Address to a conclusion. The only apology that I 

 can offer for its length is that having had over thirty years' experience as a teacher 



