Early in 1872 Huxley retired.  For a year he had continued at this task; then his health broke down, and feeling that he had done his part, from no personal motives of ambition, but rather at some cost to himself, for what he held to be national ends, he determined not to resume the work after the rest which was to restore him to health, and made his resignation definite.

Dr. Gladstone writes:—­

On February 7 a letter of resignation was received from him, stating that he was] “reluctantly compelled, both on account of his health and his private affairs, to insist on giving up his seat at the Board.” [The Reverend Dr. Rigg, Canon Miller, Mr. Charles Reed, and Lord Lawrence expressed their deep regret.  In the words of Dr. Rigg, “they were losing one of the most valuable members of the Board, not only because of his intellect and trained acuteness, but because of his knowledge of every subject connected with culture and education, and because of his great fairness and impartiality with regard to all subjects that came under his observation.”

Though Huxley quitted the Board after only fourteen months’ service, the memory of his words and acts combined to influence it long afterwards.  In various ways he expressed his opinion on educational matters, publicly and privately.  He frequently talked with me on the subject at the Athenaeum Club, and shortly after my election to the Board in 1873, I find it recorded in my diary that he insisted strongly on the necessity of our building infants’ schools,—­] “People may talk about intellectual teaching, but what we principally want is the moral teaching.”

As to the sub-committee on books and apparatus, it did little at first, but at the beginning of the second Board, 1873, it became better organised under the presidency of the Reverend Benjamin Waugh.  At the commencement of the next triennial term I became the chairman, and continued to be such for eighteen years.  It was our duty to put into practice the scheme of instruction which Huxley was mainly instrumental in settling.  We were thus able indirectly to improve both the means and methods of teaching.  The subjects of instruction have all been retained in the Curriculum of the London School Board, except, perhaps, “mensuration” and “social economy.”  The most important developments and additions have been in the direction of educating the hand and eye.  Kindergarten methods have been promoted.  Drawing, on which Huxley laid more stress than his colleagues generally did, has been enormously extended and greatly revolutionised in its methods.  Object lessons and elementary science have been introduced everywhere, while shorthand, the use of tools for boys, cookery and domestic economy for girls are becoming essentials in our schools.  Evening continuation schools have lately been widely extended.  Thus the impulse given by Huxley in the first months of the Board’s existence has been carried forward by others, and is now affecting the minds of the half million of boys and girls in the Board Schools of London, and indirectly the still greater number in other schools throughout the land.