366 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xxiv 



Upon the scheme of education to be adopted in the Board 

 Schools. 



This motion came up for consideration on February 

 15, 1871. In introducing it, he said that such a corhmittee 

 ought to consider — 



First, the general nature and relations of the schools which 

 may come under the Board. Secondly, the amount of time to 

 be devoted to educational purposes in such schools ; and Thirdly, 

 the subject-matter of the instruction or education, or teaching, 

 or training, which is to be given in these schools. 



But this, by itself, he continued, would be incomplete. 

 At one end of the scale he advocated Infant schools, and 

 urged a connection with the excellent work of the Ragged 

 schools. At the other end he desired to see continuation 

 schools, and ultimately some scheme of technical education. 

 A comprehensive scheme, indeed, would involve an educa- 

 tional ladder from the gutter to the university, whereby 

 children of exceptional ability might reach the place for 

 which nature had fitted them. 



The subject matter of elementary instruction must be 

 limited by what was practicable and desirable. The revised 

 code had done too little ; it had taught the use of the tools 

 of learning, while denying all sorts of knowledge on which 

 to exercise them afterwards. And here incidentally he re- 

 pudiated the notion that the English child was stupid ; on 

 the contrary, he thought the two finest intellects in Europe 

 at this time were the English and the Italian. 



In particular he advocated the teaching of " the first 

 elements of physical science " ; " by which I do not mean 

 teaching astronomy and the use of the globes, and the rest 

 of the abominable trash — but a little instruction of the child 

 in what is the nature of common things about him ; what 

 their properties are, and in what relation this actual body of 

 man stands to the universe outside of it." " There is no 

 form of knowledge or instruction in which children take 

 greater interest." 



Drawing and music, too, he considered, should be taught 

 in every elementary school, not to produce painters or 



