794 TKANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 



children's nature or needs. Thus these reforms have largely gone to waste, and 

 in proportion to the public interest excited have produced only a slight etf'ect 

 upon the young. 



This outside pressure upon the work of the schools will always be powerful ; 

 but it should also be the task of those who study school teaching to examine 

 new proposals experimentally, and to direct the current so as really to serve 

 the needs of children. 



III. Other reforms, however, have been produced with a greater approach to 

 scientific method — i.e., they have been prefaced with a definite theory as regards 

 both the ideal to be achieved and the nature of the scholar who is to undergo 

 the experience — followed by a definite experiment in applying theory to practice 

 over an extended period. In England the work of Arnold of Rugby approached 

 this character, and also that of William Ellis in the Birkbeck Schools. 

 In Germany the work of Herbart and his followers has been associated (not 

 without great opposition) with the Universities, and has created a definite 

 group of teachers professing adherence to ' Wissenschaftliche Padagogik.' In 

 America there are many examples : the influence of Professor Dewey in his 

 Experimental School (University of Chicago) is perhaps the most conspicuous. 



lY. Conditions under which such prolonged experiment can be conducted 

 with prospect of success: («) There must be assumed a fairly comprehensive 

 theory, both of the ideal to be achieved and the processes by which the scholars' 

 pxperience should develop during the years of school. (6) A staff' of teachers 

 in sympathy with this theory and prepared to co-operate in executing the plan 

 over a period of years, (c) A sufficient number of scholars in small classes 

 who may be expected to remain under observation and teaching dui'ing one well- 

 defined period of school life. (There is usually no difficulty found in securing all 

 the scholars that are needed.) {d) Time available for keeping records of the 

 processes adopted (syllabuses, notes of lessons, &c.), and records also of the 

 mental and physical progress of each scholar. In order that the work should 

 be of service the observation of the scholar's life should be complete, and 

 sliould take special cognisance of those physical conditions which medical men 

 can now investigate with thoroughness. 



V. Eff"ect produced upon teachers and students of education who work in 

 such a ' laboratory.' The habit of treating problems of teaching in a scientific 

 spirit, instead of relegating such problems to the region of prejudice and 

 tradition is in itself a most important effect. Such a habit is not easily acquired. 

 It by no means follows that men who are scientifically trained in one branch of 

 science will transfer the habit to their treatment of educational science. There 

 is little warrant for the belief in the existence of generalised habits of this kind. 

 Apart from this students secure a detailed knowledge of the reactions of school 

 experience upon the life of individual scholars such as can scarcely be secured 

 otherwise. 



VI. Effect upon the theoretical exposition of education by professors and 

 lecturers when their work is associated with a school which they direct ; specula- 

 tions as to cause and effect are thus limited by educational results. 



VII. The plan proposed in the Demonstration Schools at Manchester to 

 investigate school teaching on such lines. The following topics have so far 

 received special attention : Elementary teaching of modern languages,' of 

 practical mathematics, and of literature ; association of parents with school life ; 

 experiment with a school ' camp ' ; (transferring town scholars with their teachers 

 for teaching and training during a short period to the country). 



VIII. Prospect of recognition and support for such 'laboratory' work by 

 Universities and by public authorities. 



' A report by Professor Findlay on Investigations into Modern I-anguage 

 Teaching is offered in another paper. 



