80 MISCELLANEA. THE THE ALBERT MEMORIAL. HE Commissioners appointed by her Majesty for the purpose of erecting a monument in memory of the late Prince Consort have decided, after mature deliberation, and amidst the expression of the most conflicting opinions, to raise a suitable memorial group, which is to be placed in a building to be devoted to purposes of science, art, and literature. This determination will, we believe, meet with the cordial approbation of all who know anything of the desires and aspirations of him in whose honour the memorial is to be erected; and such a monument will present a suitable contrast to the numerous obelisks, needles, and statues which have from time to time been raised to the memory of the wise and good. We have but one observation to make upon the project, which has our best wishes for its success. If the building and its adjuncts be so ordered as to be useful to the me tropolis only, in fact, if its vital functions, so to speak, are to be purely metropolitan, well, then we wish it may prosper, and that the inhabitants of London and its vicinity will give it every support and countenance. If, however, it is to be national, and if provincial towns (where encouragement to science and art is so much needed) are to participate in its advantages, and it is destined to form a great centre to the scientific and other associations which desire to be interlinked with it, then we not only hope, but feel very confident, that it will meet with support from every town in the British empire, however large may be the sums that have already been subscribed or voted for local memorials; and then, indeed, it will become a fitting monument to the memory of the good Prince whose life and acts it is designed to perpetuate. OUR SCIENCE SCHOOLS AND CLASSES. THE zealous and efficient teachers whose services have been enlisted in the cause of Science, chiefly in consequence of the tempting inducements held out to them by the Committee of Council on Education, have just cause to congratulate themselves, and to look with pride upon the results which, year after year, are being attained through their agency. Mr. Ralph Tate, of Belfast, for example, who appears to possess as great tact in giving direction to the intellectual efforts of his students, as he does ability to teach science, will have no cause to regret having undertaken his task, when he counts up the numbers and achievements of his "passed" pupils. So far as the published records of the Department of Science and Art indicate, his class appears to have existed only one season, during which time his teaching has been most efficient, and the industry of his students highly creditable; for eighty-two of them have passed the government examination in geology and mineralogy, and of these, eleven have carried off first-class Queen's prizes in geology (out of thirteen granted all over the United Kingdom), twelve second-class, and fourteen third-class; thirty-seven prizes in all. In mineralogy they have taken twenty-one prizes, six of which are of the highest grade. Amongst his pupils are men and women, boys and girls, of almost every age, profession, and calling: clerks and their sons and daughters; young women in shops; tradespeople and their apprentices; children of operatives, and operatives themselves; national teachers, Methodist ministers; miners and their sons; indeed it would be difficult to name a trade or profession which is not included in the list of his pupils; and it is a feature worthy of special attention that the most successful have been girls, who have carried off many of the highest prizes. All these young people constitute so many missionaries who will diffuse a taste for science amongst their friends and relatives, and many of whom will no doubt in their turn become successful teachers.* Equally, or perhaps still more successful in the results of his teaching, is Mr. John Dowling, of Cork (our Irish friends certainly put us a little to the blush on this side of the Channel), whose pupils carry off no less than sixty prizes; including fifteen of the highest grade in inorganic, and nine in organic chemistry, the remainder being of lower grades in chemistry, and various prizes in the different subdivisions of geology and natural history. Pleasing as such a task would be to us, and however richly our science teachers deserve to have their individual successes everywhere recorded, their numbers prevent us from doing them this act of justice; but as far as we are able, we shall afford to their success that publicity and recognition which it deserves, by appending to this article a list of those gentlemen whose pupils have taken first-class Queen's prizes, with the name of the town in which each resides, and the subject or subjects in which his pupils have been successful. We also add the names of those students whose talent and assiduity have enabled them to carry off the gold medals; and the names of their teachers. The most successful schools and classes appear to be those in Cork, Belfast, Huddersfield, Wigan, Banbury, Gloucester, Truro, Bristol, Manchester, Oldham, Accrington, Liverpool, and London. We must, however, repeat the regret expressed in our last article on this subject, that the large towns, such as Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Hull, &c., are, comparatively speaking, far behind their smaller neighbours, and we do so notwithstanding a protest which we have received from Birmingham, but which, unfortunately for the protester, fully corroborates what we have stated on the subject. In our number of last January we said, that whilst in such places as *So far, we believe, no females have attended the November examinations at South Kensington for the purpose of graduating as teachers; and we again earnestly recommend this subject to the consideration of the Committee of Council on Education. If it be found impracticable to afford an asylum to young girls desirous to visit London for this purpose, it would be no difficult matter to let them pass the teacher's examination at the science school nearest to the place where they reside; and this could be done in May, when the general examinations of students take place throughout the kingdom. VOL. II.