700 REPORT— 1893. 



2. Report of tlie Committee on the Volcanic and Seismological Phenomena 

 of Japan. — See Reports, p. 214. 



A discussion on the Teaching of Elementary Physics was introduced by the 

 three following Papers : — 



3. Apparatus for Class-ioorh in Elementary Practical Physics. 

 By Professor Gr. Carey Foster, F.B.S. 



The author described and exhibited samples of simple apparatus which he had 

 devised for the purpose of practical instruction in physics. The object aimed at 

 was to devise arrangements by which the chief quantitative laws of physics could 

 be verified with fair accuracy, and which should at the same time be so inexpensive 

 that they could be multiplied at a small cost, so that all the members of a class 

 could make the same experiments at one time. In addition to the mere saving of 

 expense, it was maintained that the simplification of apparatus, so long as it was 

 efficient for its purpose, had the positive advantage of bringing students into more 

 direct contact with the phenomena to be studied than was the case with more 

 elaborate and complicated appliances. 



4. On Physics Teaching in Schools.^ By W. B. Croft, M.A. 



It must be remembered that there are several classes of students: — 



1. Those who aim at scientific or technical careers, but are compelled to make 

 their education as brief as possible. 



2. Those to whom science is the best education, 



3. Those who may aspire to be mathematical physicists, and can afford to enjoy 

 the benefit of wide and varied education. 



4. The great majority receiving at our schools the usual general training in 

 preparation for various professions. None of these should be without the benefits 

 of science. 



Of the first two classes I have not the experience to speak. The latter two 

 appear to me to be well provided for under one scheme. Soon after the Duke of 

 Devonshire's commission twenty years ago action was taken by the new governing 

 bodies of public schools to make effective the recommendations of the British 

 Association in 1867. At Winchester teacher.s and suitable apparatus were pro- 

 vided for the following scheme: — 



If a boy were to pass up the school between the ages of twelve and nineteen, he 

 would learn — 



first year : Geometrical drawing, botany, physical geography. 



Second year : Simple mechanics and graphics, hydrostatics, heat. 



Third year : Chemistry. 



Fourth year : Chemistry. 



Fifth year : Geology. 



Sixth year : Electricity. 



Seventh year : Acoustics, geometrical and physical optics. 



Two hours per week, with one or two hours out of school work. 



Biology purposely has no place. It is better to be able to engage the interests 

 of boys in it without reference to their age or position in the school. This is 

 excellently done by a Natural History Society. 



The general nature of teaching in the sixth and seventh years consists of 

 experimental demonstrations of phenomena over as wide a range as possible. Boys 

 who survive in a school to this stage are usually capable of appreciating scientific 

 ideas through lectures, but in a public school they are seldom able to give time for 

 practical work done by themselves. Those who may afterwards be thorough 

 physicists had better be much occupied at this age with mathematics. .So far as 



' The full paper is published in the Edtwational Times. 



