444 REPORTS ON THE STATE OP SCIENCE. — 1919. 



logists to increase the number of rain gauges. At present adequate calculations 

 relating to water power could not be made in this country owing to the lack of 

 rainfall data. Rain gauges could be so designed that they would also be suitable 

 for observations relating to air-pollution. 



j\Ir. DE Carle Salter, in reply, cordially endorsed the suggestion of Mr. Bevan 

 that local scientific societies should endeavour to encourage the recording of 

 rainfall. With regard to Dr. Owens' suggestion he woidd be very glad of the 

 opportunity to co-operate. He was somewhat doubtful, however, whether the 

 conditions of exposure of the ordinary, rain gauge and of the atmospheric pollution 

 gauge were identical. If this obstacle could be overcome there appeared to be no 

 difficulty in combining the functions of the two gauges. He thought, however, 

 t'^nt it would be found preferable to place the two side by side, especially in 

 view of the cheapness of the standard gauge. Dr. Gee made a vei-j'. important 

 point in connection with rainfall observing in mountainous areas whence water 

 supplies and water power must be drawn. It was only by the provision of 

 such records that we could hope to study successfully the relation of rainfall to 

 configuration, the most important factor in this connection. 



The President at this point went away to take part in a discussion in the 

 Botanical Section, and the Vice-President took the chair. 



Mr. T. W. SowERBUTTS (Secretary of the Manchester Geographical Society) 

 read the following paper by Mr. "T. W. F. Parkinson, M.Sc, F.G.S., on 



Geography in the Curriciiliwn of Higher Ediication. 



Some years ago geography had no place in the great Public Schools. The 

 textbooks were bad, and consisted of names and statistics which bored the 

 teacher and made the subject hateful to the pupil. Much had to be learnt by 

 heart, or maps had to be drawn for homework because they were easily marked. 

 It would be difficult to say how often the map of Palestine, showing various 

 features, the chief towns, the tribes, etc., or the journeys of St. Paul was 

 produced. These were often set at the week-end so that no sin would be 

 committed by drawing them on the Sunday. 



The elementary schools had a hard grind at facts. Names were crammed 

 in, and: heights of mountains, depths of seas, lengths of rivers, and sizes of 

 lakes were known. A boy of ten was supposed to know every county in England 

 and its capital. A lot of useless information made the subject despised. 



During the last twenty years a great change has taken place in this country, 

 and five years ago we could say that the teaching of geography was better in 

 the elementary schools of Englaml than in any country in Europe. It had 

 become more scientific. The causes were given to explain the facts. Writings 

 of travellers, explorers, and traders were used in many schools. Good maps 

 showing the physical features were used instead of maps crowded with names. 

 Apparatus was obtained or made by the teacher to explain the facts he taught. 



Even to-day our elementary schools — urged on by enthusiasts both in the 

 pi-ofession and out of it — have a curriculum of geography second to none, and 

 the thanks of teachers to the Board of Education for their admirable scheme 

 of geography for these elementary schools is not grudgingly given. 



It is not so, however, in the higher schools. True, the Board demand a 

 certain amount of geography in every secondary school receiving Government 

 grants, but in many cases it is the minimum which the pupils receive. Nor 

 is geography always as well taught in these schools as might be desirable. 

 In our Public Schools the upper forms receive little or no instruction in 

 geography in many cases. 



Until a few years ago geography was not compulsory in the training colleges 

 for elementary teachers, in spite of the enthusiasm for the subject in the 

 elementary schools. It was usually coupled with history, and in one paper 

 which the author saw the geography was complete in the following question : 

 ' Draw a map of England and mark the sites of the chief battles in the War 

 of the Roses.' This has now been changed. 



In the Universities g-eography has some place, but there are few professors, 

 the lecturers are usually badly paid, the equipment is faulty, there are not 

 ' honours ' courses in all the Universities, and hence geography suflers. How- 



