BRITISH ASSOCIATION REPORT. 27 
form, in almost all cases, the extreme limit of what will be 
_ attempted in the schools, it is important that they should be 
placed as high as possible. This will be a great advantage to 
the stronger schools, and no disadvantage to the weaker ones, 
as the higher branches of science-teaching will of course be op- 
tional. Your committee have therefore arrived at the following 
conclusions :— 
I. As to olject lessons—That it is very desirable that Her 
Majesty’s Inspectors should take object lessons into account in 
estimating the teaching given in an infant school, and that they 
should examine the classes in the graded schools wherever object 
lessons are given. 
II. As ¢o class subjects —That the teaching of such subjects 
as natural history, physical geography, natural philosophy, &c., 
should not necessarily be “through reading lessons,” as oral 
lessons “illustrated by maps, diagrams, specimens, &c.,” are 
undoubtedly better when given by a teacher duly qualified to 
handle these subjects. They are of opinion also that it will be 
desirable to allow a larger number of class subjects to be taken 
up in any particular school, and to give in such case a propor- 
tionately increased grant. 
III. As to specific science subjects—That a knowledge of the 
facts of nature is an essential part of the education of every 
child, and that it should be given continuously during the whole 
of school life, from the baby class to the highest standard. 
Of course, in early years this teaching will be very rudimentary ; 
but by developing the child’s powers of perception and com- 
parison it will prepare it for a gradual extension of such 
knowledge. They consider also that the early teaching must be 
very general, while the later may be more specific. They think, 
however, that the science subjects as given in Schedule IV. are 
fairly open to objection, as being somewhat too ambitious in 
their nomenclature and in their scope, and that they ought not 
to be attempted unless the child has had a previous training in 
natural knowledge before entering the fourth standard. Thus 
the specific scientific subjects ought not to be distinct, as they 
practically are at present, from the previous teaching; greater 
latitude of choice might be allowed in. them ; and while they 
should not afford technical instruction, they should prepare the 
way for any technical classes or schools into which the children 
may subsequently enter. In regard to domestic economy, they 
are of opinion that most of the points embraced in the schedule 
would be useful to boys as well as to girls. 
IV. As to examinations—That in the appointment of Her 
Majesty’s Inspectors some knowledge of natural science should 
be considered as absolutely necessary ; that in examining the 
children they should direct their inquiries so as to elicit, not so 
much their knowledge of special facts as their intelligent 
acquaintance with the world of nature around them; and that 
this may be much better done by oral examination than by 
paper work. 
