American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-11
MECHANISM, No. xL--Br JOSIAH HoLDAooK.

The scale, dividers, and triangle are g the
three first tools" for Juvenile mechanism. No
child over eight years old, either at home or at
school, ought to be without them. They may
furnish more instruction than ten times-prob-
ably hundred times--their cost expended in
books They also give to books a value which
they cannot possibly possess by themselves
alone. They render books practical and enter
tanning, and schools places of delightful resort.
They are the instruments of "selfinstruction."
For young pupils six-inch scale, made of
wood, brass, or ivory, is convenient. Many
others, varying in material, length, graduation,
and use, may be had as occasions should call
for them. The dividers should be furnished
with point, pencil, and pen. The triangle
should have one right angle, one angle Of sixty
tdegrees, and the other win be necessarily thirty
degrees--as the three angles of triangle IN oil
cases amount precisely to a hundred and eighty
degrees. Both the scale and triangle should be
marked with inches and parts of inches The
former should also contain the line of chords
and the scale of equal parts.
Such triangle is probably the most compre-
hensive little instrument that exists, or that
can exist. 1t contains the elements Of the
equilateral triangle and square; and these two
hgures together constitute the elements of uni
versal mechanism; both of divine and human
origin. The entire simplicity, with the bound
less and endless uses of the three tools, fits
them for training young hands and eyes, and
Tor lnstructing, entertaining, and refining young
minds, to an extent much beyond any book, or
any number Of books, which can be provided
for them; at the same time greatly increasing
the value of books. By their very great sim
plicity they can even be made by the pupils
needing them. Several boys not long since
made some diyiders of wood, fitted with point,
pencil, and pen, which they found to answer a
good purpose. BY making smooth and straight
q thin piece of board, with inches marked on
lit, the scale is provided. By setting pair Of
dividers with the points distant just six inches,
an equilatera triangle, with sides of that length,
can be drawn in an instant-say on pasteboard.
line drawn from one corner of that triangle
to the centre of the opposite side will form two
triangles precisely OF the character proposed.
The pasteboard, thus divided by lines as de-
scribed, can be cut by scissors into the very
triangles desired-each having one right angle,
one angle Of sixty degrees, and one of thirty.
The variety of work capable of being execu-
ted by these three Juvenile instruments is lite.
rally boundless and endless, and applicable tc
every human pursuit, whether connected Will
the highest departments of science, or the mos
common operations of the farmer, mechanic, o.
housekeeper They also afford to the user
pleasure so high and SO pure, and usefulness s.
| illimitable-both pleasure and usefulness con
stantly increasing-as to afford o surer safe
guard against juvenile pleasures of an immora
or doubtful tendency, than can possibly be pro
pided by'attempted restraints upon the exu
berance of feeling or the energy of action con
stantly and necessarily exhibited wherever tn
creatures Of God possessing muscle, mind, an
soul, are to be found. 1t is hence proper her
to express an opinion, founded upon very lon
and very large experience, that no better in
struments Of instruction or of entertainment
can possibly be put into young hands thar
1.-THE THREE FIRST TOOLS" for juvenile mechan-
ism. Their uses, though slightly understood
at first, will become more manifest the more
they are used.
ExPERIMENTs.-Several boys, much noted as
truants, were not long since put in charge of q
lady, who provided for them various kinds of
work, including both using and making the
scale, dividers, and triangle. In that school
not one was known as truant. Their drawing
and other work soon became the admiration of
their parents, many pieces of which were con-
tributed for sending abroad to let their light
shine. These same boys, on being transferred
to another school, where "Book Lessons" were
only given, again became truants-rather de-
serters from school-their parents entirely fail
ing to secure their attendance
So ~