PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 793 



examinations should be designed to suit the capacity of average pupils not less 

 than seventeen years of age, if they are to test the intelligence of those who are 

 ready to enter upon a University course. 



Starting, then, with the principle that the period of mental discipline is closed 

 at the end of the school career, and that those who pass to the University come 

 with fair mental training and sufficient intelligence, let me inquire what should 

 be the relation of University teaching to that which the student has received at 

 school. 



Under present conditions the schools which aim at sending students to the 

 Universities endeavour to give a general education which will fit their pupils to 

 enter either upon a University course -or upon whatever profession or occupation 

 they may select on leaving school. They do not confine the teaching of any pupil 

 to preparation for a special profession or occupation, and they do not generally 

 encourage special preparation for the University. 



Now contrast what happens to the pupils leaving such a school to enter a 

 profession or business with what happens to those who proceed to the University. 

 The former pass into an entirely different atmosphere; they are no longer 

 occupied with exercises and preparatory courses which serve a disciplinary pur- 

 pose ; they are brought face to face with the realities of their business or pro- 

 fession, and, though they have to gain their experience by beginning at the 

 lower or more elemsntary stages, they do actually and at once take part in it. 



The University student, on the other hand, too often continues what he did 

 at school; he may attend lectures instead of the school class, but neither the 

 method nor the material need differ much from what he has already done. 

 Should not the break with school be as complete for him as for his school-fellow 

 who goes into business ? Should he not be brought face to face with the actualities 

 of learning? After his years of preparation and mental drill at school should 

 he not, under the direction of his University teachers, appreciate the purpose of 

 his work and share the responsibility of it? 



Let me take, as an illustration, the subject of History. A public school bey 

 who comes to the University and takes up the study of history should learn at once 

 how to use the original sources. It will, of oourse, be easier for him if he has 

 learnt the rudiments of history and become interested in the subject at school; 

 but, if he is really keen upon his University work, it should not be absolutely 

 necessary for him to have learnt any history whatever. In any case, if he 

 has received a good general education and has reached the standard of intelli- 

 gence required for University work, he ought to be able to enter at once upon 

 the intelligent study of history at first-hand ; his teachers will make it their duty 

 to show him how to do this; their lectures and seminars will illustrate the 

 methods of independent study, and will make the need of them clear to him. If, 

 as is probable, some acquaintance with one or more foreign languages be neces- 

 sary, he will take instruction in them as an essential part of his history course, in 

 order that he may acquire the needful working knowledge; and to learn some- 

 thing cf them with a definite purpose will be to him far more interesting and 

 profitable than to study them only for linguistic training, as he would have been 

 compelled to do at school. After all this is what would be done by his school- 

 fellow who goes into business and finds it necessary, and probably also interest- 

 ing, to acquire some knowledge of the particular foreign language required in 

 the correspondence of his firm. It will, of course, be all the better for a Univer- 

 sity student of history to have acquired some training at school in the rudiments 

 of history both ancient and modern, together with the knowledge of classics 

 which is necessary for the former, and of modern languages which is necessary 

 for the latter. But there is not space in the school curriculum for all the subjects 

 that may be required either for the University or for the business of life; the 

 best that can be done is to give a good all-round training and to foster a marked 

 taste or ability where it exists by allowing the boy or girl to include the subjects 

 which are most congenial to them in the studies of their last two years of school 

 life as I have already suggested, provided that mere specialisation is not 

 encouraged at school even towards the end of the school career. 



The University course might then become a more complete specialisation, but 

 of a broad character — the study of a special subject in its wider aspects, and 

 with the help of all the other knowledge which may be necessary to that purpose. 



