The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-07-29
EDUCATIONAL.
THE SUMMER NORMAL SCHOOL.
Syllabus For Physics-Failures Accounted
for = Music - Mathematics Within
Ordinary Mentality Gold
smiths Opinion, Etc.

many of the teachers, now that the time
draws near for the close of the institute,
look forward with increased pleasure to
one month of good home rest before the
duties of the coming season.
The examination for the State Normal |
school at Huntsville is set for to-mor-
row. Prof. Mcclure appointed COM
mittee of two examiners to serve with |
him on that occasion. Prof. tombstone,
late of the State Normal, and Mrs. j. b. |
Montgomery, of Dallas.
The syllabus for physics-Mrs. Mont
gomery in the chair-was concluded
this afternoon, and the remainder of the
studies assigned will be closed to-mor-
row. Wednesday, Thursday and Fri
day will be devoted TO the examination
of the pupils of the Summer Normal.
The programme of the morning OPP
ened with Mr.. Grove, who leads the
spelling class. This half hour has been
one of special interest to the entire
assembly and every day furnishes some
fresh photographed sirprize; brings to
light some new mode of pronunciation
sanctioned by custom.
Following this came reading by Mrs.
Montgomery. Subject: "Arithmetical
Failures" The gist of her remarks were
as follows:
"We do not often hear those WHO de-
clare that education does not educate
trying to account for the failure charged
against existing school systems. Are
the alleged defects to be found in the un-
= fit nature of the things studied or in
methods of study, or both? One of the
chief exercises-indeed the chief in COM
mon schools-depended upon for mental
development, is numbers.
Is the study of arithmetic worthy the
place it holds in that regard? Does il
do more than cultivate special faculty?
Is that faculty one of the most impor-
tant to to the human mind? Is it related
intimately to the understanding, and
does its culture imply stimulation of
the reasoning powers?
Answers to these questions would
doubtless be colored by the mental
characteristics or experience of the indi-
vidual answering. To some minds
mathematics is "a general stimulant; to
others, only useful tool; to still others, a
stumbling block ana an ofIense,
Some one has declared that
while all specialties followed exclusively
are narrowing in their influence on the
mind. the two specialties that lead
stralghtest to imbecility are music and
mathematics. This was probably the
conclusion of mind which could not
master the extraction of the cube root
and did not know yankee Doodle
from "Old Hundred"
Oliver Goldsmith said "Mathematics
is study to which the meanest intellect
is competent" lie remembered MANY
nogglngs because of the multiplication
table, and hardly had patience TO count
change for sovereign.
Ii you appeal to tirst-rate examples of
achievements in music and mathematics
say to Mozart or a Newton, we shall
find well-balanced minds, but on the
other hand we may he COMPOUNDED by
finding prodigies in these lines who
possess mean intellects otherwise.
Blind Tom and Ierah Colburn will
serve for illustration.
Colburn was born in 1904, Of poor, liz.
norant, selfish parents, his mother
shrewd at trading.
At six years of age he flashed forth ,
mathematical prodigy, repeated the en-
tire multiplication, and answered with
out hesitation such questions as these
How many seconds In 1000 years? 81,
or, 000000.
What is the square of lao? Like
flash came the reply, 2,099G0l. More In
tricate calculations based on conoret
facts were equally as easy, /. e.: Sup
pose have a cornfield, in which are
acres, having IL rows to each acre, 6
hills TO each row, ears on a hill, how
many Kernels in the cornheld? Withouti
moments delay came the reply, o, l3g, 2O
kernels. Being asked what are the fac
tors OF 2f,4S3, he made this answer, "a
and 263, and these are the only factors
AZ years OF age how could he know
this?
The father made show of his wonder
ful boy ,retused offers oflarge sums for hi
education under special instructors TO
some time, but finally conceded tn
point in order to develop and enlarg
his mathematical powers. TWAS foun,
to be impossible, the child was onl
iretted by inquiries as to how he worke
his prodigious calculations.
Attwenty years of age he declared hi
. peculiar gift ga painful circumstance
retired from his show life and took Tn
position OF usher in school; from tina
10 teaching country school for livinl
and at last sought the safe retreat of
minister of the gospel, though on hi
own modest representation he did nc
excel as preacher.
His last venture was to become n Pre-
lessor, not of mathematics, but Lar
guages. Summing up the facts of TIL
singular glit may furnish suggestions
those who think upon educational ma
tiers.
His peculiar faculty was arithmetica
not generally mathematical. He ha
little or no taste for higher mathematic
Those which, like geometry and surye,
ing, appeal TO the perceptions, tho,
which, like algebra, appeal to the imag
nation, and those which, like pu
mathematics, appeal to the analytic
reasoning powers, he disliked.
His gilt was natural, rudimentary AZ
unreasoning, and as he reached adu
life II passed from him he out-grcw
or lost II by overuso--or disuse.
brought him neither intellectual growt
nor better capacity for mental apple
tion-in fact the more he used ii q
stupider he grew.
May we infer from this that arithmet
Is q primitive, rudimentary, AT
low branch of mathematics?
His whole process was that OF null
pllcauon and its invorsiOn-divisiO
lie seems not to have practiced additio
which y, In reality, the rudiments
multiplication, or its converse, subtra
ton, which is only tho long process
division. In the multiplication of lar
numbers, which so astonished peopl
both in America and Europe, lie pt
formed mentally several operations
get the result.
May we infer from this ANALYSIS
arithmetic being assumed TO be the me
lninteresting form OF mathematics
that multiplication is the least valul
part OF arithmetioY
psychologists should grant these
ierences TO be sound, it remains the du
OF teachers 70 address themselves TO Il
proving the method for teaching /
multiplication table, as the weak spot
the primary education of numbers.
Something can be done perhaps
idealize the multiplication table, and
make instruction in Il concrete, {
Jective, rational. Cannot child
shown how or why six times sew
make forty-twoi
II arithmetic is so abstract, arbltra
and barren Of ideas that this cannot