THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE SCHOOLS AND CLASSES. 
225 
London) of candidates ; and the examination of students is held in the 
month of May in the locality in which the school or class may be estab- 
lished. There also self-taught students, or such as have been taught by 
uncertificated teachers, have the same privilege of competing for prizes as 
students educated in the Science school/"' 
Let us now glance cursorily at a few of the results of this assistance 
granted by the State towards promoting instruction in Science. 
Last March there existed thirty schools and classes in England and 
Scotland, f and others have since been started, or are in process of forma- 
tion. There were 111 certificated teachers in Great Britain ; and besides 
these, many tutors not holding Government certificates prepared then- 
pupils for the Science Examinations ; several students, too, were successful 
in obtaining prizes at the May Examinations whose scientific knowledge 
was the result of home-culture, without any artificial tuition. 
It will be very encouraging to young persons of both sexes, who may be 
actuated by the laudable desire to secure honourable rewards as the result 
of useful employment of their leisure time, to know that these “self- 
taught” students have been amongst the most successful in obtaining 
prizes ; Mr. F. W. Itudler, of London, for example, having carried off the 
gold medal, and Mr. George Tindall, of Huddersfield, one of the silver 
medals for physiology at the examination last May. 
The list of prize-holders also includes many of the fair sex, but so far 
Ave do not find one female teacher. One of the probable causes of this 
circumstance (to Avhich we referred in our last), is the absence of any 
reference to female teachers in the “ Directory,” in which the male pronoun 
is invariably employed in speaking of the teachers ; but a still more 
important one will be found in the difficulties that are presented to young- 
persons of the other sex who may desire to attend the examination in the 
metropolis — we refer to the hesitation which must necessarily be felt by 
young girls to travel alone, second-class, % in Avinter, and stay without 
protection in London during the examination. Perhaps those rvho have 
wisely projected the scheme may deem this matter Avortliy of their con- 
sideration, and may provide a safe asylum for such female candidates as 
desire to avail themselves of the advantages offered by the State. It is a 
subject which must recommend itself warmly to all avIio take an interest 
in the employment of women ; and if means could be devised to admit 
these to the privileges of teachers, the number of students of the same sex 
would also be materially increased. 
Amongst the various schools that have been established, Ave knoAV of 
none that ha3 been more successful, under unfavourable circumstances, 
than the one at Banbury. It Avas opened early in the present year, there 
For detailed information on this subject, we refer our readers to the 
“ Directory ” of the Science and Art Department, South Kensington, which 
may be obtained (price Qd.) by applying, or AA'riting, to the Secretary of 
the Department, Henry Cole, Esrp, C.B. 
t We have no doubt that the time is not far distant Avhen there will be 
this number in such places as Liverpool, Manchester, &c., to say nothing 
of the metropolis, in which seven are already established. 
X The State only allorvs the second-class fare. 
