174 



The Museum Gazette 



In the summary to which we refer above there occurs the 

 following : — 



" The Committee discuss the question of what are the qualities 

 which employers and other persons qualified to express an opinion 

 consider it most worth while to aim at. ... ' Apart from the moral 

 qualities, which come first in a general sense,' the thing needed is 

 not only knowledge but a right attitude of mind, a mind confident in 

 its own power to observe and think and in the habit of observing 

 and thinking — a mind in which interest makes for intelligence and 

 intelligence for interest. 



" The first necessity is to secure for each child as much ' humanity, 

 as much accurate knowledge of general elementary fact and as 

 much mental power and mental aptitude as can be expected,' &c, &c. 



" The Committee lay stress on the necessity of not losing sight 

 of the truer utility of the course effected by a general stimulation 

 and training of the faculties." 



These paragraphs ably express all-important truths. Their 



truth and their importance are, however, alike obvious, and 



what the public may desire from the labours of such a 



Committee is rather the practical measures by which they 



may best be realised. To ourselves one reform of foremost 



value is clearly indicated. It is that the old methods of 



verbal teaching should be replaced to a very large extent 



by that which Museums offer. What more likely to enable 



the mind to feel " confidence in its own power to observe and 



think " than that it should have been already well exercised 



on visible and tangible things ? Where, if not in the 



galleries of a well-explained Museum, shall we find that 



interest makes for intelligence, and intelligence for interest ? 



Where can the accurate knowledge of general elementary fact 



be so rapidly obtained ; and finally, where can the general 



stimulation and training of the faculties be so well effected ? 



In pleading for the provision of well-equipped Museums as 

 essential parts of all schools, we feel to be speaking as much 

 in the interests of the teachers as of the pupils. They would 

 tend, as soon as their employment should be well understood, 

 to vastly facilitate the labours of the schoolmaster. They 

 would become places in which pleasurable instruction would 

 be given mutually by the pupils themselves. 



