Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-22
MODERN SYSTEM.
A TEACHER OF THE NEW METHOD
WILL BE EMPLOYED.
A Brief Statement of the Manner Of
Teaching Arithmetic and Other
Branches Under the German
or Quincy System.

l
that the recent letter received by the Boart
from the teacher expected from Quincy
Mass, declining, finally, to come in accord
ance with agreement, will have no effect
upon the proposed introduction of the new
| system into our schools. The general ap
proval which the action of the Board ha'
received in sending for teacher to Introduce
the Quincy method into one or more OF the
city schools will insure their promptly
carrying out the proposed innovation
As soon as members of the Board, now alb
sent from the city, shall have returned, sc
that full meeting of the Board can be held,
action, it is understood, will at once be taken.
either to secure the services of the teacher
previously expected, or some other one fully
competent This, it is probable, the Board
will leave to the Superintendent at Quincy,
| but at all events it is believed to be the pres
ent intention that no delay shall be occa-
stoned by the declination of the teacher here.
tofore expected, and another will be obtained
in time to commence at the reopenlpg OF the
schools after the approaching vacation.
The following further data as to methods
|
nished by the lady heretofore referred to, who
was formerly for many years engaged in its
teaching
ARITHMETIC.
In arithmetic, counting is first taught
not in the abstract by means of figures writ
ten on the board or printed in books, but by
visible objects. Doors and windows, tables,
chairs, and the balls on the abacus are used
| in conveying correct idea Of numbers. But
among the best aids in teaching arithmetic to
Young children is found to be box of cubes,
and one Of round, wooden or hard rubber
disks, of the size and similar to those used in
the game of checkers. These latter may be
of two colors-black and white-or both
colors. Their greatest advantage consists in
their being easily handled by the pupils. 1t
eyes in their fingers as mothers can testify.
Il is the perfectly proper and natural desire
of the little ones to gain as full knowledge
of objects as possible, and as the eye alone
gives but limited idea of the properties of
things, the other senses are called into requi-
sition to supplement the imperfect grasp of
knowledge gained by the eye. Thus the
fingers, as chief instruments of feeling, and
next the tongue, are used in exploring every
new object, and instead of checking this
natural disposition, the teacher will utilize it
to the utmost, only guarding against its
abuse. These
CUBES AND DISKS
Then are given to the pupils, who have the
satisfaction of handling the objects which
they are called upon to count and manipulate
in illustration of the simplest expression of
the four species. Just here will be perceived
difference between the old method and the
new. Instead of carrying the pupils through
M +ati and IN a hundred
more before the four species in simple num-
bers have been taught the latter are intro
duced at the beginning, by means OF the
disks and cubes and the numerical frame.
Enumeration, addition, satisfaction, multiple
cation and division, and even the first glimpse
at fractions, must be thoroughly mastered
before the pupil goes beyond the number ten.
Not until that has been accomplished is fur
ther expansion of the child's intellect
possible, nor is written arithmetic re-
sorted to at this period, but the writing
of figures and their names is taught
and keeps pace with the gradual
development of the arithmetical object
lessons, as sketched above. The next step
carries the pupil in the same manner up to
twenty, then to thirty, etc. Very gradually
the pupils are thus lei on until the number
one hundred is reached, and by this time the
four species have become perfectly familiar,
enumeration and notation are acquired, and
mental arithmetic has been practiaed uncon-
sciously and with wonderful ease. These re-
suits come chiefly from perfect comprehen-
sion of the arithmetical unit and its place and
uses in the formation of numbers. and as this
knowledge is the direct result of manipulating
with objects. each manipulation verified by
the eye and hand of the pupil, it is not simply
good memorizing, but
ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE,
Fully understood and capable of proof. Yet
no sums have been done, no definitions or
rules learned Practically it has all been
done by the pupils, with just a guiding or
restraining word from the teacher who allows
the mental process to evolve slowly but surely
from the practical work of the eye and hand
When the number 100 is reached the deci-
NAL system is introduced but not in the abb
stract Again the disks and numerical frame
are used in conveying the idea of numbers I;
or, better still, sets of wooden disks Of three
different sizes, representing cents, dimes and
dollars. The unit, with which the pupils
have become so familiar, is now represented
BY the cent, the tens are denominated dimes,
and the hundreds are dollars. In arranging
them on the desk, the pupil is required to in
variAbly so put the cents (or units) ON his
right, next the dimes, then on the left the
dollars, in conformity with the rules of nota-
ton. Thus a seemingly difficult and abstract
matter is brought home to the pupils compre-
hension, and notation, instead OF keeping him
in maze of perplexities, becomes ineligible,
and all subsequent arithmetical operations, by
constant reference to what has been learned
previously and by frequent illustrations with
cubes and disks, are rendered easy and natu-
raj.
1t has not been the aim TO give treatises on
-, I,t,s int
the course at the very beginning, showing the
method in its most primitive expression and
giving the chief reasons for following such a
course.
OBJECT LESSONS AND COMPOSITION.
At the outset the objects chosen for the
lessons must be at hand and easy to examine,
as the children are required to give as full a
description as possible, and such description
must be the result of actual observation
Thus they first give the name of the object in
question, and are then, by natural and easy
steps, led to describe and classify il. The
teacher will here insist on completeness and
accuracy as q habit for correct observation
and language must be cultivated at the begin
ming; nor must any information be impaired
to the pupils which they themselves. ii prop
erly questioned, are able to give. The object
under examination is classified as being ~
Natural or al titicial ~ an animal, vegetable
or mineral substance; 81 whether necessary,
useful or ornamental; a. by whom it is made,
Sold owned and ed; (5l its use and abuse /;
(6l its intrinsic and money value ~ its
place of keeping; Isl its care and preserva-
ton, etc. Under 5, 6 and the moral aspect
is considered, very important feature of this
branch, and one which gives the teacher a
chance to cultivate feeling of responsibility
and a sense of duty in the children, and i'm
pressing on their minds due respect for the
property Of Others and the rights of owner
ship, lesson upon which our youth are
SADLY IN NEED.
Under six the practical view is supple
mented by the moral one, as for instance
when we say that the slate is very cheap
when compared with its usefulness, and that
the small cost OF thing can be no excuse for
carelessness or willful destruction, etc. A
natural and easy course in object lessons
begins with the school-room and its contents
next comes the school-house and what it CON
tains, then the yard surrounding it. After
that the child's dwelling-house. its home, -
Is the subject of series of lessons. Then
comes the gardens belonging TO the dwellings.
/ The children then learn to distinguish be-
tween public and private edifces, and those of
the former class that are known TO the chill
dren are mentioned and their use explained.
| Here again it Is the teachers duty to impress
on the children's mind the sacredness Of the
property of the people and for the peo-
pie. Especially the parks and gardens
| are made the subject Of conversation
between teacher and pupils and the latter