SCIENCE TEACHING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 215, 30 May 1918, Page 5

SCIENCE TEACHING

IMPORTANT PROPOSALS FOR . ' EEFOItM. :

Some interesting and important conclusions have been reached by Sir J. J. Thomson's Science ■ 'Committee, which was appointed .by tho'Premier to inquire into tho position occupied by natural science in.our educational system. Tho principal recommendations are as follow:—That natural science should be included in tho general course of education of. all up to the ago of about 16; that a. largo increase of scholarships at all stages of education is necessary; that increased attention .should be given to the teaching of science in girls' schools, and that in suitable localities less tune should be given in some schools to languages ami additional time to English, science, mathematics, manual instruction, and drawing.

The present chaos of .English weighte and measures causes waste of lime and contusion of thought, and there are t>trons; educational reasons for adopting the metric system; it is urged all county education authorities should provide "wnll-eqiiipped farm institutes for their areas. Science should Iw an obligatory snbject in the entrance examination of tho Royai Military College, Sandhurst. It i.s further hold that an inquiry should bo made us to (lie best method of securing Ihe services of scientific men for the purposes of the State in permanent posts ami otherwise; that many permanent posls can Iwst be filled by men selected, not by the ordinary competitive examination, but at a riper ago on the ground of high scientific qualifications and professional experience; that scholarships at tho Universities should be. nwardwl on a wider range of subjects than at present; and that the number of scholarships at the women's colleges should bo increased. "Too few parents," it is remarked, "can satisfy their children's curiosity about tho wonders of the heavens, tho movements of tho planets, the history of tho rocliP, tho dawn of animal life, anil tho causes of the.tide and tempest. How necessary science is in war, in dcience and olfoiei , , wo have lenrnt at a groat price. How it contributed to the prosperity of industries and trade all arcready lo admit. llow valuable it may bo in opening the mind, in training tho judgment, in stirring llw imagination, and in cultivating a spirit of reverence, few have yet accepted in full faith. Tho substantial improvement of the salaries of teachers in secondary schools, with a national pension scheme, and a largo expenditure, of public money forthe equipment of tho university tor their work in pure .-md applied fi™« ii.ro also recommended./