THE HISTORY OF THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN SCOTTISH SCHOOLS D. J. S. Sutherland A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 1938 Full metadata for this item is available in St Andrews Research Repository at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/13766 This item is protected by original copyright THE HISTORY OF THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN SCOTTISH SCHOOLS. BEING A THESIS PRESE~TTED BY D.J.S.SUTHERLAND, M.A.,B.Sc. TO THE UNIYE.l:iSITY OF ST.ANDREWS IN APPLICATION FOR THE DEGREE OF Ph.D. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. UNIVEHSITIES BEFORE 1700. Archbishop Chevez at St.Andrews, 1478-96. Ferrerius at Abbey of Kinless, 1543. The Quadrivium. System of Regenting. ~irst Book of Discipline, 1560. Andrew Melville. De Sphera by Sacro Boseo. Aristotle's works. Curricula of univer­ sities. Dissertations of candidates, 1621. Robert Sibbald. Establishment of a medicine garden, 1670. Dissertations of candidates, 1690. p. 1. CHAPTER II. UNIVERSITIES. 1701-1800. Natural Philosophy compulsory for Arts degrees. Chemistry and Botany compulsory for Medical students. System of Regenting abolished. Natura.l Philosophy. Astronomy.Chemistry. Work of Cullen. Lectures given by Black. Botany. Physic or Botanic Gardens. Sutherland, Preston, Alston and Hope. Natural History. Agriculture. p. 23. CHAPTER III. SCHOOLS BEFORE 1800. Early Scottish schools. Introduction of Na.viga tion as a subject in schools. Suggested Navigation School in Heriot's Hospital, 1696. Scottish shipping trade. Units used in density in 1685. Celestial and terrestial globes. Intro­ duction of Natural Philosophy at Ayr, 1746. John r.~air. Academy established at Perth, 1760. Natural History intra- duced at Perth. Geography as taught at ~.~ontrose, 1757. Curriculum of academies. Natural Philosophy note book at Perth, 1777. Some text books used. Astronomy taught at Ayr Grammar School and various academies. Chemistry intro­ duced at Inverness, 1187. Position of scientific subjects in schools at the end of Eighteenth Century. CHAPTER IV. UNIVERSITIES. 1801-1850. Curriculum in Universities. Natural Philosophy. Chemistry. Botany. Natural History. Astronomy. Agriculture. p.102 CHAPTER V. SCHOOLS. 1801-1850. Establishment of additional academies and Edinburgh Sessional School. Robert Owen's experiment at New Lanark. Survey of work done in 1826 and 1834. Foundation of Dollar Institution. Examination papers at Aberdeen in 1835. Note books of lectures given at Perth Academy, 1837. Reading lessons on scientific topics. Survey of work done in 1838. Natural Philosophy note books at Perth Academy, 1838. Peripatetic lecturers in Edinburgh schools. Science in Glasgow High School, 1840. First Report of Committee of Privy Council on Education, 1840. Grants for school apparatus, 1844. The Disruption, 1843. New Statistical Account, 1845. Agricultural chemistry intro­ duced into schools, 1844. Grants for lesson and text books, 1847. Examination of schoolmasters, 1848. Natural Philos­ ophy note book at Dundee High School. Introduction of Physiology at Falkirk Parochial School. Introduction of elementary science at Royal High School, Edinburgh, 1849. Establishment of Williams' Secular School, 1848. Study of various text books used in Scottish schools. p.l24 CHAPTER VI. ADULT EDUCATION BEFORE 1850. Popular lectures by university professors. Foundation of Anderson's University, 1796. Dr. George Birkbeck, 1799. Mechanics' Institutions. Edinburgh School of Arts, 1821. Glasgow Mechanics' Institution, 1823. Watt Institution, Dundee, 1825. Edinburgh Association for Useful and Enter­ taining Science, 1832. Teaching of Mechanics in Gaelic language, 1843. Popular lectures by academy rectors. Apprentice School Association, Edinburgh. p.248 CHAPTER VII. UNIVERSITIES SINCE 1851. Natural Philosophy. Astronomy. Chemistry. Botany. Natural History. Technology. Degrees in Science established. Royal Commission on Scientific Instruction and the Advancement of Science. University Local Examinations. University Education of Women. Post-graduate Research. p.265 CHAPTER VIII. SCHOOLS. 1851-72. Williams' Secular School. Reports on schools. Examination papers at Aberdeen, 1852. Grants for apparatus, 1853. Griffin's method of titration. Agriculture in General Assembly schools, 1853. Report on Aberdeen schools, 1854. Examination of teachers. Report by Dr.Voigt, 1855. Study of various text books used in Scottish schools. Work of certain schools. Introduction of Physical Geography, 1861. Physiology in schools. Report of British Association. Schools Inq_uiry Commission, 1868. Report by Demogeot and Montucci, 1868. Burgh and Middle Class Schools, 1868. Royal Commission on Scientific Instruction and the Advancement of Science, 1872. Thomas H. Huxley. p.289 CHAPTER IX. SCHOOLS 1873-1900. Education (Scotland) Act, 1872. Scotch Education Department. Specific Subjects. Board of Education, Scotland. 