The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-10
TEAGHERsAFTER STRIKER
They Claim HIS Arithmetic Questions
Are Out of All Reason.

They Claim HIS ArifhInaE tic Questions
Arc out of All Reason.
The teachers of Kansas are complain
ing, and they think they have right to.
The cause of their trouble is the exami-
nation questions in arithmetic given out
by the state board of education for the
county tests July p and 20, and prepared
by Prof. VIM. Stryker. There are some
disappointed teachers who would like to
pull his hair out by the cube roots, and
some Of them are bold enough to say the
questions could have emanated from no
one but desiccated pedant.
The examination was SO difficult that
in Dickinson county out of 123 who took
il, II failed to pass sixty per cent in ar
ithmetic. Out of the one hundred and
sixty who applied for certificates in Lyon
county ninety-One failed and among
them some of the best teachers IN the
county. Nearly all who failed, failed in
arithmetic There Is complaint all over
the state at the unreasonable difficulty of
the questions as arithmetic questions;
however delightful mental gymnastics
they be to man who thinks in lOga-
rithm5, and takes his food in
comic sections. The teachers think that
q ebra has its place, and have no doubt
in computing such problems as, 'If a
man should 90 to school and college
twelve years how many aeOns would it
take to teach him some practical sense
and selling world they think that the old
fashioned arithmetic is good enough
without any point lace trimmings
Here are some Of the questions:
a certain sum of money amounts t,
%143. SO in mouths, aud to $149. II ia u
months; what were the principal and tb
rate?
A water trough is twice as long as
is deep. and twice as deep as 1t is wide.
It holds 4,096 cubic yards. What are its
dimensions, and how many barrels Of
water. 80 gallons each Will it hold!
horse IS hitched TO the corner post
in rectangular pasture If he can
Craze over just one acre, how long is the
rope:
They are easy of course, any of US can
work them. In the first you simply find
out how large a sum of money running
at certain per cent it would take to
make the amount named; IN the second
ali the work you have to do is to find out
how long and how deep and how wide
the water trough is while in the last you
simply look the answer up in the book
and work it backw ards-sls Prof. Stryker
did. Everyone admires man who has
mental acumen and matthew atical pre-
c0city sufficient to discover such ques-
tions by looking through all the arith-
metics and algebras he ever heard of
but they would just as lief he had per-
ished on the pons asinOrum as to have
any official connection with him.
One paper says: at is said that Stry-
ker. the member of the state examining
board who usually selects the arithmetic
questions for examinations, has request
ed that the names Of those who apply for
certificates and fail to pass should be
sent to him 50 he can send them cata-
/ logues Of his college at Great Bend"
This IS probably untrue, for it is not
likely that man of the broad scholar
ship OF Prof. Stryker would care for
such incompetent students at his institu-
ton. Besides, if the questions were
really as hard as they seemed, the pros
pect would not be what is comm Jnly
termed peculiarly and irresistably in
/ viting.
The teachers contend that so thor
Oughly imbued is Prof >tryker with fig
ures and tangents and fractions and sub
tended angles that even his good points
are geometrical points and have position
without dimension. Some indeed hope
that their paths may never cross again,
bnt they may be like two parallel lines
which meet only AT infinity.
According to higher mathematics there
is a fourth dimension, and it is averred
by very disappointed teachers that only
by use of it can the presumption of Prof
2 l,<,r