The Hawaiian gazette., 1893-11-28
GENERAL ARMSTRONG.
"reminiscences by Jos. S. Emer-
SON in 1.-THE Outlook

The geometry class at Punahou
which, as your readers will remem
Der, is in the Hawaiian Islands, dur
| ing the school year of 1859 was com
posed of the following pupils: Mary
Alexander, Pattie Cook, Hattie Park
er, Carrie Parker, George Wilcox
Edward Wilcox, and Joseph Emerson
| Our teacher, Mr.. Edward Beckwith
| took great pains with the class, re-
curing at each recitation, not only 6
| good understanding of the mathema.
teal principles involved, and a logica
accuracy of demonstration, but also
an exact memorizing of the words o.
the text in the statement of every de-
finition, axiom, and proposition. Oul
! textbook was Robinson's geometry
] in its earlier form of seven books,
work which was well adapted to the
| method of teaching and to the wants
of such class. Mr.. Beckwith took q
proper pride in his class, and never
was teacher more beloved and re-
spected by his pupils. Before we
had more than half finished the sub
ject he was obliged to give up the
charge of the class into the hands of a
student who was but little more adj
vanced in his mathematical studies
than we were. We were all very
sorry to lose Mr.. Beckwitb, but hoped
for the best from our new teacher.
1t required no little tact for an I'M
dergraduate to take charge of class
under such circumstances. But Arm
strong seemed equal to any emergen-
cy. On the playground he was the
leading spirit in all athletic exercises,
and was the undisputed champion in
the game of wicket, in which his side
seemed always victorious. On taking
the class il geometry, from the very
first he began to inspire us with some
of his own enthusiasm. Coming in
from hotly-contested game of wicket
he looked every inch a man. He
would deliberately close his own book
and lay it on one side, seldom referring
to it during the hour of recitation. 1t
was thus easy for him to persuade us
to follow his example in this particu-
lar. Our memories were trained to
do admirable service, so that at the
end of the year the majority, if not
all, of the class could repeat the entire
seven books, except the demonstra-
tions and mathematical calculations,
from beginning to end, or give any
axiom, definition, or proposition by
its appropriate book or number. In
the demonstrations on the blackboard
a very different course was pursued.
The figures were often purposely
changed from the form given in the
book. Numerals were usually SUBJ
for the letters, and every effort
was made to make the demonstration
rs much as possible a training of the
with as little of mere memoir
zing as could be. We were stimulated |
20 study up other demonstrations,
by giving US the result of his |
)wn study of other textbooks. In this |
way we were trained to self-reliant |
habits of study, which L have found
If the greatest service in all my SUBJ
equent mathematical work. 1t was
how much hard work he
got out of his class. But in this, as in
else, he always led others
~ his own example. / have been |
lnder the instruction of various
eachers in the higher mathematics,
ONE of whom were finer scholars
han Armstrong, but / have yet to
NOW the man who could inspire an
ntire class with his own spirit and
purpose as he did. There was some
hing in his personality far more in
uential than mere learning or schol-
rship, and l can never cease to look
ack to the work done under him as
mong the most valuable to me of my
7hole life.
With the end of the school year
anne the public oral examination.
he books were, as usual, laid aside,
nd, with method and precision al
lost military, the class was put
GIFTED with the bearing of the
eacher and the readiness of the class.
t length, by way of variety, Edward
Wilcox was told to demonstrate a
ertain theorem in book first. After
rawing the figure, he was re-
uested to change the order of
he numerals to be used
l the demonstration. Then, after a
w moments given. him to fix the
CURE thus remembered in his MEM
~, he was ordered to turn his back
n the board and proceed with the ,
from the figure thus
ictured in his mind. This was done
| such ready and prompt manner
; to excite the surprise of one of the
committee, who, not APP
the true object of this un-
sual display of intellectual gymnas-
cs, interrupted him with the re- ;
sated request: "Look at your figure /.
Oung manW Armstrong then ex- {
aimed to the rather puzzled exam
Ter the nature of the test TO which he |
as putting his pupil, who was now r
to finish his task, to the
-eat interest of all present. The :
lperior work done by the teacher
nd his class was highly appreciated
Y the committee, and will never be b
rgotten by those who had the good {
rtune to belong to the class.
During the generals late visit to :
lie islands, the writer, in familiar ?
lat, alluded to some Of the incidents !
with the geometry class,
Id particularly to the drill in mem
izing, such as that in which Ed
ard Wilcox figured. He seemed
cry much amused with the account,
Id modestly said, "Why, Emerson, {
was never anything of mathema I
clan. 1t seems absurd that | should