, 1886-12-05
PALACES OF POPULAR EDUCATION.


One Mans Objections to Mind uzzling
ouestions-Asks for Better Results.
The following is, in substance, a con
versation between two men while going
home on the train. The older and APP
parently more experienced said to his
~nt4ghbor: Last night my boy came
home with this problem: "A workman
engaged to labor for fifty days. Every
day he worked he received 81. 80, and
every day he wa idle he forfeited 81.
At the end of the time he received SIG.
How many days was he idleY | call
such examples puzzles. My children
are required to spend altogether too
much time over such useless work. OF
what practical service can it be? No
such occur in business. The money can
not be paid to find the number of days
he was idle. AS there stated it is a
'l3 IA 10 puzzle, and of no better help
to prepare the young mind for life's
duties. No man can afford to send his
children to schoo to spend their time
upon puzzles-so- called examples that
have no relation to practical life"
But, my friend" said the younger,
these puzzles have their value as a
means for discipline of mind"
"Ah,' returned the other: ARE there
not to be found many problems that af-
ford better mental exei else, and, at the
same time, convey to the child's mind
some idea of business matters? Suppose
a promising young man wished to learn
the blacksmith's trade, and you would
give him a sledge and ask him to pound
the bowlder rocks several hours a day
in order hat he might develope his mus
clos. If the youth had any ambition at
all he never would make a blacksmith.
While exercising his muscle he could
learn something useful. Life is too
short to pound stone merely for the sake
of developing muscle.
THE time which scholar have spent
in this way is, in my opinion, an ire
trievable loss. This is not all; such de
mands have a tendency to discourage
children, and many, especially boys,
leave school early for no other reason"
What would you suggest as a rem
cdy for this state of affairs 2" queried
the second.
an the first place, by using text books
that contain only practical, straightfor-
ward problems. The various active
employments furnish an endless number
of examples that, in analysis, are sutfi-
%ciantly difficult to exercise the keenest
intellect, and at the same time impart
some idea of transacting business. 1t Is
not necessary to put them into unnat-
ural forms and obscure language. Puz-
zles may do for a pastime, but as a thing
regularly required of scholars they are
worse than useless; | think they are
positively harmful. Our children study
arithmetic from the age of s years
to II, and many of them are not able
to solve ordinary business problems
that come up every day in mercan-
tile life. a few days ago | asked my
boys, who receive more thar average
marks of scholarship in their school
work and examinations, to give me the
result OF an investment. The example
was "A simple n in percentage. They
did not know definitely what to do; they
tried this way and then another, as they
would if it were IN enigma, and they
were as certain of the result. | was dis
appointed, and they were disappointed;
yes, more, they were discouraged.
" is rot strange that people are look.
ing for better results from our schools
Some cali for Industrial schools; Others
would turn out languages and bring in
the sciences; all these will fail to Civ,
the child a better preparation for life
unless the matter is brought to them il
a way to induce pupils to think and tc
observe what is going on about them
1t is true, as Garfield has said, MARI
Hopkins rs a teacher and a log to 81
upon is a better university for a young
man than fine buildings with librarie.
and laboratories, and with mechanical
professors to guide them. Only to-day
a lady showed me a set of examination
questions. A single example out of tn,
ten in arithmetic had any reference t.
practical matters, and that was STATED
impractically. In the same set was the
following: How high does the sun ap
pear above the horizon to a man mt Chi
cago? At Quito? Cui bono? What ha!
that to 10 with health. wealth, or happi
pincssf There was not a hint in thu
whole set as to the cause of typhoiC
fever, of catarrh, or of consumption
What would you do to prevent any o
these: What constitutes WHOLESOME
food: What cle~anlinessY How is prope
ventilation best secured? What car,
should be taken of the eyes? What pc
sition of the body AT the desk; Not on
word about these practical things which
every one ought to know and to put int
practice almost daily. Chicago Herald