ON POPULAR SCIENCE LECTURES. 3" 3 



Tlift purpose of public lectures may be, however, not so much to create 

 desire to study as to enlighten the community upon the relation of 

 science to individual and national life. The point of view is thus 

 entii'ely different from that of the local educational institution or the 

 local scientific society, both of which regard popular lectures as possible 

 means of securing new students or members. The position is cleai'ly 

 stated by Principal Garnett, School of Technology, Manchester, in the 

 following reply : ' A more general realisation by competent lecturers 

 of the benefits which popular lectures may confer upon the community 

 and a greater readiness on the part of Universities and Colleges to 

 spend money on the provision and advertisement of such lectures. At 

 the present time eminent men of science are, with few (if any) excep- 

 tions, rendering in other ways more valuable national service than they 

 could render by the delivery of popular lectures. Moreover, the 

 restricted financial resources of Governing Bodies are probably more 

 usefully employed in the conduct of research and in providing the 

 education required by men who are to occupy responsible positions in 

 the various industries. The financial difficulty would disappear if an 

 inspiring account of the broad outlines of natural science formed part 

 of the curriculum of every elementary and secondary school. This 

 " science for all " is to be carefully distinguished from the science 

 training given to those who are to pursue further the study of science 

 in some institution of higher education or ai'e to use it in their daily 

 work.' 



Mr. R. J. Moss (Eoyal Dublin Society) says : ' Much more atten- 

 tion must be given to science in school education. It should be made 

 interesting and taught as much as possible by demonstration and experi- 

 ment. In this way the coming generation may be enabled to appreciate 

 science and to take an interest in the progress of knowledge. A great 

 deal of good might be done by the creation of travelling lectureships to 

 be held for a limited time by men who show an aptitude for the work. ' 



(12) What do you conskhr are the chief elements of success, or 

 reasons for failure, of public lectures upon scientific stibjects ? 



Among the conditions of success mentioned in replies to this ques- 

 tion are : (1) The reputation and personality of the lecturer, (2) effec- 

 tive advertisement and newspaper reports, (3) energy and efficiency 

 of local secretaries and committees, (4) attractive titles, and choice of 

 topical or popular subjects. (5) plenty of lantern slides, use of bioscope 

 films, or good experimental illustrations. It is obvious that a lecturer 

 should adapt himself to his audience, and should possess expository 

 power, so as to deal with his subject in a clear and interesting manner, 

 without degenerating into the style of a public entertainer. 



Professor Herdman states the chief element of success to be ' a good 

 lecturer who can be heard, has a definite story to tell, and can tell it 

 in plain language.' This is also the view of Principal Garnett, who 

 says : ' The chief elements of success seem to me to be that the lecturer 

 should be vividly conscious of the closest relation that exists, or that 

 can be established, between his subject and the daily lives of his audi- 

 ence; and that he should possess an expert knowledge of his subject, 

 a power of lucid exposition, and a pleasant and forcible delivery.' 



