THE ROLE OF SCIENCE 45

should form an essential part of a general education.
The inculcation of the value of science in national development
 should be universal, and the adoption of
scientific method in all branches of learning would become
more general, and would be to the manifest advantage
of all subjects.
Secondly, we have the scientific specialist to provide
for, not only the theoretical and pure scientists but also
those who pursue practical industrial and applied science,
For this class specialization is necessary. Instead, however,
 of beginning the study of “formal science ” at the
age of 14 to 144, this should be deferred until 16 to
164, but should then be made much more intense than
it is at present.
The allocation of twenty-five hours a week to the scientist—as,
 by the way, is at present given to the classicist—
would be more than is desirable ; but, after the specialization
 age has been reached, a boy should have the opportunity
 of devoting from ten to fifteen hours a week to
this subject should he intend to adopt a scientific profession.


In order to avoid endless confusion these two aims
must be kept entirely separate and distinct : they will
therefore be considered separately.
A. The Position of Science in the Scheme of General Education.—The
 lack of elementary scientific knowledge by
our statesmen and rulers has been directly responsible
for the loss of tens of thousands of lives and of millions
of pounds during the last three years. One cannot expect
 our lawyer statesmen to be expert scientists, but
the criminal waste of life and of resources would have
been avoided had public school education in the past
been based on general lines which would have inculcated
scientific method in organization, an elementary acquaintance
 with the guiding scientific principles in our