ON THE TEACHINCt OF IJOXANY IN SCHOOLS. 429 



thetn really xiseful there should be at least one to eVely pair bi pupils. The 

 bompound microscope should never appear irl junior classes, and we are 

 inclined to think that it will be best to reserve it for the highest form in 

 a secondary school, 



Histological details and a ktiowledgo of microscopic pld.nts are often 

 expected of pupils who have never had the use of a microscope. This 

 inevitably leads to unreal teaching. 



Other Teaching Appliances. — Diagrams and lantern slides are often 

 made too much of in school work. They sliould be mere accessories which 

 have their usfes in particular cases. A good teacher will not depend upon 

 them, add will usually prefer the drati^ing made in class. To make the 

 Inost of simple means is an education in itself. 



The Teaching of Science in JElementarij Schools. — Jxeport of the Corn' 

 mittee, consisting of Professor H. K. Armstrong (Secretary')., Lord 

 AvEBURY, Professor W. R^ Dunstan, Mr. George Gladstone, 

 Sir Philip Magnus, Sir H. E. Roscoe, Professor A. Smithells, 

 and Professor S. P. Thompson. 



I)r. Gladstone's death last year, at the age of seventy -five years, has 

 removed one of the most familiar, sympathetic, and welcomed figures 

 from the meetings of the British Association. The services which he 

 rendered to the cause of elementary education, especially in London, 

 although well known to his friends, have yet to be fully appreciated. 

 Elected a member in 1873, he retired from the School Board for London 

 only in 1894 ; throughout this time he was one of its most active 

 members, making himself specially prominent as an advocate of spelling 

 reform, of object-lesson teaching, of manual training and of the teaching 

 of Elementary Science. Perhaps the most enduring testimony of the 

 interest Dr. Gladstone took in elementary education is afforded by the 

 unbroken series of reports, commencing in 1881, presented by your Com- 

 mittee. These reports were almost wholly inspired by him, when not his 

 actual work ; to those who knew him, their generally hopeful, indeed 

 optimistic, tone affords good evidence of his guiding hand. The influence 

 which he exercised on the London School Board — the value on such a 

 body of even a single staunch advocate of a policy — is, j^erhaps, best 

 shown by the fact that after his retirement the Board soon ceased to 

 maintain the teaching of Science in their schools on the level of efficiency 

 which it was beginning to assume, and only last year woke up to the fact 

 that the .subject was one requiring special attention. There could be no 

 better illustration of the haphazard manner in which it has been our 

 custom to conduct education. 



It was felt last year that the Committee had in great measure served 

 its purpose — that, in view of the changes which have taken place in 

 the educational policy of the country, if any such Committee were to be 

 again appointed, it should be a new one having a more definite line of 

 action marked out for it. It was, therefore, agreed that a final report 

 should be presented this year. In view of the grievous loss which has 

 deprived them of their Chairman, your Committee feel that they cannot 

 bring their labours to a more fitting conclusion than by calling special 

 attention to the work which will ever serve to recall Dr. Gladstone's 

 services to educational science in connection with the Association. 



