16 A. LIVERSIDGE. 



Australia should certainly do its utmost to take a fitting position 

 in science as well as in other matters, and this can best be done 

 by organising, for the men will be forthcoming if there are 

 organisations to sympathise and help them with their work. 



Science Teaching in Schools. — Amongst the subjects of interest 

 to us is the question of science teaching in schools, and it would 

 be very gratifying to many of us if with the new century and the 

 inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia, we should be 

 privileged to see increased attention paid to this matter ; it is 

 sometimes suggested to individuals that with the new year they 

 should turn over a new leaf, and it would be appropriate if the 

 community turned over a new leaf with the new century, by 

 insisting upon better provision being made for science teaching in 

 schools. 



At one time, from 1876 to 1887, a small amount of science 

 was included in the University Matriculation Examination, 

 and there is no doubt that its inclusion was beginning to have 

 the good effect of causing some of the schools to introduce science 

 teaching into their courses, but its subsequent removal in 1887 

 had the undoubted effect of checking the progress of science 

 teaching in schools generally throughout the colony, and killing 

 it completely in some. I do not quite understand the reasons 

 for its removal, as I was away from the State at the time. I 

 was informed that its removal was against the wishes of some of 

 the schools, and I am sure that much good would result if it 

 were again included. Our University is probably almost the 

 only modern University which completely excludes science from 

 its entrance examination. 



Unfortunately the teaching of experimental branches of science, 

 like chemistry and physics, involves an expenditure for apparatus, 

 and this naturally acts as a deterrent, but I think that all who 

 have any acquaintance with science teaching believe that the 

 advantages warrant this additional expense. Science, even of 

 the most elementary character, when properly taught, induces the 

 pupil to observe and to think, as well as to exercise his memory ; 



