318 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 
inclusion of biology in schools ‘ as a cultural subject apart from its value 
for medicine and for the professional biological services.. Biology should 
be brought to the notice of every boy, and none should leave school without 
some knowledge of it,’ and further, ‘ the introduction of biology into the 
schools as a general cultural subject is essential in that the interests of the 
ordinary boy requires consideration as much as those of the scholarship 
candidate.’ 
A memorandum on ‘ Science in Senior Schools’ (Board of Education 
Pamphlet No. 89, 1932) reports that 214 out of 584 senior schools pay no 
attention to Biological sciences. Out of 599 men science teachers, only 
38 have qualifications in Biology, while 198 women teachers had 111 qualifi- 
cations in Physics, 129 in Chemistry, 117 in Botany, and 51 in Zoology. 
The memorandum recommends three periods a week as the minimum for 
science in senior schools. It makes suggestions for teaching various aspects 
of physics, chemistry and biology, urges constant cross-references between 
all parts of the science course, and gives lists of apparatus and equipment 
considered necessary. 
A National Conference on ‘ The Place of Biology in Education ’ was held 
in London, November 1932, under the auspices of the British Social 
Hygiene Council. The conference lasted three days and dealt with the 
following aspects of the subject : 
(1) The National and Imperial Need for a Biological Outlook. 
(2) The Place of Biology in Public Education, including : 
(a) Biology as an Integral part of Science ; 
(b) How Local Education Authorities can further the Teaching, of 
Biology. 
(c) The Teacher’s contribution to Biology. 
(3) Biology in the Training Colleges. 
(4) Biology in National Life. 
(5) Biology in the Elementary School. 
(6) Biology in the Public, Secondary, and Preparatory Schools. 
A discussion followed on the schemes for teaching Biology submitted for 
consideration by Prof. Julian Huxley, Prof. W. Cullis, and Prof. Sir J. A. 
Thomson. 
A report on the School Certificate Examination, prepared by a panel of 
investigators appointed by the Secondary Schools Examinations Council to 
inquire into the working of the examination in question, was published by 
the Board of Education in 1932. 
JII. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE, 
The questionnaire sent out by the committee asked for information on 
the following topics : 
(1) The present position of science in the schools and science subjects 
taught. 
(2) The position of Biology in the schools. 
(3) The position of General Science, taking that term to include 
chemistry, physics and biology, at least. 
(4) If Biology and General Science are not commonly taught, what are 
the reasons for their exclusion ? 
(5) Where General Science is taught, is it found to be advantageous o 
disadvantageous for the specialised work later in the school course ? 
