advanced work. For instance, in some cases the only confirmatory test given for a bromide is the red vapour given off in heating with sulphuric acid and manganese dioxide. Doubtless that is quite sufficient, if nitric acid and certain other possible combinations of substances are first proved to be absent, but the chlorine water and carbon bisulphide test is always reliable and is very easily applied. Similarly the violet flame colourate is not desirable as the only confirmation of the presence of potassium. Again, it is always better, in view of future advanced work, to insist upon the removal of the heavy metals from solution before proceeding to test for acids. Even in some simple cases it is obviously necessary. For instance, if arsenic is present, and the candidate goes on to test for acids without removing it, he will of course find phosphoric acid, if he looks for it, and it is quite possible for mistakes to be made in other cases if the heavy metals are not removed. Higher Physical Geography and Geology. As only four candidates entered for this examination there is little scope for remarks, three passed, one with credit. The minerals submitted for determination were the following: 1 Graphite, 2 Beryl, 3 Siderite, 4 Orthoclase, 5 Psilomelain (oxide of Manganese), 6 Chlorite, 7 Jasper (brown variety), 8 Olivine, 9 Stibrite, 10 Tourmaline. Junior Commercial Examination. Commercial Arithmetic. On the whole the work of the candidates in this examination was very satisfactory. Most of them, however, wasted time by working out Question 6 by unnecessarily long and tedious methods. In this question it is required to find the amount of £650 put out at compound interest at 3 per cent., first at the end of 4 years and then at the end of 8 years. In most cases this was done by finding the amount at the end of one year, then at the end of two years and so on for each year until the eight, and although the answer was to be to the nearest penny some candidates actually worked to 30 places of decimals. The simplest way to do the question is to square 1035 giving the amount of £1 at the end of two years. Then square the result so obtained, this gives the amount of £1 at the end of four years. Square the result again, this gives the amount of £1 at the end of eight years. this final result. Six places of decimals are sufficient for Junior Commercial Geography. This year's work is a distinct improvement upon that of last year, but once more the examiner finds with what fatal facility the candidate turns from the narrow path prescribed by the question. Taking Question 1 as an example, it was the exception for a candidate to have mentally sketched out his answer before writing his reply. Granting that the candidate knows the facts, the first process should be to make a mental map of the wheat-growing areas of North America and their respective markets. Then the obvious reflection is that the routes may be divided into two sets: the Atlantic routes and the Pacific routes. Here he would probably note the ports of departure and connect them with the areas of production on the one hand, and on the other with the areas of consumption. Finally his rough sketch would be somewhat as follows: Gt. Lake Centre.-1 Hudson B. route; 2 Lakes and St. Lawr. Pacific Slope.-1 Puget Sd. pts.-Seattle and Tacoma; 2 Port- Markets Hawaii, Jap., Rus., China, U.K. and continent (via Horn or Suez), South Afr., S. Amer. Were this plan habitually followed in test papers ability would be acquired in the systematic development of subject matter, and, incidentally, much-needed practice would be given in the writing of English. Regarding this last point it is evident from some of the papers that a slovenliness of expression is allowed in answering questions in geography which would not be tolerated were the subject English composition. Although, generally speaking, there was too slavish an adherence to the text-book, yet in two or three cases the examiner was pleased to see that the candidate had read more widely, and had given information obtainable as yet only from newspaper or magazine. But it must be remembered that though it is a good thing to note current events and add them to the information given by the text-book, yet the first work of the pupil is to thoroughly 'get up' the book and not neglect it for the sake of a mass of novelty that may have no permanent importance. What new material is acquired is to to be that already in the possession of the organically related to pupil; and with this object in view it is a good plan for the pupils to collect newspaper cuttings and classify them for a series of scrapbooks, to be made use of when working systematically at any particular country or subject. There are many books, too, suitable for the school library which would be found interesting, but a series which should certainly be on the shelf is that published by A. & C. Black under the title of Descriptive geographies from original sources. (2s. 6d. each). These are extracts from books of travel, scientific papers, consular reports, magazine articles, and travellers' journals, the selection and editing of which have been in the able hands of F. D. and A. J. Herbertson. These books are plentifully illustrated with good half-tone blocks, and ought to lead boys to make excursions on their own account into geographical literature. In dealing with materials of commerce it would be possible to start a small school collection of the various industrial minerals, food-plants, industrial plants, timbers, animal products, and manufactured or partly manufactured articles; and very probably the various bodies and firms interested in commercial education would be willing to help by presenting specimens suitable for such a museum, or by permitting visits to their establishments. It is often overlooked, too, that there is a wealth of illustration to be utilized in the Technological Museum of the Botanic Garden. Under such a system it would be strange if the examiner were told that "indigo is a rubber produced from the sap of a tree and is used for making jute and canvas", or that " esparto grass is used for flavouring certain cookery and for making soup." Question 2 was answered best, but in one or two instances the examiner had to wade through a page of rhetorical display to secure a line and a half of fact. Question 4 was fairly well answered, but it was here, if anywhere, that unintelligent getting up' or 'cramming' of the textbook was shown. Excepting those who presented palpable guesswork, most candidates gave correctly a list of the chief shipbuilding towns of the United Kingdom, but failed to show why these particular towns should be important for this industry. Apparently there had been no such picturing of the geographical, historical, or economical environment as would have fixed the mere statements of the text book. The map-work was better than that of last year, but it still needs a great deal of attention. In few cases did candidates venture to draw maps to illustrate their answers, so that either enough sketching had not been given during the year or the candidates became sceptical of their powers during the examination. Junior Commercial Shorthand. The accuracy of the transcript and clearness of shorthand at the 120 rate are matters for congratulation, and leave little to be desired. At the 100 rate, however, the inability to transcribe notes accurately and the use of wrong punctuation show a neglect of the important, although laborious, part of preparation work. Shorthand students seem to need reminding continually that the cutting is done by both sides of a pair of scissors; mere ability to record words is worse than useless if the writers are unable to interpret the signs. In the 80 rate there was striking evidence of immaturity on the part of most of the failures. The defects were no doubt due to some, if not all, of the following causes: careless preliminary work on the text-books, attempting too early to acquire speed, and insufficient practice in reading printed shorthand. An entire absence of vocalization and lack of phrasing of grammalogues account in some cases for inability to read notes. Rigid discipline in transcribing will soon convince students of their deficiencies, and the most effective lesson possible would be the careful revision of their manuscript by comparison with the printed matter. Very few of the candidates have formed the habit of punctuating their shorthand either by leaving spaces of varying length or by inserting appropriate signs. A word of warning is necessary respecting slovenly longhand, for in some cases the transcripts were presented in a wretched scrawl and were almost illegible. |