ON EDUCATIONAL TRAINING FOR OVERSEAS LIFE. 299 



for the future farmer whether at home or overseas, and so induce them to undergo 

 subsequently a period of technical study for the industry. 



As regards other subjects on the curriculum, English Literature is the same as 

 that in any other school. In dealing with History a good deal of importance is 

 attached to the history of the land, for it is found that country boys take an immense 

 interest in, for example, the Agricultural Revolution of the Eighteenth Century, and 

 in the Roman Agrarian system. A good deal of Geology comes into the Geography 

 lessons, though at present some difficulty is found in working into the syllabus 

 anytliing of the nature of systematic ecology. 



7. SUGGESTIONS FROM A GIRLS' COLLEGE, SYDNEY, N.S.W. 



The following extracts from an account of a girls' school at Croydon, near Sydney, 

 N.S.W., written by the Principal, indicate some of the methods adopted to give girls 

 an intelligent outlook on the world, particularly their own country, before they take 

 their place in the world. The dominant note running through all the work and 

 thought, is the connexion with life and its development, nationally, socially, and 

 individually. The Principal writes, ' I am satisfied if girls leave the school with a 

 realisation of some of the problems, and an inspiration to take some part in solving 

 them.' 



The Dalton Plan was introduced six years ago, and after being adapted to condi- 

 tions, remains. Any change to the traditional methods of organisation the staff 

 regards as unthinkable. 



The development of the science teaching is towards a general science course, as 

 it is held that a division of science into subjects in the early years gives a wrong 

 impression, and has little to commend it. 



The syllabus includes chemistry, botany, geology, and physiology for the first 

 two years ; physiology and either botany or geology throughout the five years. 



In Physiology, practical work is insisted on, and a first-aid course ; all practicable 

 dissections are done individually, visits are made to medical school and hospital, 

 particularly the Bacteriological Department. 



Examples of assignments to show insistence on application, and typical of the 

 school group work : — ■ 



1. A week's assignment was to examine the dietary of the boarders for a week ; 

 to determine whether it was suitable in respect of quantity and proportion ; the class 

 was formed in groups for weighing proteins, etc., and determined whether food 

 consumed on the average was up to the requirements stated in text-books ; finally, 

 a report was drawn up by the leader embodying the conclusions and recommendations 

 of certain small changes. 



2. In Chemistry the work is almost exclusively practical, following as far as possible 

 the direction suggested by questions which occur to the class, e.g. one class began by 

 examining the fire extinguisher : the main interest at first was in carbonic acid gas. 

 This led to a more or less full treatment of the gas. One line led to calcium bicar- 

 bonate and so to limestone caves : the Jenolan Caves are familiar, the correlation 

 with geology was easy. 



3. Another line led to the evolution of the gas by animal life, and the dependence 

 of plant life on carbonic acid gas. Here correlation was made with botany and with 

 the biological cycles of water, carbonic acid gas, and (less fully treated) nitrogen, 

 leading at once to correlation with food lessons in physiology. 



A further correlation was made with Domestic Science, the class being delighted 

 at finding out why their cakes rise (or should rise). 



Incidentall3r, the chemical similarity between egg shell and sea shells recalled the 

 poultry yard. All these correlations were made by the pupils. 



At this point the class retuined to the examination of the fire extinguisher, and 

 the question of the reason for certain metal being used. This led to the action of 

 acids on metals, from which the transition to gases was natural — hydrogen proved a 

 most interesting topic. The treatment of oxygen led back again to physiology, 

 while a visit was made to a welding plant to examine the oxy-acetylene flame. And 

 so on through the course, making it a natural following of inclination, not the following 

 of a text book. 



In Biology, a course of lessons is given during the last year (age 17). Stress is 

 laid on the humanistic side. Topics dealt with : the origin of life, biological cycles, 



