Report of the Commission on Technical Instruction, Appointed by Imperial Decree, 22nd June 1863. . Presented to Both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1869 Excerpt: ... diverse branches of studies purely scientific, these studies may receive much greater development, which is all the more appropriate, as that division is naturally destined for young men who intend to cultivate the sciences, either from a natural predilection for them or with the view of becoming professors. Since this last division offers those pupils who desire it all the means of extending their theoretical studies without restriction as to time, it might perhaps be possible to slightly lower the mathematical teaching in the special divisions of builders, engineers, and mechanicians. These may be taught, by the aid of the elements of geometry, algebra, and the infinitesimal analysis; all that the students require to know of mechanics, the resistance of materials, and the stability of buildings, they can learn without having recourse to the higher mathematical analysis. Thus to bring science, by simpler methods, within the reach of all the pupils, without in any way weakening the force of the demonstrations, is to facilitate its diffusion, and make it accessible to a greater number of minds without descending to a lower level of instruction. The Polytechnic School contains numerous collections of all kinds, drawings for teaching, models of machines well executed and to scale, a rich library; and, as the buildings in progress shall be successively finished, they will be filled with the rich collections of zoology, botany, mineralogy, and paleontology, which the city possesses. The budget of the school has been augmented, and for the year 1864 it amounted to the sum of 340,000 francs. The school fee, of which the professors receive two-thirds, and one-third only goes into the school treasury, was originally only 30 francs, but has been raised to 100 francs...