influences with the object of enabling them to play their part in the business of life.  Such formal influences are seconded by countless informal ones.  School and university alone do not make the complete man and it is an important part of the teacher’s task to second his direct and purposeful teaching by the influence of his own personality and conduct, and by securing that the form or school is in harmony with the general aim of his work.

Skill in imparting instruction is by no means the whole of the equipment required by a teacher.  It is indeed possible to give “a good lesson” or a series of “good lessons” and yet to fail in the real work of teaching.  In some branches far too much stress has been laid on the more purely technical and mechanical attributes of good teaching as distinct from the finer and more permanent qualities such as intellectual stimulus, the awakening of a spirit of inquiry, and the development of a true corporate sense.  By way of excuse it may be said that teaching has tended to become a form of drill chiefly in those schools where the classes have been too large to permit of anything better than rigid discipline and a constant attention to the learning of facts.  Teachers in such circumstances are gravely handicapped in all the more enduring and important parts of their work.  Very large schools and classes of an unwieldy size tend to turn the teacher into a mere drill sergeant.

While full provision should always be made for the exercise of the teacher’s individuality there must be sought some unifying principle in all forms of teaching work.  Unless it is agreed that the imparting of instruction demands special skill as distinct from knowledge of the subject-matter we shall be driven to accept the view that the teacher, as such, deserves no more consideration than any casual worker.  No claim to rank as a profession can be maintained on behalf of teachers if it is held that their work may be undertaken with no more preparation than is involved in the study of the subject or subjects they purpose to teach.  A true profession implies a “mystery” or at least an art or craft and some knowledge of this would seem to be essential for teachers if they are to have professional status.

The difficulty in this connection is that the principles of teaching have not yet been worked out satisfactorily.  Our knowledge of the operations of the mind develops very slowly and those who carry out investigations in this field of research are few in number.  Their conclusions are not necessarily related to teaching practice but cover a wider field.  The study of applied psychology with special reference to the work of the teacher needs to be encouraged since it will serve to enlarge that body of scientific principle which should form the basis of teaching work.  It is by no means necessary, or even desirable, that teachers should be expected to spend their time in psychological research.  Their business is to teach