744 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 
equally branches of an ideal educational system, integral parts of a whole. And 
to these and other accessory parts of such a scheme must be added museums and 
art galleries. 
The rise of nature study demands the utilisation of museums for teaching 
purposes. Already some museums have recognised this, and in many cases for 
a number of years. But the recognition is not general. Moreover, the inter- 
connection has not, as it ought to have done, come from the schools, which, as a 
whole, are ignorant of the obvious facilities afforded. State recognition of nature 
study will improve museums and those who attend and teach in the schools. 
The rapprochement between museums and schools may be facilitated by the 
following means: Exhibits may be planned upon an educational basis, as part of 
a students’ section, to suit local needs, illustrating general principles. The 
existence of such facilities and their application to nature study should be 
made known. Where there is no other instruction, and there is a demand for 
it, museum officials may deliver lectures on the subject in connection with the 
educational exhibits. Lectures to children and demonstrations may also be 
undertaken by the museum staff. In all cases a definite plan arranged between 
school and museum authorities should be followed. 
The large classes, which hinder effective work in public exhibition rooms, 
may profitably be allowed to use a room set apart for the purpose of school work. 
The use of the museum should be regular and on a systematic plan. 
Current life—i.e., exhibits of wild flowers, and living animals in aquaria ov 
vivaria—should be encouraged. 
This communication draws attention to the unity of all educational establish- 
ments, in particular that between schools and museums, and the need for a more 
general use of the latter by the former. 
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. 
Discussion on the Function of the Modern University in the State. 
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15. 
Joint Meeting with Sub-section I (Psychology). 
The following Reports and Papers were read :— 
1. Report on the Influence of School-books upon Eyesight. 
See Reports, p. 269. 
2. An Indian National Alphabet. By Rev. J. Know tes. 
The necessity for an Indian national alphabet arises from the fact that though 
India has some two hundred languages and dialects, and, say, fifty different 
scripts, there is no Indian alphabet, properly so called (except for English). 
The Indian scripts are really syllabaries, each requiring from 500 to 1,000 com- 
plicated types to print. All the characters of a vernacular must be mastered 
before any reading is possible, and learning to read is as difficult as mastering 
a system of shorthand. 
There are only fifty-three typical elementary sounds in the whole of the 
Indian languages put together, but there are twenty thousand elaborate symbols 
used to express them. Many of the characters are extremely trying to the 
eyesight, and difficult to read, to write, and to print. 