-NO. V. G Dedham, &c., there were classes, and schools in Banbury and Wigan, yet there were not even classes in Leeds and Hull; and that in Manchester and Birmingham a commencement had only been made by individual teachers, but that there are no recognized public schools. To this statement our Birmingham correspondent takes exception, affirming that science classes have been established in connexion with the Midland Institute since 1854, and the writer seems to think that they have been successfully conducted. So far as the expression, "recognized public schools," is concerned, we may say, that although it was intended to refer to schools specially devoted to science-teaching only-"science schools," in fact-we must apologize for not recognizing the connexion of the science classes with so valuable a public institution as the Midland Institute, concerning whose operations we treat elsewhere at greater length;* but as regards the more important part of our statement, namely, the position occupied by Birmingham (amongst other places) in the movement, we are bound to confess that a comparison of the details given by our correspondent, with the results of the recent State Examinations, shows that, however humble the position of this important manufacturing town was in 1861, it appears this year to have retrograded still further. With all the resources of the Midland Institute, at which, our correspondent tells us, 800 pupils are receiving class instruction," and notwithstanding that the science classes have been in existence since 1854, only twelve students passed the government examination this year, of whom four have taken inferior prizes. A comparison, moreover, of the results of this with those of last year reflects very unfavourably, in other respects, upon the condition of these classes. We cannot suppose that the teacher is responsible for this state of things, for he holds high certificates, and is spoken of in terms of praise by the committee. Having been compelled to say thus much (and we might have said more) in defence of our position, we may now add that we feel sure that if greater publicity were given to the advantages to be derived from joining the science classes, and if our correspondent would exercise his influence (which is not inconsiderable, for we understand that he takes the lead in all intelligent and progressive movements in Birmingham) in their favour, a science school would spring up and flourish in his town, which would be second to none in the kingdom. The new school, inaugurated by Earl Granville, in Liverpool, last autumn, has been moderately successful; for although the session was a short and imperfect one, forty-three out of about a hundred students presented themselves for examination; of these forty-one passed, and seventeen took prizes of various kinds, chiefly, however, as might be expected, of the lower grades. In the first and second Numbers of this Journal we drew attention to the advantages, pecuniary and otherwise, derivable from a connexion with the department of Science and Art, by teachers and students of science; and feeling that too much publicity cannot be given to the benefits offered to those who are disposed to join in this excellent movement, we will once more refer to the career which lies before those who possess and feel disposed to take advantage of scientific attainments; and it must be clearly understood *See "Provincial Institutions and Societies." SCIENCE SCHOOLS AND CLASSES. that the following remarks apply to young persons of average ability; for there is no limit to the success of a very able and persevering teacher. Let us suppose that a young man of eighteen joins a science school in his town, and that, taking up a single branch of science-Zoology and Animal Physiology-he attends two or three courses of evening lectures.* He must be very dull indeed if he does not succeed during this period in obtaining first-class prizes in both subdivisions of his subject (to say nothing of bronze, silver, or gold medals), and he may then aspire to become in his turn a science teacher. This he does by passing his examination on the subject in question at South Kensington, Government paying his travelling expenses and the cost of his living in London. Here he may obtain a first, second, or third class teacher's certificate; and should he not be satisfied with one of a lower grade, he may "improve" it by presenting himself (always at the expense of the State), time after time, until he fairly succeeds in securing a certificate of the highest grade, and the èmoluments accruing therefrom. Our candidate has, we will suppose, after two or three examinations, secured a first-class certificate in Zoology and Animal Physiology (having meanwhile conducted a small class, and received the grants which accompany one of a lower degree), † and, as we have hardly treated him in a complimentary manner, in supposing such repeated efforts to be needful in order to secure a first-class teacher's certificate, we will take it for granted that, during his probation, he has also obtained one of the second degree in botany and Vegetable Physiology; and that he has a small class, say of ten pupils in each subject, four or five of whom have passed the government examination, and three have obtained respectively a first, second, and third class Queen's prize in each subject. During the year, when he shall have obtained these not very brilliant results, he will be entitled to draw from the coffers of the Treasury the sum of £42, besides charging what he may consider fair to each of his students, or receiving a salary from the institution with which his classes are connected. And all this he may effect-his scientific education, as well as his teaching operations-without the slightest interference with his business pursuits, but only by a wise and elevating employment of his leisure time. So much for the exertions of a young person of ordinary abilities. A successful teacher may earn hundreds of pounds per annum, and may (as many doubtless will) at the same time attain a high position in society and in the State. With these few remarks we once more dismiss this important subject, and should any of our readers be desirous to aid the movement, either as teachers, students, or promoters of schools or classes, they will receive every needful information on applying to the Secretary of the Science and Art As for ourselves, we Department, South Kensington Museum, London. shall be most happy to give the scheme itself, or the efforts of individual teachers, every encouragement in our power, and we invite the various institutions to forward us their reports whenever they may deem it to their advantage. * His fees, text-books, &c., will cost him in all from 10s. to 30s., according to the charge made by the committee of the school which he attends. Under the new Code certificates of every grade are alike remunerative, G 2 |
