io 4 THOMAS HENRY HUXLEY 



ideals as to elementary education. As was to be expected, 

 Huxley made a deep impression upon his fellow-members, 

 many of whom had felt no small dismay at his election. 

 Such fears were soon dispelled by his straightforward 

 honesty, consideration for the opinions of others, and 

 strong common sense. And there can be no doubt that 

 his resignation was accepted with very real regret. Our 

 debt to him in respect of elementary education, and the 

 personal impression he made on the School Board, will be 

 fully realized by reading the contributions furnished by 

 Dr. J. H. Gladstone to Mr. Leonard Huxley for bio- 

 graphical purposes (Life, i, pp. 349-50). The essence 

 of the matter is contained in the following brief extracts 

 from this contribution : — 



" On February 7 [1872], a letter of resignation was received 

 from him. . . . The Rev. Dr. Rigg, Canon Miller, 

 Mr. Charles Read, and Lord Lawrence [the Chairman] 

 expressed their deep regret. In the words of Dr. Rigg, 

 ' they were losing one of the most valuable members of the 

 Board, not only because of his intellect and trained acute- 

 ness, but because of his knowledge of every subject connected 

 with culture and education, and because of his great fairness 

 and impartiality with regard to all subjects that came under his 

 observation.' Though Huxley quitted the Board after only 

 fourteen months' service, the memory of his words and acts 

 combined to influence it long afterwards. ... It was our 

 duty to put into practice the scheme of instruction which 

 Huxley was mainly instrumental in settling. . . . Kindergarten 

 methods have been promoted. Drawing, on which Huxley laid 

 more stress than his colleagues generally did, has been enor- 

 mously extended and greatly revolutionized in its methods. Object 

 lessons and elementary science have been introduced everywhere, 

 while shorthand, the use of tools for boys, and cookery and 

 domestic economy for girls, are becoming essentials in our schools. 

 Evening continuation schools have lately been widely extended. 

 Thus the impulse given by Huxley in the first months of the 

 Board's existence has been carried forward by others, and is now 

 affecting the minds of the half million of boys and girls in the 



