ON THE CURRICULA OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS. 6^S 



into separate subjects ahoUid be left more and more out of sight as ilic 

 student advances.' 



The difficulty of summarising replies of which the above is a selection 

 is obvious. There appears to be agreement as to the desirability of 

 emphasising the inter-dependence of chemistry and other subjects 

 ' Physical science is one ; your teaching must bring this into promi- 

 nence.' 



VII. — On Special Difficulties to which reference is made in the replies 

 under ' Further Remarks' — Several masters complain of the insufficient 

 mathematical equipment of pupils, and of the need of co-operation 

 between mathematical and science masters. Promotions are a source 

 of difficulty owing to their frequency and to the fact that they are 

 often made with entire disregard of the science work. As a conse- 

 quence, boys in the same set differ much in their ability and know- 

 ledge of science. One correspondent protests against the abandon- 

 ment of qualitative analysis, which in his opinion is of much value, 

 provided boys are made to think. Another states that Universities do 

 little to teach methods of teaching science. From the science masters of 

 a few schools comes the complaint that they are under a classical tradition 

 of overwhelming power, and that their colleagues disparage science. 

 We are happy to say that there are other schools where broader views 

 are found compatible with unsurpassed achievements in the classical 

 languages. 



The injurious influence of external examinations, particularly in the 

 early part of the course, is a frequent source of complaint. We quote 

 reply No. 2 in this connection : ' The curse of science work is examina- 

 tions, especially the compelling of boys to pass in Elementary Science. 

 Nothing is more deadening than the getting up of chemistry for London 

 matriculation. When the experiments have been made and understood, 

 all educational value has been sucked from them ; the boys are capable of 

 doing higher work, but they must now grind along the weary round of 

 describing elementary experiments, of learning to recognise that the same 

 question may be asked in ten different ways, and of devising laborious 

 experiments to prove something which is perfectly obvious.' 



Opinions and Becommendations of the Sub-Committee. 



The following conclusions may be drawn from the results of this 

 inquiry : — • 



(1) The organisation of the studies of chemistry and physics, and 

 especially their correlation, shows marked improvement, both in secondary 

 day-schools and in the * sides' of those large public schools in which the 

 science work is regarded as an important part of the general intellectual 

 training. 



(2) The attention universally given to laboratory practice and to the 

 development in the boys of the powers of doing and describing deserves 

 nothing but praise. The considerable degree of freedom given to teachers 

 has clearly encouraged independent experiment and thoughtful criticism 

 as regards their work. The resulting variety and elasticity in their 

 methods is, in our judgment, a good feature which we wish to preserve 

 As indicated below, we desire to give greater freedom to teachers by 

 modification of the induence of examinations. 



(3) We are in sympathy with the endeavour of the Public School? 

 Science Masters' Association to overcome the neglect of science n 



