National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-07-15
Rensim iscemce Of Prof. Chase.

The late Stephen Chase, Profess
or of Mathematics at Dartmouth
College, was a man of very marked
peculiarities. His likes and dislikes
were unusually strong, and nothing
excited his absolute detestatiOn SO
thoroughly as conceited and sploshy
ignorance. He could very patiently
endure modest industry, however
unsuccessful the student might be
in requirement but. vain egOtism,
coupled with absence of knowledge,
was sure to excite his wrath.
Some twenty years ago one Of the
students, whose vanity, egotism and
general spread were in direct DIS
proportion to his knowledge and
requirements, was attempting to
demonstrate some proposition in
mathematics, upon the blackboard.
He covered the board with figures,
and then in an airy manner and
loud voice attempted to explain the
problem, about which he was as
profoundly ignorant as though he
had never opened the cover Of a
book. A few simple questions left
the bOmbastic student with his ig-
nOrance apparent, but in no wise
discounted, when the Professor, in
hir .,,i,.'i'.. .oioa- exclaimed:
write figure 2 upon tfae BOA. u.
Now put another 2 under the first
one.
Now draw a line under the two
} figures.
New be calm, collect your
thoughts and bring to bear the best
exertions of your intellect,--dOn't
be in haste, and add up those two
figures and give me the result
OF course the student was mad,
and at the close of the recitation he
called upon the Professor and in
: formed him that he considered him.
self insulted. 81 didn't mean to in
5 suit YOU replied the PROFESSOR, Il
4 meant simply to put the screws to
you for your own good. Ifyou wish
| will explain the matter to the
y class, tO>mOrrOw.' BOmbast bowed
c in a stately way and informed thu
@ Professor that the course suggested
= would be satisfactory.
The next day the Professor adj
dressed the class somewhat as fol-
II lows :"After recitation yesterday
n ---callcd on me and said h,
j. considered that l insulted him, anC
r. | told him would explain the mat
: ter to the class. / did not mean t
i insult him. did mean to put tn
e screws to him for his own good
, The only way to bring some peopl
n out of the depths of ignorance is t
10 put the screws to them, and if
: man has n sound foundation i neye
p hurts nor insults him, Let me illu,
v trate /: You c.,i know that l recent
'e bought the house just south of tn
r Common. 1t was sunk very low
-. wanted to raise it out of the muC
~ and the only way to get it up was
II put the screws tOit We according
in ~ dug under the foundation and sc
y the screws, and turned and turne
and turned, but the house didn
+ rise. We didn't quite UNDERSTAND
Ell what 1t meant, turned again wit
n the same result. Weexamined an
m found that the stills were all rotte
>, and that the screws, instead {
raising the house, went up throug
as the rotten stills. We removed tn
'el rotten stills and put under son
sound ones, and then applied Il
RI. screws aud the house went up a
10 right. 1t is just so with a man -
=. he is down in the mud OF ignorant
u You must put the screws to him
An raise him. If he has II sound fOul
SIS dalton, or timber enough in him t
air make one, you can screw him up
!. but if he rs all rotten, you might a
'e well leave him in the mud 1t
re hardly necessary to say that Il
re. class 'tOOk.-Pdtriot.