The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-12
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
Too Much Arithmetic

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 A special to The News of the 3d instant. from Talladega, quotes Superintendent
 Murphy as saying that too much arithme-
 tic is being taught in our schools. Such a statement may seem out of place. com- ing from such distinguished educator,
 but if former files of sour papers fare
 examined many such expressions will be
 found. The purpose of this letter is to
 amplify and extend the statement above.
 There are a few teachers who still re-
 quire that the multiplication table shall
 be memorized. Did any advanced thinker x ever imagine such an absurdity? It may N be well enough to have the first four l lines memorzed. but when the, others are printed in our textbooks, what more is required? The pupils can use them as IN a reference sheet while they study the H book and will then need them no more. K Therefore, why not cut out the latter half of the tables from the school work? | further shortening of the work should come In long division. which Is too tire
 some for the brilliant intellect of the present day. Any work on long division can be confined to examples of three figures in the divisor with five in the dividend This makes very pretty ex- |lample and one that does not present any Ebdifficulty to the appreceptive faculties of tlthe student, especially if he will refer 'lfrequently to the multiplication table. HI The next place where our present text | books need revision is in denominate or ,lcompound numbers. A distinguished ed aIucator recommended the omission of cer- 'Itain of those tables, but why not omit M all at one stroke of the pen? If the 'N tables for longitude are to be omitted Met us also leave out time, weight. meas Nure, distance or leave them only to be |lstudied by the specialist in our various Hindustries. For example, the prospective EIfarmer might learn the table of weights Hand measures, the masons and contrac- Etors of the rising generation would need sa better knowledge of surfaces and solids, while the paperhanger.. plasterer and painter need only know the tables Tor Riinear and square measure and not even "A these If he will keep a ready recKones N on his desk.
 Ik With reference to the various questions M arising under the general head of per firentage, why burden the common mind M with any of them at all? Let us leave Idhll that part of arithmetic to the people XII who will use it. Let our future brokers Nand bankers get busy on those subjects, W but do not oppress the tender minds of V nunIls from 1S to IS years old with any Hsuch useless lumber.
 U Mensuration of every description hav- # Ing already been provided against, there i remain only involution and evolution, H which may well remain in the background Elintil they are sprung on the unsuspec.- Xttng pupil as he treads the majestic of algebra, if he ever attains that S9far eminence of learning.
 XII If the present Board of Education could *Inonvert itself into a board of publica- #k,on and edit an Alabama arithmetic, Ehhey could materially shorten the pres course and give to the rising genera npOnln state would ever submit to. Very N k.esnectfully. P M. JONES. Birmingham, September 1o 1910.
 U wbeot in Kansas vs. in Alabama \ ro the Editor of The Age-Herald: I'M have been much interested in an Xkrticle which appeared in a recent num- Wher of er's-"Harvesting Kansas <tiyhaat" The figures are attractive be- H.,ause there are five of them to in- E'iicate the number of acres-13,0 900. To N'be average reader this is tremen- = Wlously large farm so large that While Mlhtnking of such a farm sight is lost Xbf what 1t produces, because time IS #not taken to analyze it. These 13,0oo [ cres produce this year 115,00O busheis
 If wheat little less than nine bush #Als per acre. Think of it! Nine bush XAls of wheat per acre! Then think that XHo harvest this immense acreage this
 Lear required the services of 175 men, XsOO horses and mules and 20 women HAnd girls as cooks and walters. Along this one will naturally be carried Hl way with the long list of expensive necessary to produce this
 krop. This article tells us that as
 Moon as the threshing machine begins Hbusiness the blows are started, and ENhese are steam blows. each being an H.lrdinary large traction engine, draw N'mg string of blows or discs, six discs Xn each gang, and eight gangs at X1ached to each engine, the furrow for