430 REPORT— 1903i 



Dr. Gladstone first brought the subject of scientific teaching under 

 notice at Sheffield in 1879 in a paper read in Section F (Economic 

 Science), in which he referred to the action taken by the School Board 

 for London. At the same meeting Mr. Moss, clerk to the Sheffield 

 School Board, and Mr. Hance, clerk to the Liverpool School Board, 

 described the steps that had been taken to introduce teaching in 

 Elementary Science into the schools in their districts. Mr, Moss spoke of 

 the need for really good teachers, Mr. Hance described the manner in 

 which demonstrations were given by peripatetic teachers. 



Dr. Gladstone and his friends were evidently alive to the difficulties 

 that would arise in judging of the work done in schools, for at the 

 Sheffield meeting a committee was appointed to consider ' whether it 

 is important that H.M. Inspectors of Elementary Schools should be 

 appointed with reference to their ability for examining in the scientific 

 specific subjects of the Code in addition to other matters.' 



Mr. Mundella was first Chairman of this Committee, Dr. Gladstone 

 being the Secretary. The report, presented at Swansea, referred to the 

 incapacity of the inspectorate to examine in Science and advocated that 

 steps should be taken to secure the appointment of qualified men. The 

 subsequent neglect of Science in elementary scliools is in no slight degree 

 due to the fact that this recommendation was neglected. 



The Committee was reappointed at Swansea to report ' on the manner 

 in which rudimentary science should be taught and how examinations 

 should be held therein in elementary schools,' 



In their report, presented at York in 1881, after considering the 

 manner in which rudimentary Science was taught, recommendations were 

 made : — 



As to object lessons. — That these should be taken into account in 

 estimating the teaching given in an infant school. 



As to class stbbjects. — That these should be given preferably through 

 illustrated oral lessons rather than by reading. 



As to sjKci/ic Science subjects. — That a knowledge of the facts of 

 nature is an essential part of the education of every child and that it 

 should be given continuously during the whole of school life from the 

 baby class to the highest standard. Of course in early years this teach- 

 ing will be very rudimentary ; but by developing the child's powers of 

 perception and comparison it will prepare it for a gradual extension of 

 such knowledge. They consider also that the early teaching must be 

 very general, while the later may be more specific. 



Up to the present day this last recommendation has been almost 

 entirely disregarded. 



The Committee urged, with reference to the prominence given to 

 English grammar in the Code, that the knowledge of Nature should be 

 put on an equal footing in the schools with the analysis of the mother 

 tongue, 



Mr. Mundella had just laid upon the table of the House of Commons 

 certain proposals for revision of the Code ; the Committee was, therefore, 

 reappointed in 1881 to 'watch and report on the workings of the pro- 

 posed revised new Code and of other legislation affecting the teaching of 

 Science in elementary schools,' 



Desiring that the knowledge of Nature should be more efltectually 

 encouraged as a class subject, the Secretary, at the request of the 



