Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-12-16
fAlLAcles OF POPULAR EDUCATION.

One Mans Objections to Mind-Puxziing
Qusstions-Asks for Better Results
The following is, in substance, a con.
versation between two men while going
home on the train. The older and ap-
parently more experienced said to his
neighbor: LAST night my boy came
home with this problem: "A workman
engaged to labor for fifty days. Every
day he worked he received $3.50, and
every day he was idle he forfeited ".
At the end Of the time he received $1l6.
How many days was he idle? l call
such examples puzzles. My children
are required to spend altogether too
much time over such useless work. OF
what practical service can it be2 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 q
'13 IA 10 puzzle, and Of no better help
to prepare the young mind for hfe's
duties. No man can afford to send his
children to school 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 exercise, and, at the
same time, convey to the child's mind
some idea of business matters? Suppose
promising young man wished to learn
the blacksmith's trade, and you would
give him sledge and ask him to pound
the bowlder rocks several hours a day
in order that he might develope his mus
cles. If the youth had any ambition at
all he never would make 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 scholars have spent
in this way is, in my opinion, an ire
trievable loss. This is not all; such de-
mands have tendency to discourage
children. and many, especially boys,
leave school early for no other reason.
"What would you suggest as rem
edy for this state of affairs 2" queried
the second.
in the first place, by using text books
that contain only practical, straightfor-
ward problems. The various active
employmcnts furnish an endless number
OF examples that, in analysis, are sufi-
GENTLY difficult to exercise the keenesi
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 pastime, bat as thing
regularly required Of scholars they ar.
worse than useless; think they are
positively harmful Our children study
arithmetic from the age of s years
to IL, and many of them are not able
to solve ordinary business problems
that come up every day in mercar
tile life. A few days ago l asked my
boys, who receive more than averag,
marks of scholarship in their schoo
work and examinations, to give me the
result Of an investment. The example
was simple one in percentage. They
did not know definitely what to do; they
tried this way and then another, as they
would il it were an enigma, and they
were as certain of the result. was dis
appointed, and they were disappointed
yes. more, they were discouraged.
1T Is not strange that people are look
ing for better results from our schools
Some call for industrial schools; Others
would turn out languages and bring in
the sciences; all these will fail to give
the child better preparation for life
unless the matter is brought TO them in
a way to induce pupils to think and to
observe what is going on about them
1t is true, as Garfield has said, MARI
Hopkins as a teacher and log to sil
upon is 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 set Of examination
questions. A single example out of th,
ten in arithmetic had any reference I,
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 man at Chi.
cago? At Quito? Cui bono? What ha.
that to 10 with health, wealth, or happi
piness? There was not hint in tn,
whole set as to the cause of typhoit
fever, of catarrh, or OF consumption
What would you do to prevent any o.
these? What constitutes wholesom,
food? What cleanliness? How is prope
ventilation best secured? What carr
should be taken Of the eyes? What po
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