32G REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. — 1916, 



Popular Science Lectures. — Iiiterim Report of tlie Committee, 

 consisting of the President and General Officers, Pro- 

 fessor H. E. Armstrong, Professor W. A. Bone, Sii- 

 Edward Brabrook, Professor S. J. Chapman, Professor A. 

 Dendy, Professor E. A. Gregory {Hon. Sec), Professor 

 W. D. Halliburton, Dr. H. S. Hele-Shaw, Professor E. 

 Keeble, Mr. G. W. Lamplugh, and Dr. E. J. Eussell, 

 appointed by the Council to consider ayid report on the Popu- 

 larisation of Science through Public Lectures. {Drawn up by 

 the Secretary.) 



Introduction. 



At the meeting of the Council in June 1916 representations were made 

 by the Organising Committee of Section L (Educational Science) that 

 much less attention is given to popular lecturing now than was for- 

 merly the case ; and it was suggested that efforts should be made to 

 promote increased public interest in science by means of such lectures. 

 The Council, therefore, appointed a Committee representative of all 

 the Sections of the Association to institute inquiries into this subject 

 and prepare a Eeport upon it. Many local Scientific Societies, Univer- 

 sities, University Colleges, and similar institutions have organised 

 popular science lectures ; and the Committee has endeavoured to 

 secure the results of the experience obtained, with the object of dis- 

 covering the elements of success or failure. 



A schedule of twelve questions was drawn up and was widely dis- 

 tributed. To prevent misunderstanding, it was pointed out in an 

 explanatory letter that the inquiry referred only to single pioneer 

 lectures for the general public, and was not concerned with students' 

 courses, such as are arranged by University Extension authorities, the 

 Workers' Educational Association, and other organisations. 



A circular containing the schedule of questions was addressed to 

 (1) Principals and Eegistrars of all Universities (except Oxford and 

 Cambridge) and University Colleges in the United Kingdom ; (2) Prin- 

 cipals, or Directors, of all Technical Colleges represented in the Asso- 

 ciation of Technical Institutions ; (3) Secretaries of every University 

 Extension Delegacy, or Board, of the Workers' Educational Association, 

 the Gilchrist Trust, and like organisations; (4) Secretai'ies of all Corre- 

 sponding Societies and of forty other local Scientific Societies ; (5) 

 Curators of the chief provincial Museums ; (6) a fev/ individuals having 

 special knowledge of the subject. 



By the middle of August, about 150 circulars had been returned, 

 nearly all of them containing replies to the questions and also many 

 valuable comments. The whole of these replies — about 1,500 in all — 

 have been classified, and a digest of their substance is here given. 

 The first question asked for the nonie of the society or institution 

 providing the information. 



