12 THE CONTENT OF EDUCATION
place of science in education. Throughout the nineteenth
century English higher education very largely failed to
include natural science, in spite of the need for wide-
spread knowledge of that group of subjects, and not only
our economic life but our whole culture was the poorer.
To-day we are faced with the same prospect of having
to increase the number of scientists. Yet we are still
uncertain as to the proper nature of their education. We
are, for example, far from confident in our replies to such
obvious questions as, " What subjects other than science
should a scientist study?"; "Is it proper to include
petroleum technology as a university course? "; " Should
Latin be regarded as a necessary subject for all scientists
entering the university? " Answers are, of course, being
given to such questions, but it is doubtful, unfortunately,
whether they are being considered in the light of any
general principles governing the content of education for
individuals differing in intelligence and vocation. Yet if
we neglect such principles, if we fail to achieve a balance
between change and tradition in what we teach, we run
the risk of maintaining an education that has become arid
and formal, with all the social and economic evils that
follow, or, on the other hand, of losing touch altogether
with the sources of our civilization, and developing a
culture that is superficial, rootless, and without standards
of value.
If we are to understand the variety of influences which
affect the content of education, and hence obtain some
guidance'as to the principles which we should adopt in
discussing our present problems, it is necessary to see the
contemporary situation in its historical perspective. The
late Middle Ages provide a suitable starting-point for an