Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-05-20

It, or the lines drawn to make those divi-

LONGITUDE Is tHC "a "AAy NAS
tance east or west of any north and south
lines at right angles with the equator.
Longitude is divided into the same num-
ber of degrees as latitude, but we count
from the starting point $50 degrees each
way, which is one-half around the earth.
Meridians of longitude are the lines OF
its division The nearest route between
two points is the arc Of a great circle.
The sun is said to rise III the east,
which is true when we are on the same
line over which the sun is vertical. Now,
there is some curious problems connected
with this question which the speaker
stated for the teachers present to think
about, az How is it that the sun being new
er vertical to point more than 23a degrees
north Of the equator, that on our latitude
30 degrees farther north the sun shines
into our north windows i'll the morning
and evening and another, Why is it If
we travel directly east from any point we
shall go just a. far south OF the equator
as we start north of it
At this point questions were asked by
several persons III the honse as to whether
the axis Of the earth always point at the
north star, and the speaker replied that
it never pointed directly at the north star,
but very near il, and figure was drawn
upon the blackboard, and an explanation
given of the query, and also of the ex-
trcme minutcuesz of the angle, formed
by lines drawn connecting the two ex-
tremcs of the earth atn,c. AID from each
Of those extYcmities to the sun, and it was
stated that no instrument eyer was made
Of 50 perfect nature az to measure so
minute an angle.
In reply to a question, Professor Johon-
not said that the Portuguese discoverers
started around the world by way of the
Cape of Good Hope. and carried their day
with them. that other explorers went
arouud in the other direction, and carried
their day with them One went to the
Sand wich Islands and the other to or near
New Zealand
IL " ~ d-ttI AhliittI lliiA Litit " hc
one days difference Of time between the
two places, and that the lost day was be-
tween the two pieces. He said certain
religious bodies observe the eth day of
the week as the Sabbath. The only diff
ficulty wa4, they were just the circumfer-
ence of the earth behind time, and IL they |
would 90 towards the west, once around
the world they would be just up with the
age.
Scholars should be instructed that when |
direction was spoken of it means the di-
rection on the surface Of the earth.
A written question was handed in by /
some one, asking why the earth was in
clinei 23! degrees to the plain of its or
bit. The speaker said he could not ans
wer the question, that numerous theories |
might be advanced, and ii was possible TO |
guess right but rs he had not been in .
the councils OF the Almighty he would /
pref. ..at - --.s-a.
The address of Mr. Dana Of the Rut- /
land high school, upon Arithmetic, Rev
+. w. Olmstcad upon English Grammar,
other addresses by Prof Johonnot aud .
others, have 10 be- delayed till our next
issue
The cxerci-cz Of to-day are deferred for
a toturo issue The Institute has been "a
dec I'D Huccc--, aud must have been a
prof bic gathering to the teachers of the
county. Nj. Matte J. Fish Of Fair
haven, Ms. Ella NJ. Mills Of Pitt-iofd,
Mrs Mary Il. Morgan OF Center Rutland,
and Miss Hattie T.. Proctor Of Rutland,
passed the necessary examination and re-
coivcd certificates.
The Secretary aud his assistants. the
teachers and others present tender their
thanks To the iuhahinlut- ~ E-~e WI
lingford for kindly taking them to their
homes and providing for their comfort and
happiness during their stay. Those who
have been in the habit Of attending these
Institutes say there never was u warmer
hospitality extended 10 them at any place
than at East Walingford, though the ne
cessity Of providing for so many must
have been severe burden upon all This
hospitable kindness will be long rcmcm-
bered by the recipients.
When Prof Johonnot closed his address
on Tuesday last, recess was taken until
two o'clock, in the afternoon, at which
time Judah Dana, Principal Of the Rut-
land High School addressed the Institute
on the subject Of Arithmetic Mr.. Dana
with comparison of the
of teaching arithmetic now and n
few years ago Until within the last few
years arithmetic had been taught as an
art and not a. n science, while now it was
being regarded more as a science, and was
exciting much larger interest among
teachers and scholars As science
is the only perfect thing the
speaker knew of, but that was perfect,
and when rightly understood its results
WERE the work of perfect system, and its
operations were the most highly interest
ing.
AT the commencement of the study of
arithmetic stands enumeration and nota-
ton, which the speaker derived from
their proper roots in the original Ian
guage from which we received the sci
ence of arithmetic In numeration fif-
teen original words are used, which are
the names of the numbers up to and in
sluding twelve, and the words, hundreds,
thousand, and millions; only thirteen
words are needed as every purpose for
which numeration is needed can be SUBJ
served without the use of eleven or {
,welve; this is very simple to what would
be a system requiring word for the ex-
preston of every number. The numbers
10 be expressed are infinite, and therefore 6
The words required to express them in ,
hat way would have to be infinite ALSO {