The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-07-06
Contributions.
Written for the watehmsn.]
FEMALE EDUCATION.
w. BEAUMONT CLARKsON.
SEC. eth.
THE STUDY or MATHEMATICS.
ARITHMETIC.

tics we will take arithmetic first as we
consider it the "oorner stone" of the
"templo." It is without doubt the most
useful and simple branch Of mathemati.
cal science, and therefore first to DO
taught.
The first attempts made in this
science by the pupil is the process Of
counting, the fingers are counted and
tho words, one too three, are repeated
until they are associated with the ideas
ofone or more, and thus the first notions
Of numbers are acquired.
In this manner the idea of numbers is
FIRST presented to tie mind by means of
sensible objects, but when the idea be.
COMES clearly understood the sensible
objects recede aud the mind retains only
the abstract idea, the mental faculties
become expanded and counting upon
tho fingers aud other sensible means
are abandoned by the pupil and he has
recourse alone..to the emanations of his
brain.
"soience, in its popular Specification,
means knowledge reduced to OF der; that
is knowledge SO classified aud arranged
as to be easily remembered, readily re-.
fcrred to and advantageously applied"
Arithmetic is the science of numbers
and is the very foundation Of the exact
and mixed sciences, aud is absolutely
necessary to either liberal or practical
education.
Where arithmetic is a science, where
the properties of numbers are concerned,
itbecomes an art in regard to the practi.
cal application of those numbers.
1t should be the first subject in we'll
arranged course of finstruction, to which
the reasoning faculties of the mind are
applied, and should not be dispenoed
with at too early stage in either a
practical or liberal course of instruction.
"lt is the first fountain at which the
young votary of knowledge drinks the
pure waters of intellectual TRUTH" and
We cannot refrain from here insisting
that its management should be in very
skillful hands, and we do sincerely hope
the day is fast approaching when the
teaching ofarithmetic, because an ele.
mentary study, will>no longer be entrus.
ted to the inexperienced and incompe.
tent hands of persons who set up as
teachers in order to save themselves
what they consider the more arduous
labor of"following the plow," or "sewing
gafments," which two occupations, as a
general thing, they are infinitely more
fitted for.
Indeed they labor under a most
cgregious error, for were they really to
perform their duty Crowded they wero
competent) that is to teach, they would
find it infinitely more arduous than any
employment they could engage in, for
sitting down and hearing recitations is
quite another thing to teaching.
Twill here introduce what practi-
cal teacher of mathematics says on the
subject: "Mathematics is tho science
Of quantity; that is the science which
treats of thsMeasuros Of quantities and
their relations to each other. 1t is di-
vided into two parts 1st, The pure
mathematics, embracing the principles
Of tho science and all explanations Of
the processes by which those>prinoiplss
are derived from the laws of the abstract
quaptities, number and space !; and End e.
Tho mixed mathematics, embracing the
application Of those principles to all
Investigations aud to the solution of all
questions Of practical nature, whether
they relate to abstract or concrete quan-
tity.
Mathematics, in its primary signif-
cation, as used by the ancients, embra-
ced every acquired science, and was
equally applicable to oil branches Of
knowledge. Subsequently it was re-
stricted to those branches only which
were acquired by severe study, or disci.
pline, and its votarias were called Disci
pies. &C MJ
Those SUBJECTS, therefore, which re-
quircd patient investigation, exact rea.
souins and the aid Of the mathematical
analysis, were called disoipliual or math
ematical, because Of the greater evi
dence in the arguments; she. infalliblt
certainty Of the conditions and the men
tai training and development which such
exercises produced.
1t has already been observed that tn.
pure mathematics embrace. all the prin.
ciplcs Of the science aud that thes.
principles aro deduced by processes o
reasoning upon the two abstract guam
titles numher and snaoa All tha d1A