Natural Science in Schools

Abstract

IN the interesting discussion which has recently been carried on in your pages on the teaching of natural science in schools, not much has been said about the text-books which are, or should be, read. So long as the present system of teaching a single branch of natural science continues, and until the method recommended by Prof. Armstrong is adopted, it is clear that great care should be exercised in the choice of a good text-book on the particular subject selected. Even when it is found possible to teach science in the form of physiography, or Naturkunde, there will doubtless be many boys in the large schools who, having thus obtained a great amount of most valuable general knowledge and a wider view of the aims of science than is possible under the present system, will wish to carry on their studies in a particular direction. Taking chemistry, as the subject with which I am most familiar, and which at present is perhaps more widely taught than any other branch of science, it may be said that there should be no difficulty at all in selecting a suitable book. It is true that the number of textbook of chemistry is extremely large, and it is also true that there are a few books, written by men of wide knowledge and long experience in teaching, which are well adapted to the purpose in view. But it is, unfortunately, equally true that there are many text-books which are either untrustworthy or are badly arranged, or which contain little more than a bare collection of dry facts, and it is to be feared that some of these not unfrequentJy find their way into schools. Doubtless most teachers of chemistry will agree with Prof. Armstrong that the educational value of a course of instruction dealing merely with the methods of preparation and the properties of a number of elements and compounds is extremely small, because the faculty of reasoning from observation is not thereby developed. It wil also, I think, be generally admitted that “it is of great importance that the meaning of the terms ‘equivalent,’ ‘atomic weight,’ ‘molecular weight,’ should be thoroughly grasped at early stage.” But it would perhaps be better that students should remain in complete ignorance of the meaning of these terms than that they should obtain such erroneous and illogical notions of atoms and molecules as are contained in some of the text-books. One of these books, which in 1880 had passed through no less than fifteen editions, and which appears therefore to be largely read, and which is advertised as being recommended by the head-masters of certain schools, contains the following remarkable statements:—