420 >S CIENTIFLC ED UCA Tl ON. 



rapidly vcinvigorated'tho soil in which it had taken root, and to-day wc see 

 its overshadowing branches extending throughout all civilized nations. The 

 tangible fruit of this "tree of knowledge" is science^ the true meaning of 

 which term it is important for us to bear in mind. As formerly used, it was 

 applied to those branches termed ph^^sical, and there are those who have no 

 higher conception of its meaning. In the present and developing order of 

 things, it has a much broader signification, and refers more to a certain 

 method of investigation than to specific subjects. Its scope embraces all 

 fields of human research that are capable of being bi-ought under general 

 laws, based upon observed facts. Science aims to bring "thought in harmony 

 with things," and whatever subject is traceable from effect to cause, by in- 

 ductive processes, is a legitimate field for scientific investigation, be it 

 religious, social, political or physical. The growing demand, on the part of 

 the intelligent masses, for popularized science is due to the recent appreci- 

 .ation of this very broadened view of the meaning of science. So long as 

 •science was confined to the investigations of certain branches of purely 

 j)hysical interest, and taught as was done at our iiniversities a quarter of a 

 century ago, popular interest in it was rather of a sentimental kind. Science, 

 however, when applied to higher problems, such as life, j^olitics or religion, 

 comes home to the thinking individual with a transcendent power, and 

 creates in him a very craving to know to what hitherto hidden Arcana he 

 is being conducted. As applied to education, the scientific method of inves- 

 tigation, as a system, is comparatively modern, and was the natural conse- 

 quence of the discovery of the successful application of steam to practical 

 uses, the opening era of the most stupendous advancement in things material, 

 intellectual and moral, that the world has ever seen. JSTone other could exist 

 in a soil so prepared aad, as a consequence, we have seen the system based 

 upon old university methods of scholasticism and tradition gradually fade 

 away, until the bare bones are left, and even they are crumbling into the 

 dust of antiquity out of which they sprung. The science system of education , 

 the "new education," as it is sometimes called, is unassailable, in that it is a 

 natural one, utterly un trammeled by reverence for the past, or devotion to 

 a "school." It seeks nature before the study, and inculcates the acceptance 

 of all truth based upon the facts of nature, as the only sure foundation of a 

 progressive culture. It wars not with ideas, but with error, and is only in- 

 tolerant of a refusal to accept truth regardless of consequences. It is 

 impatient of shams of all kinds, and quickly pierces the shield of the charlatan . 

 Jealousy, or a desire to restrict knowledge to a few, it is incapable of foster- 

 ing, but on the contrary is aggressively active in disseminating information 

 among the masses, which in turn produces a reflex action in the elevation 

 of character and morals. The new system is but the legitimate evolution 

 arising from social betterment, and none other than a "material age" could 

 have supported its development. I am aware that this term "material" is 

 often offensive to any well meaning people, but is nevertheless true that the 

 whole history of society shows that all intellectual advancement is based 



