The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-08-08
MECHANISM
BY JOSIAH noLBRooK.

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Il The scale, dividers, and triangles arc
"T1fE THREE TOOLS" for juvenile mecha.
, nistn. No child over eight years old,
either At homo or al schools, ought to be
without them. They may furnish mofs
instruction Than ten times, probably q
hundred times, their cost expended in
books. They also give 10 books vaIhc
which they cannot possibly possess by
themselves alone. They render books
practical and entertaining, and school
places OF delightful resort. They are
the instruments Of .selfins.ruclion.
Il For young pupils a six.inch scale, made
Iof wood, brass or ivory, is convenient.
Many others, varying in material, length,
graduation, and use, may be had as occa-
sions should call for them. The dividers
should be furnished with point, pencil,
and pen. The triangle should have one
| rght-angle, one angle Of sixty degrees,
and the other will be necessarily thirty
degrees, as the three angles Of a trian-
gle in all cases amount precisely to hun
dred 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
comprehensive little instrument that
exists, or that can exist. Ii contains tae
elements of the equilateral triangle and
square; and those two figures together
constitute the elements of universal
mechanism, both Of Divine and human
origin. The entire simplicity, with The
boundess and endless uses OF the three
tools, fits them for training young hands
and eyes, and for instruciing, entertain
ing, and refining young minds, TO an ex.
tent much beyond any book or any num-
Der Of books which can be provided for
them, at the same time greatly increasing
the value of books. BY their very great
simplicity they can even be made by the
pupils needing them. Several boys, not
long since, made some dividers Of wood.
fitted with point, pencil, and pen, which
they found TO answer q, good purpose.
By making smooth and straight thin
piece Of board, with inches marked on il,
the scale is provided. By setting pair
Of diuiders, with the points d slant just
six inches, an equilateral triangle, with
sides of tina, length, can be drawn in an
instant - say on pas,eboard. A 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 described, can
be cut by scissors into the vefy ,riangles
desred-each having one right angle,
one angle Of sixty degrees, and one Of
thirty.
The variety of work capable Of being
executed by these three juvenile instru.
menis is literally boundless and endless,
and applicable to every human pursuit,
whether come cted with The highest de-
pariments Of science or the most com
mon operations of the farmer, mechanic,
or housekeeper. They also afford TO
the use pleasure so high and SO pure,
and usefulness SO illimilable, both plea
sure and usefulness constantly increasing,
as 10 afford surer safeguard against
juvenile pleasure Of an immoral or doubt
full tendency than can possibly be pro-
vided by attempted restraints upon the
exubeiance of feeling or the energy of
action, constantly and necessarily ex-
hbited wherever the creatures of God,
possessing, mind, and eoul, are to be
found. liis hence proper here to ex-
press an opinion, founded upon very long
aud very large experience, that no better
instruments Of instruction or of entertain
ment can possibly be put into young
hands than "lhe three tools'' for juvenile
mechanism. Their uses, though slightly
understood at first, will become more
manifest the more they are used.
ExrERIMENTs.-Several boys, much
noted as truanls, were not long since put
in charge of lady, who provided for
them various kinks Of work, including
both using and'making the scale, dividers,
and triangle. In that school not one
was known as Euant. Their drawing
and other work soon became the admira-
ton Of their parents, many pieces Of which
were contributed for sending abroad, to
let their light shine. These same boys,
on being transferred 10 another school,
where shook lessons" were only given,
again became truants-- rather deser,ers
lfrom school--their parents entirely fail
ling TO secure their attendance.
The sphere, cylinder, and cone are
called 's,he three round bodies" They
are SO called from the fact that most
other round bodies may be viewed as
notifications of,hese. The sphere mny
be called the irregular curved solid" Il
lis even more regular than either Of the
/ FIVE regular solids already named. Il
has no distinction Of sides, edges. or
corners II presents the same view from
whatever point examined. Il is a perfec.
lily round body. BY pressing and rolling