CORRESPONDIXG SOCIETIES. 49^ 



Mr. Hopkinson thought that most of the Corresponding Societies would 

 wish to exchange geological photographs. 



A discussion here took place on some practical difficulties attending 

 the interchange of photographs, such as the burden likely to be laid on 

 the shoulders of the amateur photographer, &c., in which Mr. Gow, Mr. 

 Reid, Mr. Sowerbutts, Mr. Slater, and the Chairman took part. Mr. 

 Hopkinson thought that the work of printing and distributing copies of 

 photographs might easily be done at the Jermyn Street Museum at a 

 small fixed charge, and Mr. Reid inclined towards a plan brought under 

 his notice by Mr. Gray of Belfast. At that town a photographer had 

 been appointed who received the negatives taken by various members of 

 the local society and furnished as many copies as were desired at a small 

 fixed charge. Persecution of the amateur was thus avoided. 



Section E. 



Mr. Sowerbutts said that the Committee of Section E had passed a 

 resolution referring to the difficulties at present thrown in the way of 

 pupils who wish to become teachers of geography, marks gained in that 

 subject not counting except in certain cases. They had requested the 

 General Committee of the British Association to permit them to have a 

 Committee for the purpose of examining and reporting to the Association 

 on the condition of the teaching of geography in Great Britain. They 

 wished to make a careful examination into the teaching of geography in 

 all schools, especially secondary schools, and to report next year. They 

 had not asked for a grant. It was probable that the Corresponding So- 

 cieties might be asked to furnish certain information, and he hoped their 

 Secretaries would reply as promptly as possible. 



The Rev. J. O. Bevan did not know whether he was in order in refer- 

 ring to the report of the Conference of Delegates at Nottingham. He 

 should have liked to know in what county ' children attending schools 

 were not taught geography in any way.' Having had a large experience 

 of secondary schools, he also considered the statement made at Notting- 

 ham that geography is absolutely ignored in secondary schools to be de- 

 cidedly erroneous, though it was not taught in every primary school except 

 in connection with reading. 



Mr. Reid asked if the Committee meant to inquire into the teaching 

 of geography in such schools as Eton and Harrow. 



Mr. Sowerbutts replied that they hoped to extend tlieir inquiry from 

 primary schools to the Universities. They wanted the Committee of the 

 Royal Geographical and other societies to see whether some method can- 

 not be devised by which geography may be placed on an equal footing 

 with other subjects, and be made a paying subject to the teacher. 



Mr. Hopkinson (Hertfordshire) said that geography was taught in 

 nearly all the schools with which he was acquainted, and was well taught 

 in those of the Church Schools Company. 



The Rev. J. O. Bevan remarked that the Geographical Society had 

 instituted examinations in geography in secondary schools, and gave gold 

 medals and other prizes. 



Mr. Sowerbutts rejoined that the Royal Geographical Society were so 

 dissatisfied with the results of these examinations — the whole of the 

 medals having been taken by two schools— that they had resolved to 

 discontinue them. The Mancliester Geographical Society had had a 

 similar experience in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. 



1895. E 



