Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-01-25
[PRICE ONE CENT.
mortestcr D0i!p 5pp.
Cubic measure.

Few persons have correct notions in regard TO
this measure, hence make most erroneous esti-
mates in their computations of size and capacity
Some three years since we ordered fom the cab
met maker a bureau fer our little girl 1t was TO
contain one half as much as one of the ordinary
size, and we agreed TO pay him So so for it
About week afterwards, he told US it was all
ready, and wished US TO step up and see how we
liked it. We did SO, and were chagrned enough
to Ind 1t mere toy, eighteen inches square in
front, and nine deep. The man himself looked
very disconnected, and we inquired what was the
matter, Il do not get enough for the bureau by
one dollars 1t is just half the size of the large ones
which sell at $l5,' 'How did you calculate its
slza!' by making it half as large as the COM
mon ones; they are sc inches square in front and
inches deep you assert then that this IS lust
half the size Of the larger ones?' Il do will
1t hold half as much?' st don't look as if it
would, but have nothing to do with that; it is
Just half the size SIS that the only reason why
You think you do not get enough for it, 'It is;
have not otherwise counted its value Would
it satisfy you to receive the same proportion Of
$l5 that it is in size to the common bureau?'--
He was glad enough to assent, and at our re-
guest, wrote down the agreement, which we put
IN cur pocket, Immediately rendering him one
dollar and eghty-seven cents, telling him that The
bureau was just e-eighth the size Of the other,
and the money was Just one-eighth the price of
the other. He was astounded, and the more so
when we explained and exemphied the rule
AS he was poor man, we took the bureau and
paid the original price; but it was not worth half
the money. He has learned a valuable lesson,
that as large again each way, was eight times as
large altogether.
The affair made some noise in the town, and
caused much inquiry about cubic measure. A
farmer who understood the subject well, remarked
to us, IN speaking OF 1t, that an almost precisely
similar occurrence happened to himself that fall
A nelghhor falling short of hay, the previous wiz
ter, borrowed one of his stacks of some sixteen
feet IN diameter at the bottom. When he gath
cred IN his own crop, he brought, to replace what
he had taken, two similarly shaped stacks, each
eight feet diameter at the base, and then inform
ed his friend that he had fully paid the debit
The other told him he had only brought back one
fourth Of what he had taken away; hut for some
tire failed to convince him, until at last reference
was fortunately made to the number of loads, and
then 1t was all evident enough.
Both the cabinet maker and the farmer were
able to repeat the table for cubic measure with
readiness but yet knew not its practical applica-
tions. As little did friend who called our atten-
ton 10 twelye-inch cubic block of iron, few
weeks since, and whom we askedits weight. ''Some
fifty pounds, | suppose" GLOW much do YOU
think cubit foot Of water weighs?" "About ten
pounds" Very much surprised was he to hear
that its true weight was 81 IL pounds, and that
this amount had to be multiplied by the specific
gravity OF iron, to give the weight of block Of
the metal OF the same dimensions.
The fault lies with the teacher who fails in his
duty when he sencumbers the mind of the child
with useless lumber in the form of tables ofweights
and measures, without touching their meaning
and practical applications No wonder the school
room is so repulsive to the child: it would be
equally so to the man. Roswell G. Smith, who
has succeeded beyond any man in this country,
and perhaps any other, in simplifying school-books
for children, seems fully aware of this general
fault. In preface mentioning his Productive
Syst IN, he cites from the North American Re.
view; "We have not the least hesitation in saying
that two or three years in the education of almost
every individual in this country have been thrown
away in studying what they did not understand"
This is true as it is lamentable. We need practi-
cal teaching. For Cubic Measure and its rela-
tons there should be in every school room set
OF blocks and vessels of various proportionate
Sizes and the pupil thoroughly exercised in their
use, thus making the study as easy it is inter
esting.