The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-06-15
Method Of Teaching in Sweden.

Some very excellent methods of teach.
ing the common branches are shown in
the Swedish schoolhouse. For beginners
in geography, for instance, there is a
blackboard upon which is painted an out
line of Sweden-simply the coast line and
the rivers being depicted. In place of
towns there are only little iron pins fas-
tened into the board at the point where
these towns should be located. Accom-
panying the board is little box, contain
ing a large number of oblong blocks, each
half an inch in length. Upon one side of
the block is printed the name of some
town. On the opposite side of the block
is small hole, fitting exactly the pins on
the blackboard. The pupil is required to
select block from the box and place it
on pin which should rightly locate the
town printed on its face. Any one will
see how greatly this simple apparatus re-
lieves the tedium of study. The pupil
finds in it not dry and difficult task, but
an interesting recreation and amusement.
In maps, I noticed one set which are
worth especial mention. The first, by
means of different colorings, showed the
location of high and low lands in Sweden.
The second showed by the same means
the various elevations of the country; the
third, the water-masseS; the fourth, the
river systems; the fifth, the comparative
fertility of different parts of the country
the sixth, the density of population; the
seventh, the political divisions; the eighth,
the post-roads and railroads. These maps
are furnished to every school at Govern
ment expense.
Among other features that I observed
was series of colored prints, illustrative
of the manners of life in the different
provinces. These, however, we're rather
used as adornments for the walls than as
a special study. An arrangement for puri-
flying the air in the school.room was to be
seen in the shape of brass box about
one foot square, containing pine-tar. A
specimen of the stove in general use is ex.
hibited. 1t stands twelve feet high and
contains three tunnels, the heat passing
up one, down another, and finally up the
third in the middle.
DR.. e.. J. Meijerberg, Principal of the
Stockholm Primary Schools and Swedish
Commissioner to the Exposition, told me
that, in his thirty-fiv years of experience
in teaching, he had found that the hardest
part of arithmetic for child to under.
stand was the counting from one to ten.
OF course, the pupil can master the me-
chanical process in a short time; but tc
understand the relations of one number
with another-why six should be greater
than three, or why nine should follow
eight-that was what he was troubled
worst to explain? In order to facilitate
the matter, he had made a continuance
which is here on exhibition. 1t consists
of a board on edge, with rows of holes
running across. Beginning a: the right
hand, there are ten small holes, represent
ing the first ten numbers. At the left O
these are ten more holes, of larger size, tt
represent the tens; and still further on art
ten for the hundreds. Accompanying thi:
apparatus are bundles of splinters, eacl
bundle containing one, or two, or three
splinters, all the way up to ten. TIL,
pupil is required to express 1913, for ex
ample. He puts single splinter in th'
right-ha hole of the hundred place, {
two package in the second hole of tn,
tens, and three package in the third holt
of the units. This involves double
process first, selecting the right number
Of splinters; and, second, putting them il
the proper position. OF course, the whole
affair is of the simplest construction, anc
is only designed as an exercise of thu
mind. philadelphia Cor. Chicago 1rs6