SCIENCE TEACHING IN ADULT EDUCATION 343 
involves the consideration of career and finance, and turns on the question 
whether science teaching in adult classes should be a whole-time occupation 
or part-time. One aspect of the situation from the young graduate’s point 
of view is that since such work does not lead to a career in itself it leads to 
a constant conflict of interest between the tutorial work whereby he gets his 
living, and the research work on which his future depends. 
It is further suggested by Dr. Brierley (Reading) that : 
‘The whole-time teacher, separated as almost inevitably he must be 
from active research, or intimate contact with such research, would tend to 
lose his inspiration, and to become simply something of a gramophone 
record.’ ... On the other hand, ‘most scientists holding posts in 
Universities, or in research institutions, already find their lives over-full, 
and have not the time and energy to devote to the type of missionary work 
required in adult education.’ 
Some difference of opinion has been expressed as to the best kind of 
experience and training for those who undertake adult classes. Oxford 
opinion is decidedly in favour of high university qualifications, and experience 
in university teaching, rather than in the employment of science masters, 
or of amateurs. 
At Bristol : ‘ For University classes the standard adopted should be that 
lecturers and tutors should hold a good honours degree in the subject 
taught.’ 
At Glasgow: ‘A high standard of knowledge of the subject, such as 
may be looked for in members of a University staff, while almost indis- 
pensable, is not the only essential. It is essential that tutors should be 
inspired by enthusiasm for their subject and should be capable of presenting 
it in such a manner as to arouse the enthusiastic interest of laymen. They 
must be capable, too, of appreciating the questions and the point of view of 
their students, remembering that neither interest nor the equipment of the 
adult student is ordinarily the same as that of the professional scientist, or 
of the University or Technical College student.’ 
At Liverpool ‘the staff is selected by the University; at present all 
members are of the internal University staff. The engagement is for one 
year and renewed for whole courses.’ 
On the other hand: ‘The most suitable teacher is of the “‘ general 
practitioner ” type rather than the highly specialised. It is most important 
that lecturers should have kept abreast of modern developments in science ’ 
(City Literary Institute). 
‘The outlook and qualifications of the teacher of adults will differ very 
considerably from those of the internal University teacher ’ (Dr. Norman 
Walker, Leeds). 
“On the whole, it is probable that secondary school masters are more 
hopeful material than university lecturers ’ (L. A. Fenn, Birmingham). 
The choice of teachers is the more important because, as Dr. A. J. Grove 
(London) puts it : ‘ The wrong kind of tutor can do so much harm. How 
to find the right one, is not easy to answer. If only our primary and second- 
ary education was more concerned with “ educating ” and not so much 
with imparting erudition, then not only would there be many more adult 
students, but the right kind of tutors would be forthcoming. At present, 
apart from a radical change in scholastic and academic teaching, it is difficult 
to see how this problem is to be solved.’ 
One of the recommendations accepted by the Council of the W.E.A . 
and put forward by their special Committee of Inquiry, is that ‘ District 
Secretaries should prepare a panel of scientific lecturers and tutors in their 
areas who would be prepared to undertake either Tutorial Class work, 
