The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-09
MATHEMATICS THE
 MOST USEFUL OF SCIENCES


 So often in woman's education, while she masters mathematics as far as doing sums and 'solving problems to the ex- tent of getting answers" she does not master the why. The tenths of numbers those interested in her instruction as necessary to her mental development.
 A writer in a New York exchange in referring to the fact that the question; has been so often asked but never sat- isfactorily answered. writes as follows:
 ''The question is similar to that raised in the ancient fable of the lips and the tongue. in which each claimed that 1t was the most important organ of speech. The tongue told the lps that they were useless without it,, and bade them open and see if they could talk. alone. The lips claimed that they were the most inn portant. as the tongue could not talk while they remained closed. So the most of the .sciences-they are so inter-depend- ent on each other that they are nothing alone.
 What is the greatest science? Chemis try? Physics? Mathematics? Astronomy? Tho natural sciences? Geology? Paleontol- osy?? l., ,,.,, ..o.. .o,..o.u ,v,,o, ara Greatest. considered in the light of their indispensablity to human happiness and well being, are those which are the most elementary, taking the word to mean singleness of composition The question. then, narrows itself down to What sci- ences are the most indispensable to hu- man well being, and of those. which are are least complex and dependent on other scienCesY
 Examining the claims of those men, toned above, it is obvious that astron- omy. grandest of conception and treating as it does of matters so immense that the earth and all 1t contains seem insignih- cant beside it, Is nevertheless made up of several other sciences. Mathematics arc the very root and heart of astronomy. while optics (physics) is its means of ex- precision. As chemistry and physics are also vital parts of it. speculation and theory are about the only parts of 1t not made up of other yciences.
 "The natural sciences can be skipped at once. It requires no argument to see that the world could dispense with them before chemistry or physics.
 "Chemistry, then, or physics, or mathe- matios?
 presented for observation by bodies (which definition has been stretched tt l include the phenomena of light, neat sound. electricity and magnetism) is interwoven with mathematics that u l, almost a part of that science. Chemistry Hess dependent on the latter than physics, | yet needs physics at every turn. And | physics depends on mathematics. But what do mathematics depend on? What science must be at hand and under stood for a compr ehension of the princi- pals of the science of numbers, quantl- ties, volumes. sections, movements! Not one, ITO mathematics, then, should be ac- corded the place of the most indispen- sable of the sciences. a position fitting the one which among exact departments of knowledge Is known as The Exact Science the branch of learning which antedates all others, and on which all others depend
 Tt would be idle to say that any Of the great departments of human knowledge are greater than any of the others. All are colossal to the intellect. as they are pygmies to what they will be, but con sidered by their usefulness, their indis- pensablity. the science of quantity. ma thematics, stands at the head of the list uncrowned king among domain Of sub iects as great as they are dependent