ON THE TBACHINa OF SCIENCE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 371 



in favour of a wider course of instruction in Elementary Science through- 

 out all the Standards. ' • i x ui 



Your committee have always included Domestic Economy in the table 

 of scientific subjects, and its adoption in the girls' schools has become 

 very general. They are aware that it is often taught in such a way as to 

 have little, if any, scientific value ; but they believe it is capable of being 

 made extremely valuable in this respect: it should be always taught, 

 as far as possible, experimentally and practically. The simple scientific 

 principles which underlie ordinary domestic operations, such as laying a 

 fire, washing clothes, ventilation of rooms, preparation of food, &c., 

 should be explained. Then the lessons would be rendered far more in- 

 telligent and interesting. Arrangements are made by some of the prin- 

 cipal School Boards for teaching Domestic Economy in this way. 



It goes without saying that the value of the cookery lessons which 

 are now being so much encouraged will depend largely on the knowledge 

 of the principles of Chemistry and Physics possessed by the teacher, and 

 infused into her teaching. ■, . , mu 



Evening schools have made great progress during the year. ihe 

 following table will show the comparison between it and the previous 

 year when a scholar could not be examined in more than two special 

 subjects : — 



Evening Schools. 



(Scholars taking additional or special subjects.) 



It will be seen that the number of passes is almost exactly doubled, 

 being 12,555 in the former year, and 25,769 in the latter. The Govern- 

 ment returns do not enable us to say how many of these passes are made 



in scientific subjects. j^ /-, j r i 



The Education Department has just issued a separate bode ot regula- 

 tions for evening schools. Thev give a scheme for every one of the 

 subjects of instruction mentioned in the Code, divided over seven years ; 

 but manao-ers are not restricted to any of the schemes given. The course 

 of instruction is based upon that of the day schools, that of the class 

 subjects being spread out from five to seven years, and that of the specific 

 subjects from three to seven years. This would imply that scholars are 

 expected to remain seven years in the evening schools ; and it also neces- 

 sitates that their attention should be kept on a limited subject for a whole 

 season. For instance, in Chemistry, the properties of oxygen and hydro- 

 gen occupy the whole of the first year, while only those who continue 

 till the sixth vear will acquire any knov%ledge of the numerical laws of 

 Chemistry. Apparently to obviate this very evident disadvantage it is 

 provided that ' the stages of such of these subjects as admit of being so 

 treated may be taken in any order ; two or more stages may be taken in 

 one year in less full detail than if one only were taken.' 



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