TEANSACTIOXS OF SECTION' L. 883 



2, Conclusion, 



Limitation of material to be learnt essential ; masses of detail not necessary 

 for thoroughness, e.g. anomalous forms in Latin grammar, the less important 

 metals in chemistry, details of battles and campaigns in history. 



An outline course, with typical examples accurately known and properly 

 understood, does not mean superficiality. 



Organisation. — Different courses: Classical, scientific, commercial, &c., over- 

 lapping in some subjects of general education, may be given in difl'erent parts of 

 the same school. This plan works very well in large schools (cf. America). Or a 

 particular school may give one or two courses only ; e.g. a small school may refuse 

 to specialise in classics or in science, or any school may fix a rigid curriculum 

 and appeal to one type of pupil only, like the American manual training high 

 school. 



Local differences and local conditions and needs make variety essential. 

 Freedom vital in education. 



ii. Pyy Professor H. E. Armstrong, Ph.D., LL.D., F.R.S. 



1. The Basis of a Rational Curriculum. 



The education of the future must be practical and individual, such .ts will 

 directly fit bo}'s and girls for their work in the world, such as will appeal to their 

 sense of intelligence, such that they will value it instead of shirking it whenever 

 possible. 



Literary methods must give place to practical methods ; workshop methods 

 must take "the place of didactic desk methods. The schools of the future must he 

 in charge of broad-minded, practical men and women, trained scientifically and in 

 the world as well as in academic grooves. Consequently, the training of teachers, 

 examiners, and inspectors must be conducted on more rational and practical 

 principles than heretofore, in order that a race may arise capable of coping with a 

 rational, practical curriculum. 



2. Essential Subjects for all Pupils. 



The subjects which all children should at first study in common must be such 

 as to develop all their faculties. 



Every child should he taught to read well and to like and use books — a very 

 large amount of time should be devoted to reading — the habit of reading out loud 

 should be carefully cultivated. At whatever age children leave school, they should 

 be well read for that age and know how to turn to books for information. 



The teaching of our own language, of history, and to some extent of 

 geography, should be largely incidental to reading. Mere lesson-learning should 

 be abolished, both in and out of school. Children should be encouraged, indeed 

 taught, to talk rationally, and much about their work and of things around them. 



At most half the school time should be devoted to literary studies — to studies 

 conducted by literary methods. At least half should he given to practical studies 

 — to experimental and manual work. 



The prime object in view in experimental -^ork should be the formation of 

 character — the cultivation of some measure of thought power and of a seeing eye, 

 not the acquisition of knowledge. 



Literary training might he given largely in connection with such work to 

 supplement that given through reading ; there would be something real to write 

 about, something seen, felt, or discovered, so that the habit of writing about real 

 things would gradually be acquired. 



The teaching of mathematics and of drawing should also be made incidental to 

 the experimental work. 



With regard to manual training, something far more real than what is now 

 .' 3 L 2 



