Chapter VIII: Section III: The Knowledge of the Universe 218

(_a_) _Science_: Huxley--“Common information”--Books should be
literary in character--French approach to science--Principles
underlying science meet for literary treatment--Details of
application too technical for school work--Universal principles
must be linked with common incidents--Verbiage that darkens
counsel--Out-of-door work--Natural history, botany, astronomy,
physiology, hygiene, general science--A due combination of field
work with literary comments--Fatal divorce between science and
the “humanities”--Nature Note Books--Science not a utilitarian
subject.

_Geography_: Suffers from utilitarian spirit--Mystery and
beauty gone--Modern geography, concerned with man’s profit--A
map should unfold a panorama of delight--Map work--Children
read and picture descriptions--Knowledge of England, a key
to the world--Naval history--Empire geography--Current
geography--Countries of Europe--Romance of natural features,
peoples, history, industries--Generalisations, not
geography--Children must see with the mind’s eye--Two ways of
teaching geography--Inferential method--But general principles
open to modification--No local colour and personal interests--No
imaginative conception--Panoramic method--Gives colour, detail,
proportion, principles--Pictures not of much use--Except those
constructed by the imagination from written descriptions--Survey
of Asia--Africa--America--Physical geography--Geography in
connection with history--Practical geography.

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(_b_) _Mathematics_: Reasoning powers do not wait upon our
training--Beauty and truth of Mathematics--A sense of limitation
wholesome--We should hear _sursum corda_ in natural law--Mind
invigorated by hard exercise--Mathematics easy to examine
upon--Dangers of education directed not to awaken awe but to
secure exactness--Which does not serve in other departments
of life--Work upon special lines qualifies for work on those
only--Mathematics to be studied for their own sake--Not as
they make for general intelligence and grasp of mind--Genius
has her rights--Tendency to sacrifice the “humanities” to
Mathematics--Mathematics depend upon the teacher--Few subjects
worse taught--A necessary part of education.

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(_c_) _Physical Development, Handicrafts._ No special methods for
these.

BOOK II

THEORY APPLIED