Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-14
WARTIME ARITHMETIC.
How the Rudiments OF Mathematics were
Taught TO Southern Children.
New York Herald)

New York Herald)
Tn \ secondhand book store the other
dav a visitor bought for a dime a NIUE
Old. worn, and castaway volume "nie"
in the manner Of it, forms ana eAaih-
ples. told a simple and pathetic story Vi
the gloom and sorrow which harkehe1 e'e"
the innocent lives OF children AT 'Ie
South during the weary years OF war II
rs a conv of n school arithmetic. one
for beginners. and was publlshrd At
Raleigh y. G.. in 1863. by Branson *
Farrar. The author was l.. Johnson pro-
fessor of mathematics In Trinity college,
vcho modestiy says In his preface:
"The great demand for books at tnlS
time of an elementary character IN the
Southern Confederacy has called ior'h .Ii1
littIe volume. Nothing new or orisil"
has been attempted. The compass oil tne
work is such that it can be thorouslily
learned by the youth OF either sex eeioIe
their presence at home or the usi'ia''rS
of their country debar the privilege oi
attendance at school"
WAR AND ARITHMETIC.
The shirt which then animated ule
raonIe Of the South is manifest on every
mage and In almost every example OF IlilS
little book. 1t IL the spirit or war InV
questions do not ask the youthiui scno,ar
-. -, dowers IL would take to enable
49,, 80 Give two To each OF his three
oar,,onions nor how many peaches Johh
ord Charley together would have II one
bad four and the other three. Ihere .
10 ,uzzIing inquiry as 10 how many iahlO'
IarrIa would have II TO her present nine
g. o,hers were added or how many gun
cor cakes Walter would have lett IL he
divided his dozen equally with SUSIE,
None OF such mild elements would 20
for the times. The life Of the South am
the impulses OF its people were ne" 81
about by war. Little wonder theh u'isi' w
author of this arithmetic snould "Iso", :,
the common things or ne anu U.S. vs. a.,,,a,
Illustrating his examples the terrible ac.uti
Elements involved In the mighty coinDi.
,rhose thunders floated from bloody neius
,,,ro,,,b the schoolhouse windows no"
.'.',niY and how wildly the influences anu
forces then engaging the men OF 'ne
co,,,h ORC shown in the following eAaH'-
nIeq from the little old arithineuc VI
1862 ,ar, and ten
+, o,har How many soldiers are there
Ia both?' ,o,,,anv and
-. =, onother. How many soldiers are
there In both?" ,. On
..rwenty-elght men were sent OUT OF,
nicxet duty. four in a company
MANI companies were there' .,oo g..
a. cantain of cavalry paid 500 LOT
borsa ana 500 more for pistol ho"
many dollars did both cost MIN
"a company of 100 men went iii'v a'
engagement where dfty were kiiieu' '''
many were leftY' o, a,sht
"a Confederate soldier captured eis"'
Yankees each day for the nine cohse0u ~, -,
DAYS. How many cid he capture III an
"seven Confederate soldiers eup.ul.
twenty-one Yankees and divided ."e ,'i
equally between them. How many Wv
each one havey -, - ,,,b,n
IF one Confederate soldier can VIZ
seven Yankees, how many soiuis'' N'
whip forty-nine Yankees! IN ,t,a,,.
III one Confederate soldier Ai,' ~, 90
Yankees. how many Yankees can W."
federate soldiers Kill?
..If ,hirty-two soldiers eat SS pounus -,
beef In a week, how many pounds VIII
TO soldiers eat In week
COST OF LIVING.
Unconsciously this little book teiis an.
other tale. and sad one. about tne cos.
OF living, then oppressively hign III w.,
part or the South The following ques.
tons were likely not only TO develop
the mental acuteness OF southern children,
but also to impress them with the faet
that the needful things Of life We're INIT
ed in supply and difficult to obtain;
"At SO pound how much conec Gun
you buy for Si0?" -. -.
III eleven quires Of paper cost W. wna'
Is the cost Of one quirer
III one bushel OF potatoes cost 81. how
many can you buy for ssT .,os
How many hats can you buy Tor sio'
II one hat costs ~
.sThe sum OF sos, 900 IL paid to an army
Of GOO men What does each receiver
] III q trader makes 70 cents q pound