500 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—L. 
Discussion. (Sir Frank Hearn, G.B.E., K.C.B.; Sir Witiram 
BreveripGe, K.C.B.; Sir Ropert Brarr; Sir Jonn GiLBert, 
K.B.E.; Sir Puirie Hartoc, K.B.E., C.1.E.; Rev. Dr. Scorr 
LIDGETT.) 
Report of the Committee on General Science in Schools with special reference 
to Biology. (Sir Percy Nunn; Mr. G. W. Ontve.) 
Friday, September 25. 
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRAL INSTITUTE FOR IMPERIAL EDUCATION :-— 
Prof. F. CLARKE. 
The case for the Institution in London of a Central Organisation for the study of 
a vast and diversified range of educational activity. Cultural diversity of the Empire. 
The impression of a society at once British and foreign which an Englishman must 
form as a permanent citizen in the Dominions—the influence of custom, usage, speech, 
craft, politics and government. The necessity of grasping the foreign-ness as well as 
the Hnglish-ness of the Dominions. Autonomy of the Dominions—now being 
completed—will stimulate the cause of unity and necessitate closer and frequent 
consultation and appreciation of permanent common interests. Of the unity of the 
British Commonwealth of the future, consent will be the basis and comminity of 
faith the cement. Necessity for maintaining the British Empire adapted to meet 
the new world requirements. ‘ 
The plan of organisation and work of a Central Institute to be available for 
systematic study of British and English methods and institutions of education— 
England a library almost uncatalogued. Overseas teachers to expound their own 
doctrines and work to students from all parts of the Empire. 
Systematic investigation of the education of non-European peoples in the Empire. 
Educational influence not to be a one-way traffic. The winds of chance in English 
education may blow from any part of the Empire. 
Effective co-operation with the universities and kindred library and collection 
of official publications. 
The Analogy of Greece in the days of Plato and Aristotle. 
Rt. Hon. Lord Eustace Percy, P.C., M.P.—The Establishment of ao 
Central Institute of Imperial Education. 
The British Empire is just awakening to the fact that it has a common tradition 
of education, and also a common duty in education. Its awakening is indicated by 
the existence (still in rather a hesitating form) of the Imperial Education Conference 
and by other signs, such as the interest recently manifested by the Canadian Universi- 
ties in the extension of facilities for post-graduate study in the University of London 
for overseas students. The Imperial Education Conference of 1927 was, to me at 
least, a most impressive revelation of the reality of our common tradition and common 
duty, alike in the Dominions, in India, in our older colonies and in those dependencies 
in Tropical Africa and elsewhere where we are only just beginning to take in hand 
systematically the problem of native education. 
With this awakening comes, as is right, a widespread questioning of our existing 
educational standards and methods in many directions. There is, I think, no part 
of the empire where those responsible for educational policy are not concerned, for 
instance, with two grave questions: the place of technical education in any national 
system of education, and the character of the examinations which so largely determine 
the character of the work done in the schools. And within the next five years I believe 
that we shall all be engaged in considering an even bigger question, now just forcing 
itself upon our consciousness : the whole question of university curricula and degree 
standards. 
True, other nations are considering these things ; yet there is a real frontier between 
education in the empire and education in other countries. For one thing, the English- 
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