Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-10

school room graphical comparison of the
areas of the several States Of this country
and of Europe, asking the pertinent question.
How many children leave school with any
accurate ideas upon the comparative areas of
States and Countries? Upon another wall he
would indicate graphically the relative por-
rions Of arabic land, pasture land, mountain
and timber, in the United States. with chat
part which is now occupied by the several
crops Of this country; TO be corrected year
by year from official reports. giving lesson
IN the application Of arithmetic to facts of life.
he proposed to put upon another wall a
graphical representation of the relative bur-
dens upon different civilized nations-one in
dicating the relative burden of the standing
armies of this country and of European
States; another the relative taxation for Ma.
tlonal purposes; another the relative lnde bt-
edness of uations-remarking that from Mar
tins Year Book and the official reports of the
United States whole arithmetic might be
compiled which would not only serve but
would call attention to the facts of life as al
arithmetic just as actual machinery is used in
tina laboratories of the Massachusetts, Insti-
tute of Technology. For instance, in the
laboratory of the mechical engineers cotton
machinery is made use of to teach the princi-
Piles of me- chaDical engineering. nor for the
purpose of teaching the art of cotton spin
ming; but it does no harm to the student that
at the end of his course ne has not only
learned the principles OF mechanical engin.
eering, but he has had impressed upon his
mind the practical application of these princi.
pies to one of the leading arts. SO Mr.
Atkinson would teach arithmetic, geography
and modicum of social science by making
use of current reports, documents and facts
of life in the way of object lessons, as we'll al
In the way of practice in the school studies.
His lecture was illustrated throughout by
statistical tables and graphical descriptions OF
the application of his method. The ground
which he took was this that the education
of a man begins after the instruction of the
common school has ended. The thing
to be done in the school for the
average boy, is not to give an education but
TO indicate to the man or woman how they
may make their own work in after life serve
the purposes of a true education. Mr.. Attn.
son was rather sever upon the so-cslled self
educated man and the extremely practical
man, remarking that they generally proved
to other, if not to themselves, that they had
been under the instruction of very poor
masters.
Some of the comparisons made by Mr..
Atkinson were astounding to his hearers
As, for instance, so far as the data can be
found on which comparison may be made.
the relative condition of the United States
and of France is this: In this country only
one man in three hundred and f,urteen is
called upon for service in standing armies or
navles, while in France, in the state of pas
sive war which is miscalled peace, one man
in thirteen is now under arms. la this coun-
try taxation for the support of the national
government takes not exceeding % to 3 per
cent. of the annual product. In France it
probably takes from II to Is per ceat of the
much smaller product per capita of that
country.
Mr.. Atkinson referred to these matters in
cidentally, rs being subjects which might be
carefully computed and made useful in object
teaching in the school hereafter in order that
children may attain a better comprehension
of the advantages of their own country than
they now possess.
The committee on resolutions reported a
resolution thanking the retiring president, j.
w. Patterson for his services. A resolution
was also adopted favoring federal aid and
recommending that interstate educational
convention be convened, and committee be
appointed to take steps to promote national
legislation in the premises.
The chair appointed Messrs. CorrIgan of
Mass, Newall of Md, and Sprague of Gala,
as that committee.
Resolutions were also passed thanking f
C. Corrigan for his efforts to secure the pas
sage of the teachers tenure of office bill also
thanking various railroads for courtesies ex,
tended.
The convention thea adjourned sine die.