The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-04-21

are accurately measured, without
which knowledge little or no progress,
can be made.
!
Mathematics Is a science of quantity
IL does not propose to answer the q les.
ton "Of what quality is it?" but "how
much and how many?" In the study
OF arithmetic we deal with constant oi
| particular quantities, in which ouI
! held of investigation must OF necessity
be somewhat limited. But as we pas:
from the particular equation OF arith.
metic, and hence particular truth. &c
! the general equation of algebra
and hence universal truth, there is an
enlargement Of the intellectual horizon
in reasoning, just as there was in pass
ing from the particular percepts to the
general notion, or concept.
Next we pass to study of geometry,
which treats of the relations aud meas
urements of lines, angles, surfaces and
solids. Not to mention the practical
value of this study, the solution of the
original exercises, in my opinion, is not
eXcelled in developing the power of in
vention, logical, reasoning and clear
and accurate expression.
In the second place we wish to speak
of the practical value of mathematics.
Whatever cOrelates man to his environ
ments in the social business or religi-
Gus world, will hardly fail to receive
due recognition in this practical age {;
and mathematics seems to have had its
full share, and some say it has been
Over-estimated. To these we would saw
that mathematics has not been so over.
estimated as other studies are under
estimated.
We cannot conceive any business
transaction in life in which mathC-
mates does not play vital part. If a
mber of shingles are required to COW
er house, mathematics answers the
question, GLOW many?" liza river is
to be bridged it tells how large the steel
beams must be. If machine of GER
tain dimensions is to be set in motion it
tells the number of the horsepower
required to do the work. A ship at sea
wishes to know its latitude and longi-
tude-mathematics answers. A gunner
on the battlefield wishes to know the
distance TO hostile fort-the engineer
answers.
SO widespread and constant is the
use of this science, we may well ask,
"What art, what science, what bust.
ness vocation, on land or sea, in the
heavens above, in the earth beneath, is
| | once asked teacher of a training
school whether the languages or mathe-
mates had the greater relative educa-
| tional value. He at once responded,
that the languages had. To give
weight to his position he cited Dean
Stanley as man of letters, yet not he.
ing able to repeat the multiplication
table, and added that a man can be
educated without knowing mathe'
| h,,t l.. 4 To,
and not be educated. This at frs
seemed to be true, but little reflection
will convince one that it is only par
TALLY true. If true education is tina
development of ones powers which
c)rrelates him to all his environments
socially, religiously and in the bust
ness world, then any education which
falls short of this is incomplete an(
now unsymmetrical Dean Stanley's
education put him in touch with the
social and religious world, but | judg
without knowledge of mathematict
he would have been as much out o
place on the banks of the Suez Canal
directing that great engineering feat
as Count de Lesseps would have beef
in the Westminster pulpit, without
knowledge of letters.
While in the lower branches o
mathematics the mind is taught to dis
criminate, compose and identify, yet
is not confined to these faculties alon,
when one reaches the higher branches
For what is more inviting to the imagi
nation than by the use of few simpl
mathematical formulas, to weigh tn
earth as If with balances; or to trace
the planets in their orbits; to compre
bend the laws of motion and gravita
ton, and look out intellgeptly on tn,
vastness of infnity? What infinite dc
light to know that one is thinkiu.
thoughts after his Divine Creator!
1t is not my intention, fellow-teachers
to appear as an advocate for the stud,
of mathematics to the exclusion of 9th
er studies in the school curriculum for
without knowledge of the hes
thought that has been expressed b,
the foremost men and women who hav
preceded US, and without the abilit
to communicate readily in good Eng
lish our impressions, we are certainl,
wanting in an accomplishment whic
makes our lives most acceptable an
useful to our fellow men.
, On the other hand to be without
knowledge of the sciences and the ma
terial blessings and comforts which ar
brought to us through this knowledge
is to be deprived of that which make
a higher intellectal and spiritual lif
possible.
So the relations of these different sui
iects in the school-curriculum might b
, represented by chain, of which tn
,, languages form the first link, mathe
mates the second, the sciences tn
! third, and continued by others O
geography and history, the use of whic
chain would be very much curtailed b
the loss of any one link.