The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-01-30
To be sold at Public .4uction,
Smiths Practical and Mental
arithmetic.

kUST published, PRA TICAL and MEN
@ tai ARITHMETIC on a new plan, in
which Mental Arithmetic is combined with the
use of the s'ate: containing a complete system
for all practical purposes being in dollars and
cents. Second Edition, revised and ENLARGED
with exercises for the slate TO which is ad5et =.
a Practical System OF Bookkeeping. BY Ros-
WELL c. SIITH.
The publishers particularly invite the aten-
ton Of teachers to this work, in the belief that
it great and important improvement IN the
art OF teaching Arithmetic 1t is the procure
ton Ola experienced and accomplished mstruc-
tor Of youth who has awaited himself OF obser-
vations made IN a long course of experience
Every part + this work has been carefully
adapted to the business of teachings and every
page has been tested, by the use of the work
in the authors school.
The design Of the author has been to instruct
the learner in the principles aud practice of
Arithmetic This he has endeavored 20 do bv
slow gradations, beginning with the simplest
ideas, and gradually ascending in the scale of
knowledge, TIL the pupil is master of tie whole
field Of Arlthmetical combinations.
fundamental principle of the wo.k is to
present no difhcu ty which the learner is unable
OF himself to surnount. In accordance with
this maxim, the first 20 pages contain no rules
examples so simple, that children 5 Years old
will readily comprehend them. These illus
trate the principle of Addition. after which the
Table is inserted followed by intellectual ex.
ercises, explanatory OF It's practical utility. The
remaining Tables of Simple Subtraction. Mnl-
tiplcatlon and Division, are exemplided IN
similar manner.
Thus, by mere mental process, the pupil is
ettectualiy taught the ground rules of Arithme-
tic, and this may be accomplished without any
other assistance than the book ana the opera
tlons of his own mind.
The pupil, on this plan, is required to think !:
and, having become familiar with the ndiyid.
ual operations required to solve a series of arith-
metical questions, these operations are then
summed up, and stated in the form of rule
ms rule he IS then required to commit to
memory; not however. without having been
previously Intercepted, to be assured of his
complete comprehension of the same
These hints will serve to exhibit some of tho
general characteristic features Of the work. II
contains many things that are neao. and cannot
iall to be deemed great Improvements. The
following are few, VIZ The mode of ouea-
Ioning Indtrect HaSWerS, calculated To secure
the advantage OF systems Containing no an
swers, and essentially lessen the bnrthen az The
teacher the rule for calculating interest for
days.
1t IS thought by competent judges to embrace
all that is valuable in the two popular systems.
by mental process and the use oft slate. isl
simplicity, and the facility with Which the ounilI
makes himself master Of it, might be deemed
by some fault did not the frequent coo1nla'nts
made by children that " it makes their heads
ache with Mtndsag. refute this objection,
On the whole, the work is believed ia be.
better calculated than any other system. 10 ex-
cite mental exertion, and ga,n tI,s ~
knowledge Of the theory and practice Of Aritb.
melic; and, as such the public are resncc,h,Ilv
invited to examine it. Copies will be gratnf.
ousy furnished for that purpose. s'~''''
w. Published and for sale by RICHARD.
SON n LORD, and S. G GOODRICH Re-.
TON and by DOBR q HOWLAND and
CLARENDON HARRIS, WORCESTER ~
January 90.