The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-06-10
How ! Teach ELEMENTARY
SClence. T.gTE

M IL Is proposed to introduce element
airy science as . class-subject in the
Mundelia Code. 1t is put on level
with geography and grammar, and a
syllabus Is given In which mechanics
occupies a very prominent place.
This indicates the value set upon such
kind of instruction by the department.
l think [ can trace the handiwork of
one of the best known and most
highly esteemed of 81. M. inspectors.
l am. as may be supposed, especially
gratified to find my favorite subject
thus treated. OF the direct encourage-
ment given to the teachings of me-
chanics by the London School Board,
[ can speak from pleasant personal
experience. 1t is no wonder it should
be thus highly esteemed. It Ia the
one subject above all others thatiend
it's aid, in the words of Gambetta, to
"that progress which is the develop
ment Of that capital given by nature.
and which Is called reason" 1 sup
pose all teachers have read Sir John
Lubbock's speech at York, as reported
in the Times. / felt certain personal
interest in reading it. For short
time since, one Of Her Majesty's In
spectors did me the honor TO bring Sir
John and Lady Lubbock to Gloucester
Road to hear one of my lessons on
elementary science. Well, / feel that
when I am engaged in this kind OF
teaching, I am, though in a humble
sphere, fellow worker with those
men Of mighty minds, who met to
listen to that remarkable address from
their president. .s
I propose In this article to give an
outline of the first lesson, dealing with
matter In the three states: solids,
liquids and gases. The mechanical
properties peculiar to each state.
These are the words of syllabus. If
1 had the wording of this, should
have said matter; its three states,
solid. liquid and gaseous the physi-
cal properties peculiar to each state.n
In order that the teacher should know
what he is talking about, and clearly
conceive Of plan for best presenting
the subject before juvenile minds, it is
necessary that he read Tyndall's
Heat, a mode of motion" and espe-
cially Groves Correlation of the
Physical Forces" besides the ordinary
textbooks of Natural Philosophy.
John Jones, come here; take this
block of chalk in your hands; tell nae
what you know about it from feeling
it. Ans. 1t is rough. Anything else?
Ans. 1t easily rubs off. Anything
else? 1t is a square. Is he quite
right, boys, in calling that square?
Ans. No, sir; it is cube. Yes. Now,
shut your eyes and tell me the shape
of this (handing him the balD. Ans.
Round. Again, boys, is he right in
calling that round ?" No, sir. Yes,
sir. Some boy says yes. Why? Ans.
Because it is round, every way. 1t is,
but the cube Is also square every way,
yet you said it was wrong to call it
square. What is the proper word for
this shape? Ans. A globe or sphere.
Just so. Now, Smith, yeu come here.
Put your finger In that basin Of water
and tell me its shape? Ans. I can't
feel any shape. No, you can't. 1t has
no shape, and you cannot give it
shape of itself. See, place the chalk
on the table and it remains there and
keeps its shape. Now, 1 will pour
son water on the table. You see 1t
does not remain there ). it runslaway.
What do you tank is In that pipe?
Ans. Gas. am going to turn it OH,
but not light it. 1 want you two boys,
in opposite corners of the room to tell
me when you begin to smell it. (After
a few seconds.) I can smell it, sir.
Yes, SO can | here. a boy) I can
smell it. (Another boy And so can
L. Yes, you can all smell it. Now, / /
have turned it off. How much gas
came out, think you, while it was
turned on? Ans. This room full.
Indeed? Do you know how many
cubic feet that would be? Ans. No,
sir. Well, then, this room is 20 feet
long, 20 feet broad, and 20 feet high;
and 20 times 20 times 20 is what?
Ans. 5000. Yes; then how many
cubic feet Of space is there in this
room? Ans. 5000. sd Now, do you
think that 5000 cubic feet Of gas
passed out of that pipe during the
few seconds it was turned on? Ans.
No, sir. Yes, that is true. Now
boys, there was really only about one
cubic foot of gas passed out while /
turned it on. "a boy) Please, sir,
how could it fill this room, then (?
All! that is just what was aboutto
ask you.s ca boy) Itspread. Spread?
What spread Ans. The gas. Do
you know of anything else that would
spread in this way? No. answer
VIII, suppose / bring cIb;u foot of