fessor Armstrong stands sponsor. Besides more laboratory benches, so that thirty-six can conveniently work at once, we notice, in addition to the old draught cupboards, a new double cupboard served by a single flue above. It is superfluous to add that drawers, fittings, and apparatus of every sort are provided in the completest fashion. In some laboratories, indeed, stools are provided, but at the majority of schools probably they are not; it is found that they are not wanted, since a boy seldom spends more than an hour and a quarter continuously in the laboratory. Indeed, it is believed that the most profitable disposition of the time assigned to science is, first, demonstration in the lecture room, then a period of practical work in the laboratory, and finally an elaboration of the rough notes taken at the work-bench. Original work is seldom within the capacity of a Public School boy; the laboratories are therefore planned for the instruction of boys from the first rudiments to a stage short of original work. At first, as might be expected, breakages are a heavy item in the accounts; but it is usual to make an inclusive charge, and supply all that is required. Beginners are often doing little more than learning the use of their fingers, and in some cases, it may almost be said, testing the strength of glass. And it is here that most English masters are watching most narrowly the effect of the Heuristic method. Many boys, as experience shows, will do anything to avoid intellectual effort, to evade intellectual comprehension of a subject; if they can substitute a mechanical process they will. In arithmetic this inclination may readily be detected; it is believed that it is a danger in Heuristic teaching. Boys like to do in the laboratory what may be called the equivalent in science to making mud-castles at the seaside. Hence English teachers advocate a compromise between the German system of lecturing and the American

system of re-discovery. That the latter system produces keenness is admitted; the nature of the keenness is questioned. The Public School, unlike the Technical School (where much is learnt, virtually, by rule of thumb), aims at intellectual development and training, and (although it would be an improvement-it is doubtful if parents would sanction this --if means could be devised for making the more advanced pupils into additional demonstrators) there is no question of the superiority of the Public School science course for this purpose. This course is, in brief, as follows:-(1) The study of gases, when the handling of apparatus may be easily learnt; (2) the simple calculation of equivalent weights; (3) volumetric analysis; (4) the preparation of simple compounds, and the analysis of unknown substances; (5) in the case of those who carry their study further, gravimetric analysis. Thus trained in the laboratory and the lecture room the Public School boy is, according to English ideas, sent into the world with the combined advantages of German and American methods, the actual knowledge of the German and the keenness of the American, the book-study of the former and the manual training of the latter happily united.

XI.

MUSIC.

BY P. DAVID.

MORE than forty years ago Edward Thring, then head-master of Uppingham, said in a letter to the writer of these lines, "It has long been a matter of great interest to me to make music take a proper place in English education." What was it that made Thring, himself quite unmusical, take such a view of the educational value of music? There was something of the prophet in this man; he felt the advance of utilitarianism long before it secured a hold, and he looked to music for an ally in his lifelong fight for the religious, moral, and intellectual ideals, which he considered the only true basis of education. The task of giving to music its "proper place" in the curriculum of an English public school was not an easy one. Tradition and prejudice were dead against it. It cannot be said that music was entirely unrecognised in the schools. There was an organist and music master attached to most of them-the boys sang in the chapel services, and a few took private lessons on an instrument. Irregular and voluntary efforts led to occasional concerts, which were often conducted by a musical amateur, while the organist acted merely as accompanist. Music was an extra subject which nowise entered into the life of the school, and was not subject to its discipline. The music master himself was more or

less an outsider. Under such conditions it was impossible that it should take root. A first step in advance was made when at some schools musical societies were formed under the leadership of the music master and the management of a committee of masters and boys. These societies have done and are still doing good work; but having no official recognised position, and depending on voluntary membership and attendance, they cannot be considered to have solved the problem of teaching music at schools. This could only be done by giving to music a recognised place in the curriculum, and Thring was probably the first head master to do this. He made his music master a member of the regular staff, he allotted a fair number of hours in the week to singing-classes, and made attendance compulsory for the members of those classes. Instrumental music pupils were subject to the same discipline. Every boy who entered the school had his voice and ear tested, and, if found fit, was enrolled in the choir. Similar regulations prevail at the present time in a great many schools, though such was not the case 40 years ago.

Further, the music master must have a free hand in the choice of his method of teaching, and especially in the selection of the music to be studied and performed. This is most important, because the prevailing notion among the general public was then and, to some extent, is still, that music, though perhaps a nice accomplishment-a harmless source of amusement for some few boys, especially those who for particular reasons were unable to take much part in athletics-was not a subject of serious import in education. Even musical people thought that it was useless to try to interest schoolboys seriously in music. A wise man has said in reference to books: "For the young the best is just good enough "— and this holds good for music as well as for litera

ture. Who would maintain that silly, worthless books were good enough for young people? The idea is absurd. Then why should shallow and trivial music be put before them? No! it is the duty of every teacher of music to offer to the young from the beginning nothing but the very best, and to impress on his pupils that music is not a subject to be trifled with, but must be taken up in good earnest or not at all. It is a mistake to think that the schoolboy of average musical capacity will not respond to such an appeal. There are few good things in music which he will fail to appreciate and to enjoy, when properly led, if sufficient time and opportunity be allowed. It need not be added that the progress of musical education will be a gradual one, as in every other subject.

In order to give an idea of what can be done at a school, we here give a list of the works studied and performed in the course of years at one school we kno.w:

I Choral Works.-Handel: Messiah, Judas Maccabæus, Sampson, Saul, Joshua. Mendelssohn: St. Paul, Elijah, Athalia, Lauda Sion, Christus, Psalms 42 and 95. Bach: Christmas Oratorio (Parts I. and II.) and four Church Cantatas. Haydn: Creation (Parts I. and II.). Bennett: Woman of Samaria. Stanford Hymn "Awake my Heart."

Handel Acis and Galatea, Selections from L'Allegro and Alexander's Feast. Gluck: Orpheus (Act II.). Mendelssohn: Antigone. Bennett: May Queen. Gade: Earlking's Daughter and Spring's Message. Bruch: Fair Ellen. Coleridge Taylor: Hiawatha's Wedding. Stanford: Revenge.

A number of smaller works, such as Schumann's Gipsy Life," choruses from Fidelio, Zauberflöte, and Freischütz, a fair number of glees and part songs, some of them of local origin and interest.

II.-Instrumental works-Ten symphonies of