220 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXVIII. No. 972 



f erent branches of science. There will be a 

 meeting with the agricultural section to 

 discuss the physiology of reproduction, 

 with special reference to the factors affect- 

 ing fertility and sterility in livestock. 

 Reference has already been made to the 

 joint meeting with the zoological and bo- 

 tanical sections. It is hoped to arrange a 

 joint meeting with the chemical section for 

 a discussion on fermentation. Finally the 

 subsection of Psychology will hold a joint 

 meeting with the Educationists. In indi- 

 vidual papers Mr. W. McDougall will dis- 

 cuss the theory of laughter ; Miss M. Smith 

 and Mr. McDougall will communicate a 

 paper on memory and habit ; Dr. J. L. Me- 

 Intyre will discuss the effects of practise 

 on the memory of school children; Mr. 

 Stanley Wyatt will report the results of 

 some investigations into the reliability of 

 children's testimony; and Mr. T. H. Pear 

 will report on recent experiments regard- 

 ing the psychology of testimony. 



Section K (Botany) will present the 

 rare, if not the unique, spectacle in the his- 

 tory of the association of being presided 

 over by a lady. In her address to the sec- 

 tion Miss Ethel Sargant will deal with the 

 subject of plant embryology, considering 

 recent work on the subject and its bearing 

 on various morphological problems. A 

 semi-popular lecture will be delivered by 

 Professor W. H. Land, F.R.S., on Epiphyl- 

 lous Vegetation, and there will be a joint 

 discussion with the agricultural section on 

 problems in barley production. A joint 

 meeting, as already stated, has been ar- 

 ranged with the zoologists and physiolo- 

 gists. Like the zoologists the botanists 

 will engage in an excursion to the Burbage 

 Experimental Station, and another excur- 

 sion will be made to Sutton Park. 



EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE 



Principal E. H. Griffiths will preside 



over Section L (Educational Science). In 

 preparing his address his object has been 

 to make an inquiry as to the general feeling 

 with regard to the success of our educa- 

 tional system, with special reference to 

 primary education. He has collected the 

 opinions of business men and teachers and 

 has found the prevailing atmosphere to be 

 one of pessimism. Venturing further afield 

 he has made detailed inquiries of all the 

 directors of education in the kingdom. 

 Replies have been received from 112 di- 

 rectors, representative of every kind of 

 authority in all parts of England and 

 "Wales. These replies are confidential, but 

 they provide the basis for certain conclu- 

 sions which will be set out in the address 

 and which will, it is hoped, be found useful 

 at a time like the present, when it seems as 

 though our educational system is in the 

 melting pot. Principal Griffiths will urge 

 in his address that we are making the mis- 

 take of over-estimating knowledge and 

 under-estimating character; that it would 

 be better if we could model our educational 

 system more on the boy scout movement, 

 that is, cultivate character and intelligence 

 until the desire for knowledge is estab- 

 lished. Touching briefly on matters con- 

 nected with secondary and higher educa- 

 tion, he will suggest that what we want is 

 a more careful sifting of the products of 

 the primary schools so as to ensure that 

 only those who are really fitted to receive 

 secondary education should be helped by 

 the state to obtain it; that a more careful 

 system of selection should be established, 

 and that when the fittest have been found 

 more generous help should be given when 

 necessary. As regards the universities, the 

 danger of their passing under state control 

 will be pointed out. 



As usual, the section will follow the wise 

 practise of discussing a few subjects of 

 large importance rather than receiving a 



