The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-12-07
NO. 8.

as sure of the truth of his second step
! and second result, and of his third and
his fourth. And when he reaches the
end, and obtains bis final result, be may
/ be as sure of the truth of that as of any
preceding; so sure that he will be willing
to abide by it and stake his reputation
upon it. And the subject should always
be so presented that the pupil will be
forced to apply such tests, and to deter
mine for himsalf the truth and accuracy
Of his processes, and thus be led to form
a habit of patient investigation and just
self-relance.
With these views, then, would do a.
way with everything like an answer in the
textbook, and with everything like key.
l would from the first throw the scholars
on their own resources, and hold them
strictly responsible for the accuracy of
their work. Such a course, faithfully
followed, would almost entirely prevent
the formation of those careless habits Of
work which scholars so usually FORM
How often may we see a scholar studying
with book and slate before him in man
ner something like the following. Tho
book is open perhaps at simple addition.
Every problem on the page is one in ad-
dition, and usually all the numbers in
each problem are to be added together.
The pupil knows this, and so, without
reading the problem be is to solve, or not
ing It's conditions, he writes all the num-
bers mentioned in it, adds the first col
umn, compares the units figure of the
result with that of the answer in the book,
if alike, right; and the second column is
added; if unlike, wrong, and the wholeis re-
moved, only to be rewritten as carelessly
as before, or to prepare the way for the
call, Please to show me how to do this
sum
Is not this true representation Of what
has taken place again, and again, and again
in our schools, and is called the study Of arth-
metic? But It is no study, it is caricature on
study. And can we wonder that pupils who
pass through our schools, subject in a greater
or less degree to such Influences, fail TO be-
come fitted for business pursuits and duties!
Go 20 the Countng-room and ask the mer.
chant if the boys who come 10 him from tho
school with the reputation Of being good a.
uIc PFC pdiSN lNA db otCOuuNdHL .
duties, and he will tell you that he would
scarcely trust one of them to add up Ieger
column, or make out simple BILL Ask him
again if he follows the processes he learned
at school, apd he VIII reply that be never
uses them, and has entirely forgotten them;
yet he Will put our schOol-boys to shame by
rapidity and accuracy with which he per-
forms his work; and he has acquired this
power by being thrown on his own resources,
by being forced 10 throw away all arbitrary
rules, by learning to consider each example
by itself, by learning TO seize it in lis most
vulnerable point, and perform it in the reud-
lest manner possible. So it should be in our
echooIs.
Is it asked, Would you have no rulesr-
think them useless, unless for the operations
depending directly on Algebra and Ge0met-
~; for so long as the scholar finds it difficult
to reason out and explain fully his processes.
the labor Of doing it will be the most proita-
bic which be can perform; and when 1t be-
comes perfectly easy, the whole thing will
be understood, and no rule will be needed,
other than that which the scholar himself
will give in describing his processes.
| have thrown out these sentiments, Fell
low Teachers, for your consideration. have
spoken very freely and frankly, and have en-
deavored 10 give my honest opinions and
views, assured that they viii receive such
treatment at your hands they may deserve.