GENERAL SCIENCE IN SCHOOLS 319 
1. The present position of science in schools and science subjects taught. 
In England and Wales there were (March 31, 1931) 1,367 State-aided 
and 362 non-aided secondary schools. The questionnaire was sent to the 
majority of these schools, and replies were received from 98 boys’ schools, 
198 girls’ schools, and 62 mixed schools. Table I shows to what extent 
the various subjects were studied in these 358 schools. 
TasB_e I. 
Boys’. Girls’. Mixed. 
Percentage of schools taking Chemistry. 97 83 92 
9 9 »» _ Physics _. 97 72 87 
” »” ” ” General 
Science . 56 69 50 
» ” » Biology . 25 41 32 
» a9 55 So Botany 1 9 22 84 52 
3 sue. » Zoology’ . 16 27 2r 
It is clear from this table that chemistry and physics dominate the science 
work in boys’ schools and in mixed schools, but the position in girls’ schools 
is not at first obvious. To clarify it, Table II shows the percentage of pupils 
taking the various science subjects. 
TaBLeE II, 
Boys’. Girls’, Mixed. 
Number of schools ; ~ ; ; . 98 198 62 
Average percentage of pupils taking Chemistry . 50 26 51 
»”» ” ” ”? »”» Physics i! 55 21 5° 
” ” ”» » ” General 
i Science . 37 40 42 
3 a LEME » Biology. 21 26 28 
” ” ” ” ” Botany . 4 31 24 
” ” > ” ” Zoology od 4 4 3 
_ This table, taken in conjunction with Table I, makes it clear that botany 
is still a popular science in girls’ schools, but that General Science appears 
to be holding an important position. It must be noted that the above 
figures are liable to be misleading as many schools have courses in General 
Science for the younger pupils, but do not carry the subject on to the 
school certificate stage. Of 137 girls’ schools taking General Science, we 
are informed that only 35 take the subject in school certificate, whereas 
almost all the 167 taking botany and two-thirds of those taking chemistry 
present it for examination. It is fair to conclude that in boys’ and mixed 
schools chemistry and physics dominate the science work, and in girls’ 
schools there is a wider field. General Science is usually taken as an 
introduction for pupils of ages 11 to 13, and further, it is clear, from a second 
inquiry that was made, that in many schools ‘ General Science ’ is taken to 
mean chemistry and physics only. None the less, General Science in the 
broader sense is evidently becoming more popular than it was a few years 
ago. 
“It may be profitable to add a note here about Nature Study. This may 
conveniently done in the form of Table III. 
