NATURAL SCIENCE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 132, 2 December 1930, Page 13

NATURAL SCIENCE

THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL

PROMISING TRAINING GROUND

(From "The Post's" Representative;) LONDON", 17th. October. The Prince of Wales travelled by air on Tuesday to Hofsham to open the new block of science buildings and a new quadrangle at Christ *s Hospital (popularly known'as the Blue - Coat School). The new block of buildings has been built and equipped to provide facilities for education in scientific agriculture so that boys who ■ have an aptitude for natural science may be encouraged to become research students, for whom there is urgent need at home, and more particularly in the Dominions. . -...■■' • Addressing the boys from a platform in the new quadrangle, the Prince (who was present in his capacity of chairman of Christ's Hospital)'said it was very satisfactory to know . that no: money has been borrowed and no capital sacrificed for the provision of this new building. Half the cost hag come from the income of Christ's Hospital, which since the War has been so ■ efficiently administered by theCouncil'of Almoners and their treasurers, while the other half has come from the gifts of friends of the school. ' ' : "Tho new building, which adds so finely to the beauty and usefulness of this great and ancient school," continued the Prince, "is to be used mainly for the teaching of geography and of natural sciences,-among which I understand biology will now be able to take its proper place" beside , chemistry and physics. Knowing as I .do the need of scientific investigators to fill posts in outlying parts of the Empire, the teaching of geography and biology has for me a special appeal. They are both Imperial subjects, and they both make for the better understanding of mankind. To appreciate, through a study of biology, both the variety and the unity of all organic life, is tho surest path to sympathy and sound philosophy. And if t'ho best way to get on happily with foreignors is to travel among then), certainly the second best way is to study in the geography laboratory their manners and customs, and tho conditions under-which they live. "And that is true not only of foreigners, but also of our kinsmen oversea. Christ's Hospital is famed for its Imperial interests. Many old Blues in recent years have settled in New.Zealand, in Canada, in Australia, and in South Africa. It seemed quite natural, therefore, that a Canadian University, in their search for a. principal, should have cast a covetous eye on our headmaster, and taken him from us. Though we can ill afford to lose him, we congratulate the Canadians on their choice of Mr. Fyfa, to whoso inception this building is due. The Council, of Almoners have made it Worthy of its purpose, and I have no doubt that under the able administration of our new headmaster, Mr. Flecker, tho admirable facilities provided will stimulate in the boys a love of nature and their country, and make them good citizens. With this hope and a prayer for the continued prosperity of Christ's Hospital, I have much pleasure in declaring this building open." (Cheers.)