SCIENCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS. 149 
I. SCIENCE FOR ALL IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL. 
By Anrcuer Vassatt, Harrow School. 
I. A scheme of work in science at a Public School must allow for the special 
features which obtain normally there as compared with the conditions at many 
other secondary schools. The peculiar features which affect the science scheme 
are that (1) practically all the boys come from a particular class of preparatory 
school ; (2) their age at entrance is just under fourteen; (3) they may join the 
school over a wide range of Forms; (4) they may remain till they are eighteen 
and a-half years old. 
The terminology of Forms varies so much at different schools that it is 
convenient to regard the school as divided into four blocks, A B GC D—A con- 
taining the Upper School, B and C the Middle School, and D the lowest Forms. 
The abler boys are expected to join the school in B and Upper O, the less able 
in Lower C, and the worst (intellectually) in D. 
Roughly, the majority of Block A corresponds to a post-matriculation stage 
and the rest to a pre-matriculation stage. The latter are entirely concerned 
with their general education, but the former in the lower Forms of Block A 
are beginning a semi-specialisation in groups of subjects which will culminate 
at the top in completely specialised or even vocationalised work. 
“Science for All’ constitutes an essential part of general education; therefore 
it must be compulsory where it will embrace the greatest number of boys for a 
sufficient portion of their general time-table. This is best achieved by making 
it compulsory in Block B and Upper C, equally for Classical and Modern sides 
if such exist in this part of the school. There is no difficulty about this or the 
other suggestions which are put forward when the ultimate school authority is 
sympathetic; they are possible at any Public School, but they may not be 
desired by those in power. 
Compulsory science in B and Upper C, however, may not secure the ablest 
boys for a sufficient length of time, as they may pass into A very quickly. This 
can be corrected by making science compulsory for a minimum number of terms— 
i.e., a boy passing quickly into A must continue science in A until he has com- 
pleted the science comprised in the general education. 
A. Science should be alternative with other subjects in A for such boys as 
have completed the compulsory ‘Science for All.’ The boys taking science 
then will have completed the general courses and will begin the systematic 
study of science with a view to their after-life profession, reading further 
science on leaving school, &c. They should give not less than eight hee) per 
week to the subject. Classical and Modern side boys should come together and 
be re-graded in divisions according to their progress and ability in the subject. 
The alternative subjects for those boys in A who do not take science must 
be decided by each school for itself. There is obviously one main consideration 
for a boy of scientific aptitude in deciding whether he will take science or the 
alternative subjects in A. The other subjects can be studied by securing a 
competent teacher, whether in the holidays or in ‘out-of-school’ hours in term 
time. But for science a laboratory is essential, and term time at school will be 
for many boys their one and only opportunity of doing experimental work in a 
laboratory. At one school where this scheme is in force the alternative subjects 
for the Classical side in A are French and Classical Verse Composition, whilst 
for the Modern side they are Latin and Extra History. 
The boys in A who do not join the science divisions proper can profitably 
devote some two hours per week to certain scientific principles as an extension of 
the ‘Science for All’ which they have done—e.g., history of science progress, 
agriculture, geology, &c. 
Thus the science in A comprises four sets of boys: (1) Science specialists, 
(2) those giving eight hours per week to science, (3) those giving two hours per 
week, (4) those completing ‘ Science for All.’ 
B and Upper C.—Science is compulsory for a minimum of five hours in 
school and one hour’s preparation per week for six terms—or its equivalent, 
The boys should be re-graded for science as in A, 
