222 
On Technical Education. 
[April, 
very indifferent in quality. The mere learning scientific faCts, 
such as that phosphorus will burn in oxygen, will be of no 
practical advantage to artizans or any other class : chemical 
science, for example, to be of any practical benefit to the 
taught and the community, must be carried far beyond such 
mere rudimentary teaching ; and as the science is continually 
progressing, and at a rapid rate, the taught must ever con- 
tinue the study — both in the laboratory and by study of the 
advanced chemical works — both on pure and applied science ; 
it is too frequently left out of sight that the inductive sciences 
are ever progressing. 
Prof. Fleeming Jenkin, in the invaluable evidence he gave 
before the Seledt Committee, said — “ I do not see how a 
practical knowledge of Chemistry is to be of use to work- 
men who are employed to carry out manufacturing processes. 
It is impossible that they can have such a knowledge of the 
theory of Chemistry as would enable them to alter or modify 
the processes in any way ; and I should think a little know- 
ledge would be almost objectionable, if they were allowed to 
use it for such a purpose.” Prof. Jenkin was speaking of 
the average workman, and I quite agree with him. A most 
valuable and instructive educational experiment, which was 
noticed in the April No. (vol. v.), has been tried at the 
Cornell University in America. It is this, — whether a stu- 
dent can work part of the day at manual labour, and part of 
the day at mental study, with success in the latter labour : 
the experiment has proved it to be impossible with the ave- 
rage student, for he has not sufficient energy for both mental 
and manual toil. 
The quality of the instruction given both in the Depart- 
ment’s schools and the Guilds’ schools requires to be very 
greatly improved ; instead of quantity being the primary 
objeCt, as is the case at present, let quality be the first desi- 
deratum aimed at in the future : to gain this improvement 
it would be desirable to restrict the evening Science classes 
to towns in the first instance, and afterwards extend them 
to villages when required. Let the capitation fees, along 
with the students’ fees, be sufficient to afford a competent 
teacher a respectable salary ; let the maxim attributed to 
Confucius be adopted in the future with respeCt to the 
teachers — “ If you suspeCt a man do not employ him, and 
if you employ him do not suspeCt him.” In connection with 
this part of the subject I will quote one other remark made 
by the Commissioners : “ There can be no doubt,” they 
state, “ that from the evidence of Mr. Mundella, of Prof. 
Fleeming Jenkin, Mr. Kitson, and others, and from numerous 
