ON EDUCATIONAL TRAINING FOR OVERSEAS LIFE. 297 



III. Experiments Performed by the Lowest Form of the School, as part of 

 THEIR Introduction to General Science. 



Some simple experiments with water. 



(1) Water evaporates. 



(2) ,, condenses. (Distillation, etc.). 



(3) ,, contains bodies in solution. 



(a) Solids (Food for Plants). 

 (6) Gases (Air for Fishes, etc.). 



(4) Water dissolves bodies. 



(5) Water freezes at a definite point. (Thermometer, etc.). 



(6) When water freezes, it expands — 



(' Weathering of Soil,' etc.). 

 (Importance on rivers and lakes, etc.). 



(7) Water boils at definite point. 



(8) Plants give off water vapour. 



(9) Roots take in water. 



(10) Plants will grow on water containing salts. 



(11) Thunderstorms. An experiment to illustrate. 



(12) A Rainbow. ,, ,, ,, ,, 



(13) The Draining of Water through different types of soil. 



(14) The 'Lift' 



(15) Water and Germination. 



(16) How Springs are formed. 



(17) Electrolysis of Water. 



Other experiments relate to Air, Soil, and Life. 



5. MEMORANDUM FROM DR. VARGAS EYRE : AN AGRICULTURAL 

 PROJECT FOR TEACHING SCIENCE WITH WORKSHOP PRACTICE. 



Introductory Explanation : Cultivation of Flax. 



It must prove advantageous to have manual classes and science linked up in 

 some way ; to have them deal with a common subject. In that way one could provide 

 the possibility of developing a craft concurrently with a knowledge of elementary 

 science. By selecting a theme of general interest which a young child would know 

 something about to begin with, it seems to me to be the most fitting manner by which 

 to develop an interest in manual work and science. This would certainly give some 

 opportunity and scope for the young mind having a latent desire for practical things 

 — -the very kind to prove of value in the colonies, and would not be detrimental to the 

 pupils of the ordinary kind who are catered for almost exclusively. 



Admittedly it is difficult to find a theme about which to weave a course of 

 elementary science and at the same time provide opportunities for useful manual 

 instruction. But if one could, it would meet to a considerable extent the difficulties 

 of urban schools having no land. In any case the finding of such a theme and the 

 working out of a system of teaching round the central idea seems to me to be the real 

 problem before the schools at the present time. I have come to the conclusion that 

 the old time flax industry provides such a theme and I submit the following skeleton 

 course based upon simple knowledge of textiles, string, sheets, clothes, etc. 



The Scheme. 



Flax is a plant of unusual importance to man, being extensively used in the arts 

 and manufactures, and many of its products find use in the home. 



As a subject from which to develop elementary science and the use and construction 

 of simple tools, it seems to be unique. 



One could with little trouble develop a course of 'study and manual work — -with 

 flax and its products as the centre of interest with considerable educational advantage. 

 For example : — 



(a) Its rapid growth is an advantage, it takes barely 100 days from sowing the 

 seed to plant maturity. 



(6) Hand-made sections of the stem, with a low-power microscope, afford a splendid 



