476 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 



Voy of scientific aptitude in deciding whether he will take science or the alternative 

 subjects in B. The other subjects can be studied by securing a competent teacher, 

 whether in the holidays or in ' out-of-school ' hours in term-time. But for science a 

 laboratory is essential, and term-time at school will be for many boys their one and 

 only opportunity of doing experimental work in a laboratory. 



Thus the science in B comprises (1) boys giving eight hours per week to the 

 subject, (2) boys completing ' Science for All.' 



G and Upper D. — Science is compulsory for a minimum of five hours in school 

 and one hour's preparation per week for six terms — or its equivalent. Boys should 

 be re-graded for science according to their progress and ability. 



Lower D. — The work consists of self-contained courses, emphasising the human 

 and practical sides of the subject. These boys need not be re-graded. 



E. — The work should be co-ordinated with similar work undertaken at preparatory 

 schools such as Nature Study, &c. 



II. Aims of the Compulsory Science. 



1. Training in scientific method by experimental investigation. 



2. Conveying useful information and fixing it by practical exercises. 



3. Arousing interest and discovering special aptitude for science. 



4. Emphasising the human aspect of the work as much as possible by using 

 daily-life phenomena, practical applications, machines, agricultural processes, 

 &c., as the material wherever possible. 



III. Freedom of the Teacher. 



Within the above principles complete freedom should be left to the teacher 

 in accordance with his interests and opportunities. He should arrange his own 

 courses, syllabuses, &c., decide what material he employs for any of the above 

 objects, and whether he achieves them by ' object,' ' subject,' ' problem,' or any 

 other method. 



IV. The ' Science for All ' should be carefully co-ordinated with the other 

 work of the school — more especially the mathematics and geography. Where 

 essential work is not adequately dealt with under theee subjects, it must be 

 included in the science course — e.g., elementary mechanics with sufficient prac- 

 tical work, and elementary physiography. 



V. Every school should be free to create its own syllabuses and treatment 

 of them, provided the two vital essentials of conducting experimental investiga- 

 tions and emphasising the human aspects of the subject are attained. 



Some examples are here given — they are not preecribed or even recom- 

 mended but simply selected as illustrating the above points. 



A. A course taken by boys in Lower D as an introduction to the experimental 

 method. 



Experimental Investigation of Chalk. 



Experiments to be done by the boys themselves in the laboratory, with 

 occasional lecture demonstrations and discussions to connect up the results 

 arrived at and for those experiments which are unsuitable for the boys to 

 perform at this stage, such as the electrolysis of fused calcium chloride. 



Examine chalk, notice its physical properties, and find out if it is soluble 

 in water. Is it an element or a compound ? Effect of heat on it. Does it 

 change in weight when heated ? 



Collect the gas given off on heating chalk in a silica tube. Study the pro- 

 perties of this gas. The same gas is given off when chalk is treated with acids, 

 and this is a more convenient way of making it. 



The gas will not support the combustion of most substances. Try if burning 

 phosphorus and magnesium will continue to burn the gas. The latter con- 

 tinues to burn with a spluttering noise. The residue left is composed of a 

 white substance, similar to the ash left when magnesium burns in air or oxygen 

 and black specks. 



This white ash is a compound of magnesium and oxygen, therefore the gas 

 contains oxygen. Separate the black specks from the white ash by treating the 

 whole ash with hydrochloric acid ; wash with water — collect and dry. The 



