The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-19
a QUESTION OF TENSE.
Eject Of Mr.. singietsry's Method of Teach
ing His Son to Reason.

bueCt OF urs ttnElettrys mctu0u ot hobVu-
ing His Son to Reason.
Young John was chasing unknown quantities
all over the dining room table In vain and fcot-
ing hope that they might by some miracle DO
como known quantities in time for the lesson In
algebra the next day. Mrs. Singlctary always
encouraged Johnny to go TO his father when in
such difficulties in the pursuit Of education For
one thing II shifted the responsibility from her
own shoulders and II encouraged the domestic
| tradition that tho head Of the house was really
the source Of the family opinions.
Say, Pop" said John Junior. from his vcxing
< hasing, there was one thing in algebra We
| all lunked on today. and the teacher told us
that We must have 1t again to morrer, and any
Teller tina, didn't know the answer would be KEEP
in. and | mustn't be KEEP In to-morrcr SOS can
play on the scrub and I'm quarter and mobbe
they'll tako me on the school team. SO won't
you tell me what Il Isl I've worked all night on
| IL and can't make II out Now, please. Pop"
We'll, Johnny, what's the problem? II therc's
any chance that you get OF the scrub Of course
we must all help"
1T amt a problem. sir the baficd x.chascr
made haste TO reply. Problems things with
| equations in them and funny conundrums. and we
amt over in equations yet we've only got as far
| as fractions The thing we've got 70 find out 10
what you call a fraction with on top and y un-
derncath. and not one Of the fcllcrs could answer
| the blame thing u day"
That's not very hard, Johnny, II you will
! only use your thinker little Suppose tho frac-
| ton had for tho numerator and for tho demon
| inator: what docs that amount TOR
"Oh. know that" said the struggling mathe-
maucian. I'VE had that two lessons ago It's
onofourth Of L. But this one hasn't any figure
| init
Mover mind that Just figure IL out yourself.
continued Mr.. Singlctary, who had views on cdu-
cAtional processes. Don, you SEQ that where
the 4 was you now have y That ought TO be
"rve got Il now" said the bright boy. ITS
| one y-cth of T."
There, Johnny said his mother. that's ever
much better than II your father had told you
the answer You've worked 1t out yourself and
| Yes m: II can remember IL long enough for
| the lesson tomorrow I'll he all hunk. But Pop,
honor bright Is that the right answer, fen Jokes
don't want u get KEEP In. AZ was this afternoon,
thought was sassing her"
hastily interrupted. "lfs struck nine already.
| As you 20 upstairs you can slip of your trousers
h. SGy cnS drCg H'% as al Sn@
father and don't To- ks'6 The gas burning
entirely confident in the result of his method In
mathematics, but he did not know what was wrong
with it, and 1t seemed best TO say nothing and let
the youngster take his chances Meanwhile his
wife was waiting at the foot 81 the stairs for John
| Junior To comply with her directions and 10 SEQ
that he did not wake tho younger children. She
fumbled the descending rainent and Johnny
gave her the benefit Of loud whispered Butter
fingers"
and had found her thmbic. which was not wherr
she had left II. and then hunted up the scissors
ven,i,ious fabric 10 her son $ garment she took
| up the current 81 thought from the point where
0ts Ghn sy ss viii Ss1.
to be very careful about what you tell Johnny
in hts lessons Even before he mentioned II
had intended To TIL you about IL when we were
by ourselves Johnny was detained after school
for a Who'll" hour this afternoon and 1t would have
brcn longer only another teacher came in that
she let Johnny of, but she said he had been i'm
pertinent 10 her and must never do II again or he
would be scnt HON. with a note, and il mortified
me- very much, for was calling at Mrs Double
days and had lust been telling her how much
her any trouble, and Tommy Doubleday. you
know. is always into some mischief just then
me- Hello Mrs SingI-tary: Jacks KEEP in 70,
The iloSr With shame. and after all that had Jus,
sad SO b" very slrefui about what You say
i don't know yha. you mean, my dear,
replied Mr Singlctnry. its oil 81 twenty.
Az ycars, since had the couragr to be cheeky
~ get Johnny into that sort OF >crape What
MAS ma. Tod him
! was AL about how TO U.s. tomorrow In sen
t ,encr
"Oh. yes | know The young rascal tried
10 catch me- on that old QUIZ thu, you should moi
say tomorrow is but Tomorrow will be- fO'
T the rrason that when to morrow is II will b.
! to-day | hope make myself plain.
"Oh. perfectly" r-rlied Mrs Singletary shs
, put the last anchor stitches in the patch. But
|, 90, our boy into trouble with his teacher and
he Is always So we'll behaved.
! What was wrong about that I made hin
hunt II UP in Shakespeare. and see what ne said
| rover can hear the line Tomorrow IL Sain
Crspian' without its bringing TO mind The tim,
: W saw tha, play when We wer~ engaged, DON
YOU r'nrnbcr how gvand II was and now ne mad'
yoH th- all oye-7"
''Yrs indeed. II was very prrtty and IL wa,
very nice a you Ia take me and I'd Xix" 10 go &
, the Ncatrc q great deal more now but don
80" how It's possible with the children 10 lool
after. iiui II was that Shakespeare that 60
! JOHNNY into trouble.
, an did wss 10 show the hoy that u his teache
insisted on 20 morrow will be. still TO morrow
: is was good enough for Shakespeare and a few
: n;hor people. | believe | did say that Shakes
r"rro probably couldn't pass tho examination
, thCat" in this city"
"lcl you did, and Johnny told II to tn
. teacher when they were rrciung grammar ant
she mad" him take his sea, and kept him aftr
don't know whether she will promote Johnn!
I AT ~" "nd ~ thc t"rm and he Is such faithful
student and pc's his lessons well that II woul
A, hr shame II sh" took a dislike to him and hell
him hacN. So, John Henry, do be CAREFUL no
I 10 ,r N" hov anything that will get him int
To ~" ner tor morrow and explain 1T
anyway" II shows thst the youngdrr ha
pI.n'v ~ sand" was his fnni comment a r-ma RI
which II is. prohahI" that Mrs Singlrtary did NO
: take in tsflll bearings