574 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. — 1916. 



for children as well as for adults, to be well advertised and for reasonable fees 

 to be paid for lecturers and their illustrations. 



(5) That more encouragement should be given at University institutions and 

 training colleges to the art of exposition and public speaking for the benefit of 

 those students and teachers whose aptitudes may later be usefully exercised in 

 promoting interest in science. 



(6) That, while the training of an adequate number of scientific workers is 

 of prime importance, it is desirable that everyone should be made acquainted 

 with the broad outlines of natural science while at school, and that public 

 appreciation of scientific knowledge as an essential factor of modern progress 

 .should afterwards be created and fostered by means of popular lectures. 



(7) That this report be brought under the notice of each Section of the 

 Association with the object of obtaining suggestions upon which organised action 

 may be taken in connection with the Gilchrist Trust or independently. 



(8) That the Committee be reappointed as a Committee of Section L, its con- 

 stitution remaining, as at present, representative of all the Sections of the 

 Association, but with power to add to its numbers. 



The suggestions framed by Professor Gregory are admirable, and contain 

 much valuable information, but I respectfully disagree with them in certain 

 directions : — 



(1) I doubt very much whether the proposed list of lecturers will be 

 adequately utilised by the societies, for if the list -be confined to merely the 



names and addresses of the lecturers and the titles of the lectures which they 

 offer, there is very little on which the society could base its conclusions as 

 to whether the lecturer is suitable or not. Every society has different con- 

 ditions to contend with, and only an intermediary between the society and the 

 lecturer can judge of the suitability of the lecture. The lecturer himself, 

 when approached, will naturally express himself as able to meet its require- 

 ments. Such lists have been prepared by certain federations (including one 

 of the Corresponding Societies), but, I believe, with varying success. 



(2) A list in which is inserted the name of any lecturer so submitted does 

 not carry with it any weight of authority. To be really valuable the list mu-st 

 only specify the lectures and lecturers passed as suitable by a recognised body. 



(3) The proposed classification of the list into professional and voluntary 

 lecturers is an excellent one, but somewhat difficult of application. Many 

 lecturers frequently lecture voluntarily under special circumstances, but their 

 names would not be placed on the voluntary list, and by describing them 

 specifically as professional lecturers their services are lost to a struggling society. 



(4) Not only scientific societies and similar institutions should have the 

 ))enefit of such proposals as are finally agreed upon, but these should be com- 

 municated to public and private schools, as well as lecture-societies. Schools 

 can, however, generally pay fees, and by arranging for a lecture at a school in 

 the afternoon and before a society in the evening, both organisations benefit. 

 jNTy previous comments as to touring arrangements are aptly illustrated in this 

 connection. 



(5) The recommendations as to the extended use of the bioscope are admir- 

 able, but some of you will probably instance numerous difficulties in the way of 

 carrying out the proposals. Certain cinema -theatres have arranged for cinema 

 lectures, and greater co-operation between the cinema and the lecturing pro- 

 fession is essential. The Selborne Society has had such co-operation in view 

 for some time, and we hope shortly to have definite proposals to submit. 



The above criticisms are put forward as the basis of a discussion which, I 

 hope, will contain that critical analysis essential to all constructive proposals. 



A discussion then took place. 



Professor R. A. Gregory said : I desire to state here that the report on 

 popular science lectures to which Mr. Ashton has referred is an interim 

 report, and that the recommendations are of the nature of suggestions rather 

 than definite conclusions for immediate action. The Committee realises the 

 difficulties involved in the preparation of a list of lecturers, and would welcome 

 any practical assistance which scientific societies may be able to give in 

 connection with such a list. Many .societies have suggested that a list should 



