The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-02-18

the children know that subtraction 10 the inversion
of additions division is the inversion of multiplica-
ton the square root the inversion of the cube The
men who get up the course of studies could not
themselves find the cube root of any number without
consulting their tables. The rest of this trash is
not worth the attention of the pupil. Ii he ever
needs to know them he can learn them in after
noon. But what is very necessary Is to aceustom
the children to mental arithmetic. Let the children
| be we'll up in mental examples common and decimal
! fractionls, and be able to apply them III computing
interest and percentages. In mental arithmetic let
| the questions be simple with small numbers; not
puzzles or tricks of arithmetcal legerdemain These
simple problems must be thought out by the teacher
and given to the class hot off the pan; the teacher
who cannot do that will never teach arithmetic
cessfuIy."
Mental arithmetic is an important subject, and
one in which the child should be thoroughly trained
few simple examples each day, in which the child
must pause and think before answering, will in
time, make an ndeliblc impression. The teacher of
Jim" the educated horse per haps St Louis fairs
greatest wonder could give some valuable lessons on
the effect of mental training. At an exhibition
witnessed by the writer, "Jms" mental training was
considered wonderful by large audience. His
questions in addition and subtraction could not fail
to attract attention, When asked how much was
three plus six plus five, four plus seven minus
eight, Jim's answer always correct One of
the audience wishing to puzzle the educated horse
asked how much four plus seven plus three
minus eight plus nine Jim nodded his head sig
nlficantly. He received we'll merited applause. J
The exhibition an object lesson never to be for
gotten 1t showed how the mental powers, by con- !
slant training, may be developed. 1t requires two |
very essential conditions to develop the latent fac
ultles of the child first patience, and second the
faculty of reducing ones own knowledge, for
time, to the level of that of the pupils then show
ing deep interest in solving the problem. The
earnest teacher who has the knack, if it may be so
termed, will not fail to interest the pupils and
when once interested a victory is scored When the
dsinterested, apparently dull pupil becomes in
terested and solves problem correctly, MS pride
and spirit of emulation are aroused, and the turn
ing point of his future success may be reached
After that should encouragement sometimes come
gentle appeal to the pupils mental fighting i'm
pulse with little patience in explaining difficulties,
he pupils laudable pride and fighting propensi5;es
will again show themselves.
To be successful teacher must not only know
he different lessons to be taught during the day.
'ut must also know how to communicate that
knowledge to the pupils. The child who is sca:ed
It, or unable to comprehend fractions, will verJ
DON overcome all difficulties when the unit of meas
Ire is exempliGed by dollar piece, and the proper
raction by all the smaller coins, and the improper
raction by fve-dollar gold piece. "All," as the
Waterman" has truly and apty stated depends
Z how it is taught"
Equally important and practical is the brief
oference made by the editor of the Waterman to
He writes:
eve think it is mistake to adopt one system
f penmanship to the exclusion of all Others Pen
lanshp will never forgive the typewriter for what
has done to caligraphy. Penmanship should be
aught and success depends upon the GRACE III
aturalness of attitude and movement"
There is, in schools, constant tendency to
nange from system to another Members of
,hool boards, teachers see something novel and
rand III some newly invented system. Nothing like
ever known before 1t is free, easy, and legible
nd can, in very short time, be acquired 1t is
lopted to the exclusion of all other systems. The
lpils graduate go into an Office but their penman-
Zip is not up to the mark, or what the banker or
erchants may require. There is a protest against
lie system, and the new board of school di- /
etors are again asked to adopt the old system. ]
lch has been the experience of schools of every
rye city. The battle for the old system has been O
tey fought in this city Let our school boards and d
achers learn to let "well enough alone, and give
experimenting methods, which cause a
stess feeling and unstable character t
RAWLINS, WY0.