TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 72) 
showed a strong feeling of the value, and even necessity, of such a course as a 
preliminary to all advanced work in physics. aint 
It is hoped that this report, fragmentary as it is, may be of some use to 
educationists and those interested in the supply of secondary education, as 
indicating the present conditions under which science work is prosecuted in public 
schools and the better class of secondary day schools, 
Joint Discussion with Sections D and K on the Teaching of 
Biology in Schools.—See p. 547. 
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6. 
The following Papers were read :— 
1. The Need of a Scientific Basis to Girls’ Education from a Domestic 
Point of View. By Professor H. E. Armstrone, Ph.D., LL.D., F.RNS. 
2. The Teaching and the Teacher in Evening Technical Schools. 
By J. H. Hawrnorn, M.A. 
In considering curricula, too little account “is often taken of the question 
‘What is the type of student attending Evening Technical Schools?’ The type 
of student is even now rapidly changing. Ten years ago our schools were largely 
occupied in catering for an army of adult workmen whose previous education, 
scanty as it was, had been long forgotten. Looking back over these years, a pro- 
gressive lowering of the average age of the students is observed. In the case of 
the adult student all we could hope was to give him some scraps of knowledge 
which he could at once fit into his trade requirement. 
To-day a much larger view of the functions of a Technical School may be 
taken, and the fact may be emphasised that the beginning of things scientific is 
undoubtedly Pure Science. There has been so great a demand for Applied Science 
of late years that a murmur of dissent may be expected when a recognition of this 
principle is asked for, but we may fairly ask the question whether we are not over- 
doing the so-called application of science. 
What students do we find come out best in our evening classes ? Undoubtedly 
those whose previous work has been in pure science. We may teach chemistry 
of the boot trade, or even chemistry for the engineering trade, but a course of 
chemistry as chemistry will Jay a much better foundation for the later application 
of it than to begin at once dovetailing chemistry to leather or steel. This attitude 
may be criticised by pointing out that much of the application of science (so called) 
has been rendered necessary by the fact that we must attract the evening student, 
and that we have no compulsory evening school attendance scheme. Experience 
shows, however, that evening students worth keeping and worth teaching are 
generally ready to be advised as to what course to take and how to take it, 
Seekers after Applied Science are mainly hunters of wrinkles and tips which may 
be useful in the factory and can be obtained with a minimum of mental effort, 
Nevertheless, a technical school ought certainly to provide ‘ Applied Science’ 
as its chief educational item, but it ought to be divided into two departments > 
The higher should be the applied science department, and this should be the trade 
department also. Leading up to this should be the pure science side, as prepara- 
tory to it. No student ought to be allowed to take a trade class (as trade classes 
are known in Leicester) unless he has laid a foundation of pure science in the 
preparatory department. 
What of the plumber, the shoe-hand, the bricklayer, and the carpenter? Will 
he devote winter after winter to a painful struggle with geometry, physics, 
1907. 3A 
