ON THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN ELEMENTAKY SCHOOLS. 235 



received much attention while so much time had to be spent upon the 

 tables of weights and measures in ordinary use. When these cease to be 

 lef'al, not only will the teaching of Arithmetic be rendered more rational, 

 but ii large amount of time will be set free which can be applied to the 

 promotion of science teaching. 



Looking back over the years that have elapsed since the passing of the 

 first Elementary Education Act, it is evident that the constant tendency 

 has been to add to the curriculum of the schools ; and some of the most 

 recently recommended additions to the time-table include manual instruc- 

 tion and physical exercises. The difficulty of finding time for these has 

 led to the suggestion that the generally recognised hours of schooling 

 might be extended in the case of the elder scholars. This course would 

 involve some practical inconveniences ; and in view of the fact that the 

 children pass their Standards now at an earlier and more immature age 

 than they did some years ago, it is a question worth consideration whether 

 the time has not arrived when the recognised school age should be raised 

 from thirteen to fourteen, and the work of the Standards made to spread 

 over this extended period. Such an arrangement would have the manifest 

 advantage of affording a broader and more practical education, without 

 over-pressure to either the teachers or the taught. 



Quantitative Analysis hy means of Electrolysis. — Second Report of the 

 Committee^ consisting of Professor J. Emerson Reynolds {Chair- 

 man)^ Dr. C. A. KoHN (Secretary), Professor P. Frankland, Pro- 

 fessor F. Clowes, Dr. Hugh Marshall, Mr. A. E. Fletcher, 

 Mr. D. H. Nagel, Mr. T. Turner, a7id Mr. J. B. Coleman. 



A PRELIMINARY report was furnished by the Committee last year in which 

 the contemplated plan of work was outlined. 



The bibliography of the subject has been completed and is ap- 

 pended. 



The experimental work has been carefully organised, and the results 

 on the determination of bismuth and of tin are nearly complete. Other 

 work is in progress, but the Committee prefer to hold over these results 

 until next year in order that they may be added to and may include 

 methods of separation of some of the metals. 



Considerable attention has been given to the choice and arrangement 

 of the special apparatus required. A detailed description of the arrange- 

 ments adopted will be given in the next report. 



As the bibliography is completed, the Committee propose to devote 

 their attention during the coming year exclusively to experimental 

 inquiries. 



Bibliography/ on Methods of Quantitative Analysis by means of 



Electrolysis. 



The bibliography has been compiled from the following journals, and is 

 complete up to the end of 1894 : — 