1873-9. Science and Art Department. Royal Commission appointed to enq_uire into the Endowed Schools and Hospitals (Scotland) 1873. Statistics of study of scientific subjects, 1874-7. Matthew Arnold and Natur-kunde. Huxley and Physiography. All an Glen's Institution, Glasgow. Commissioners on Endowed Institutions in Scotland, 1881. Criticism of science tea0hine from manuals. Educational Endowments (Scotland) Commission, 1884. Royal Commission on Technical Instruction, 1882-4. Henry E. Armstrong on teaching of chemistry, 1884. Gordon's College, Aberdeen. Elementary science as a nclass subject!', 1886. Report on science teaching in leading schools, 1888. George Heriot's Hospital. Statistics, 1892. The Heuristic Method. Functions of Science and Art Department in Scotland transferred to Scotch Education Department, 1898. Intra- duction of Leaving Certificate Examination in Science, 1898. Nature Knowledge in primary schools, 1898. Syllabus of Instruction in Experimental Science, 1898. p.345 CHAPTER X. SCIENCE AND ART DEPART!~NT. Department established, 1853. Schools of Science. navigation Schools. South Kensington, 1857. Grants in augmentation of salary of teachers, 1859. Teachers' certificates. Carlton Place School, Glasgow. Payment by results, 1864. Grant towards purchase of apparatus, 1864. Abolition of teachers' certificate examinations, 1867. Building grants, 1869. Exemption from examination of teachers holding university degrees, 1870. Payments made on a~count of practical work, 1871. Extra payments dependent on suitable laboratory, 1871. Duties of officers of Royal Engineers. Courses for teachers at South Kensington. Biology adopted as subject, 1874. Collections of teaching apparatus formed, 1872. Principles of Agriculture, 1875. Physical Geography replaced by Physio­ graphy, 1876. Hygiene, 1883. Electrical Units Conference, 1881. Restrictions on grants for unsuitable applied science, 1885. Organised Science Schools established, 1872. Popularity of classes at Watten, Caithness. I,ocal Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act, 1890. Prominence of chemical analysis diminished, 1895. Literary and commercial subjects in curriculum of Organised Science Schools, 1895. Transfer to Scotch Education Department, 1898. p.411 CHAPTER XI. SCHOOLS SINCE 1901. Supplementary Courses, 1903. Memorandum on Nature Study and the Teaching of Science, 1908. Intermediate Schools, 1910. War time conditions. Committee on position of Natural Science, 1918. Advanced Divisions, 1923. Abolition of Intermediate Certificate, 1924. Reforms in Science teaching. Written papers for Leaving Certificate in Science, 1926. Hadow Reports on Education of Adolescent, 1926 and on Primary School, 1931. Syllabus for Leaving Certificate in Science, 1932. Conference on Teaching of Biology, 1934. Teaching of General Science. Applied Science. Broadcast lessons. Decrease in popularity of Science. Changes to take effect in 1940. p.446 Appendix I. Reid's Chemical Abacus. p.518. Appendix II. Statistics p.522 Bibliography p.526 INThODUCTION. Although it was intended that the teaching of science in Scottish schools only should be considered in this work, it was found necessary for several reasons to introduce consider- ation of the teaching in Scottish universities also. The pioneers of the teaching of science in Scotland, the men who made it an actual part of Scottish eduction, were teachers in ~ the universities, and an attempt has been made to show the gradual transition from Aristotelian beliefs to the experimental treatment of the subject. In the early days of science, it was taught only in the universities, and it was there that the Scottish boy obtained the education which he would receive now at a secondary school, for the students then were mere boys. In consequence, university teaching at that time has been considered in consider- able detail. As John Stuart Mill stated in his Rectorial address to the University of St.Andrews in 1867:- "But schools of a still higher description have been, even in Scotland, so few and inadequate, that the Universities have had to perform largely the functions which ought to be performed by schools; receiving students at an early age and undertaking not only the work for which the schools should have prepared them, but much of the preparation itself. Every Scottish University is not a University only, but a High School, to supply the deficiency of other schools. ---------- Youths come to the Scottish Universities ignorant and are there taught." As science became a subject of instruction in burgh schools and academies, of which at least one was established as