322 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 
Many heads of schools are not convinced that biology has any advantages 
over botany or other sciences as an examination or as an educational subject, 
and they are leaving matters in their present position until they can be sure 
that a change is desirable. 
5. General Science in relation to later specialised work. 
The fifth point set out in the questionnaire was the advantage or otherwise 
of General Science as a foundation for the specialised work later in the 
school course. In considering the answers given, it should be borne in 
mind that the term ‘ General Science ’ has different meanings for different 
schools. ‘The following shows the opinions of those schools which take 
General Science and which give their views : 
STs eV Boys’. Girls’. Mixed. 
Number of schools : 98 198 62 
Percentage of these taking General Science - 56 69 47 
Percentage of schools stating General Science 
advantageous for later work : 20 44 20 
Percentage of schools stating General Science 
disadvantageous for later work . 3 3 5 
Percentage of schools taking General Séience i in 
School Certificate forms . F g é 22 18 15 
On the face of this evidence it would appear that the opinions expressed 
were overwhelmingly in favour of General Science but for the lack of 
certainty as to what precisely is meant by ‘ General Science,’ and what by 
specialised work later in the course. An examination of the replies to the 
questionnaire shows that about seventy schools consider two sciences 
constitute a General Science course, and of these two, biology i is very seldom 
one. Further, by ‘ specialised work later in the school course,’ some schools 
mean Higher School Certificate work and others mean School Certificate 
work. Itis clear that, in the first case, the General Science course will mean 
a course extending over three or four years, whereas in the second it may 
mean one or two years’ work with younger pupils. 
Probably the best way to give an accurate impression of the views stated 
is to quote from them, dealing first with those schools which have a General 
Science course of three or four years. 
(1) General Science is taught only to non-science specialists. I should 
strongly disapprove of science specialists going through a course of General 
Science. 
(2) From an educational point of view, entirely advantageous. From 
the point of view of the necessity of passing School Certificate it is still 
advantageous, though the time spent on non-examination subjects is some- 
times grudged by boys. It is greatly to be desired that a School Certificate 
paper in General Science acceptable for matriculation should be provided ; 
a paper consisting of so many chemical, physical and biological questions 
in water-tight compartments does not meet the case. (The point about 
a General Science paper acceptable for matriculation is made by several 
other schools.) 
(3) It is certainly true that a General Science course with its wider scope 
is not advantageous to the specialised work later on, as there is a limited 
amount of time available for the study of science, and what is gained in 
breadth is lost in depth. Nevertheless I am sure that a General Science 
course is desirable. 
(4) As science scholarships are at present awarded it is hardly possible to 
obtain scholarships unless specialisation in physics and chemistry begins at 
fourteen, and at this age only the modern forms go on with General Science. ~ 
