280 REPORTS ON THE STATE OP SCIENCE. — 1920. 



4. The classes do not come for detached lessons, but regularly once a week 

 for organised courses of six to nine lessons on one subject. 



5. The Museum authorities provide duplicate specimens for the use of the 

 classes, and the staff of the Museum render as much assistance and help in this 

 way as possible. 



6. A lesson, broadly, consists of about forty minutes' tuition in the class- 

 room, after which the class is taken into the Museum and shown the cases 

 illustrating the subject of the lesson. 



At first eight classes in Zoology and Geology were held daily, and from 

 900 to 1000 children per week shared in the lessons. The scheme proved remark- 

 ably, successful, and two additional teachers for Botany were added the following 

 year. Class-room accommodation was a difficulty, and a part of the Museum 

 had to be shut off for the purpose. It became clear, however, that work of this 

 character requires a Museum lecture-room and class-rooms to obtain the best 

 results. The increased demands upon the time of the Museum staff in providing 

 material were considerable. 



By 1916-17 the scheme had so far proved its value that four teachers were 

 specially appointed by the Education Committee to conduct Museum classes 

 throughout the year in Geology, Zoology, and Botany. Towards the end of the 

 session a fifth teacher was appointed, whilst the assistant in charge of the 

 Egyptological collections also conducted classes. The attendance of scholars 

 increased to 2000 per week. In 1919-20 the number of special teachers was 

 increased to six, and the number of scholars attending the courses to 2500 per 

 week. 



Classes from the secondary schools also visited the Museum, and were taught 

 by their own teachers. The development of this valuable educational work 

 reacted upon the Museum in increased public interest, whilst a considerable 

 addition of adult visitors was brought by the scholars in their spare time. 



The total attendance for the period of four years was as follows : — 



1915-16 . . . 45,000 1917-18 . . . 100,000 



1916-17 . . . 70,000 I 1918-19 . . . 130,000 



It rmist be borne in mind that these were not discontinuous attendances, but 

 represent the total visits at complete courses of six to nine lessons for each 

 scholar. Some scholars attended more than one course per year. 



The Manchester scheme was adopted after a close study of the educational 

 work conducted in other Museums in this country, and especially in America. 

 Compared with other schemes and methods, it is claimed that the Manchester 

 scheme shows considerable advantages in the following ways : — 



1. The limitation of the classes to small numbers. It was felt that to attempt 

 to instruct large classes resulted in 'entertainment' and not ' instruction.' 



2. The atmosphere of the school class-room is approached as nearly as 

 possible. 



This is valuable from a disciplinary point of view, and also avoids physical 

 fatigue so usually attendant on visits from school children to Museums and 

 such places. 



3. The classes are taught by trained teachers and not by the Museum staff. 

 The advantages of this from an educational point of view are obvious. The 



staff of a Museum is appointed primarily, for quite other work than teaching, 

 and Museum curators do not pretend to understand the psychology of the child 

 mind or to be trained in the art of teaching. 



4. A proper balance is maintained between this branch of Museum work 

 and the many other functions and duties which a Museum is called upon to 

 fulfil, and the educational work can be carried on without the absorption of an 

 undue amount of time, to the detriment of the other work of the institution. 



