THE APPLIED BIOLOGIST, THE CHILD, AND SOCIETY

Consideration of the characteristics of past and current applied biology reveals its fundamentally ecological nature, and also indicates the potent influence of the applied biologist upon society. It is urged that in order to impress influence upon pupils biological education should be based mainly upon field studies, rather than upon predominantly evolutionary, morphological and physiological studies. The nature of past and existing school biology strongly reinforces the abovel conclusion.
The results of attempts to find and evaluate evidence of the social influences of past and present biological education are presented, both in relation to the whole population, as well as to particular aspects, like food poisoning, the press, and the education of Civil Servants and Members of Parliment.
The potentialities of a Sixth Form biology resting chiefly upon field study are discussed not only as a means of developing an outlook valuable to-day, but also of treating suitably the pre-university education of future applied biologists.