NoveMBeER 15, 1918] 
carried beyond the inherent capacity of the 
individual boy or girl. 
Mass education will at best only approxi- 
mate roughly to the ideals we set before us; 
but it can do much by stimulating the avail- 
able intelligence, and by not only disseminat- 
ing, but instilling the desire for knowledge, 
which is the essential foundation of sound 
judgment and the vehicle of truth. Thus the 
great education bill which awaits the sanction 
of parliament will have far-reaching effects 
upon the national life in the future. Continu- 
ity till the age of fourteen at least will provide 
an increase of school time which can be turned 
to good account, and will put all boys and girls 
on one equality; compulsory further part-time 
training to sixteen and later to eighteen will 
ensure a minimum of teaching to the whole of 
our youth, and it will have the great advan- 
tage that the state will be able to watch over 
a critical period during which careers can be 
made or marred. It is a sad fact that at pres- 
ent many more than two and one half millions 
of our boys and girls between twelve and 
eighteen have no opportunity of education and 
may be neglected in body and soul. Mr. 
Fisher has made wise provision for physical 
training, which will help to raise the standard 
of national health, and if the churches and de- 
nominations could arrive at some agreement, 
it should be possible to inculcate duty and dis- 
cipline, honor and true patriotism, based on 
the eternal principles of righteousness. 
Whether the bill will secure higher training 
for the children who show special ability must 
depend upon numerous scholarships awarded 
only to those who show fitness, and upon the 
reduction of university fees in special cases. 
Of about 600,000 children who now leave the 
elementary schools annually, only about 1 per 
1,000 reaches a university. This is far too low 
a proportion, and it indicates the denial of 
that equality of opportunity which must be our 
ideal. I believe that education attained at 
some self-sacrifice is enhanced in value to the 
recipient; but, where there is absolute neces- 
sity, it is for the state to ensure that the gifted 
boy or girl shall not lose the chance of distinc- 
tion. If the recommendations of Sir Joseph 
SCIENCE 
483 
Thomson’s Committee are grafted upon the 
machinery of the education bill, there should 
be a great increase in the number of science 
students. The manual workers will not only 
have no bias against science as a career, but 
are likely to be attracted towards it. We may 
hope in future to draw from them a valuable 
reinforcement to the trained research workers, 
who will be more and more needed in every de- 
partment of industry, while they will 
strengthen the ranks of the leaders of thought 
in all branches of public and private activity. 
Education will always depend upon the char- 
acter, personality and enthusiasm of the 
teacher, and one great merit of Mr. Fisher’s 
Bill is that it will raise the importance and 
dignity of the great profession of teaching. 
The war has changed the whole outlook of 
the nation, swept away many prejudices and 
revealed alike our strength and our weakness. 
Our fighting men on sea and land and in the 
air have given to us inspiring examples of 
patriotism, gallantry and cheerful endurance. 
In spite of some unpleasant symptoms, the 
heart of the British people has proved sound 
and true when tried in the furnace. “ The 
former things have passed away,” and our 
country can never again be as it was four 
years ago. The reconstruction which lies be- 
fore us involves political, social and economic 
changes for which the lessons of the war, if 
we turn them to full account, can smooth the 
way. The strenuous work of all classes with 
hand and brain is the essential condition of in- 
dustrial regeneration. For well-known rea- 
sons, among which want of trust between em- 
ployers and employed is prominent, our pro- 
duction has been far below that of America. 
This grave defect must now be removed by 
shared counsels and frank mutual understand- 
ing. Capital and labor are indissolubly bound 
together by common interests, which are also 
the interests of the nation as a whole. Noth- 
ing except harmonious cooperation, based on 
good-will and directed by trained intelligence, 
can ensure the increased and well-ordered pro- 
duction upon which good wages and the social 
reforms which we all desire absolutely depend. 
A more equable distribution of wealth will be 
