326 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 
V. Out-or-ScHOOoL ACTIVITIES IN RELATION TO SCIENCE. 
In response to a special request sent out by the committee many schools 
supplied information upon the various out-of-school activities ; the reports 
received show that science teaching owes much to the work done out of 
the ordinary school hours. 
A natural history society exists in most schools. The older natural 
history societies are usually divided into sections: astronomical, natural 
science, ornithological, entomological, botanical, and so on, the interests 
of each section being supervised by curators or other officers. Physical 
and chemical sections may organise expeditions to works and factories, set 
up demonstrations illustrating phases of the development of the particular 
section, or undertake definite pieces of work in the laboratory. Geo- 
graphical and historical clubs are fairly common, while in a number of 
rural schools bee clubs and gardening clubs are linked with the ‘ Young 
Farmers’ Club’ movement. To all such societies a camera club is con- 
sidered a useful adjunct. 
Under conditions where the time assigned to science is limited or 
negligible, as for example, on a few classical ‘ sides,’ out-of-school science 
may be regarded, without exaggeration, as a saving factor in an unbalanced 
curriculum. 
There seems to be variation in the conditions of membership. In the 
majority of schools boys or girls of all ages are eligible for membership, 
though the natural history society may be divided into senior and junior 
sections. In a few, membership is limited to the older pupils, while in 
others, active membership declines as pupils reach higher forms. Again, 
there are schools in which it would appear that the natural history society 
is run for the smaller boys only, and the old function of the natural history 
society is regarded as having been largely superseded by biological teaching. 
It is evidently becoming more possible for boys to take part in out-of- 
school activities other than organised games. ‘The clash of interests that has 
ensued between games and other out-of-school activities is diminishing, 
probably because many heads of schools exercise wise supervision over the 
activities of all departments, and realise their obligation to maintain a proper 
balance between them. One hears less of the obstacles raised because 
younger pupils must perform house duties or because senior ones are 
impeded by convention. 
Several heads have emphasised the value of organised holiday camps, 
either for week-ends or longer periods. They point out that this enables 
members to spend periods in contact with countryside or seaside, to the 
benefit not only of the work but of the whole life of the school. 
As a development of the principle of doing service to the community, 
one school, at least, sets up experiments and exhibits that are demonstrated 
for the benefit of adjacent schools and adult evening classes, while another | 
school provides surplus biological material for others less fortunately 
situated. 
The records of the societies, whatever their purpose or mode of organisa- 
tion, demonstrate that, as a general rule, the pupils do most of the work and 
bear much of the responsibility, and further, that the work has a depth and 
quality that must reflect most beneficially not only on the scientific training 
of the individual but on the whole educational outlook of the school. 
It is clear that many schools have undertaken pioneer work, and have 
thus made some contribution towards breaking down the artificial boundary 
between indoor and outdoor activities. 
