The Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley, vol 2 | Page 9

of the direct knowledge of nature: on
the one hand, as an admirable instrument of education, if properly
applied; on the other, as preparing the way for an attitude of mind

which could appreciate the reasons for the immense changes already
beginning to operate in human thought.
Moreover, he possessed a considerable knowledge of the working of
elementary education throughout the country, owing to his experience
as examiner under the Science and Art Department, the establishment
of which he describes as "a measure which came into existence
unnoticed, but which will, I believe, turn out to be of more importance
to the welfare of the people than many political changes over which the
noise of battle has rent the air" ("Scientific Education" 1869; "Collected
Essays" 3 page 131.)
Accordingly, though with health uncertain, and in the midst of exacting
occupations, he felt that he ought not to stand aside at so critical a
moment, and offered himself for election in the Marylebone division
with a secret sense that rejection would in many ways be a great relief.
The election took place on November 29, and Huxley came out second
on the poll. He had had neither the means nor the time for a regular
canvass of the electors. He was content to address several public
meetings, and leave the result to the interest he could awaken amongst
his hearers. His views were further brought before the public by the
action of the editor of the "Contemporary Review," who, before the
election, "took upon himself, in what seemed to him to be the public
interest," to send to the newspapers an extract from Huxley's article,
"The School Boards: what they can do, and what they may do," which
was to appear in the December number.
In this article will be found ("Collected Essays" 3 page 374) a full
account of the programme which he laid down for himself, and which
to a great extent he saw carried into effect, in its fourfold division--of
physical drill and discipline, not only to improve the physique of the
children, but as an introduction to all other sorts of training--of
domestic training, especially for girls--of education in the knowledge of
moral and social laws and the engagement of the affections for what is
good and against what is evil--and finally, of intellectual training. And
it should be noted that he did not only regard intellectual training from
the utilitarian point of view; he insisted, e.g. on the value of reading for
amusement as] "one of its most valuable uses to hard-worked people."
[Much as he desired that this intellectual training should be efficient,
the most cursory perusal of this article will show how far he placed the

moral training above the intellectual, which, by itself, would only turn
the gutter-child into] "the subtlest of all the beasts of the field," [and
how wide of the mark is the cartoon at this period representing him as
the Professor whose panacea for the ragged children was to] "cram
them full of nonsense."
[In the third section are also to be found his arguments for the retention
of Bible-reading in the elementary schools. He reproached extremists
of either party for confounding the science, theology, with the affection,
religion, and either crying for more theology under the name of religion,
or demanding the abolition of] "religious" [teaching in order to get rid
of theology, a step which he likens to] "burning your ship to get rid of
the cockroaches."
[As regards his actual work on the Board, I must express my thanks to
Dr. J.H. Gladstone for his kindness in supplementing my information
with an account based partly on his own long experience of the Board,
partly on the reminiscences of members contemporary with my father.
The Board met first on December 15, for the purpose of electing a
Chairman. As a preliminary, Huxley proposed and carried a motion that
no salary be attached to the post. He was himself one of the four
members proposed for the Chairmanship; but the choice of the Board
fell upon Lord Lawrence. In the words of Dr. Gladstone:--
Huxley at once took a prominent part in the proceedings, and continued
to do so till the beginning of the year 1872, when ill-health compelled
him to retire.
At first there was much curiosity both inside and outside the Board as
to how Huxley would work with the old educationists, the clergy,
dissenting ministers, and the miscellaneous body of eminent men that
comprised the first Board. His antagonism to many of the methods
employed in elementary schools was well known from his various
discourses, which had been recently published together under the title
of "Lay Sermons, Addresses, and Reviews." I watched his course with
interest at the time; but for the purpose of this sketch I