University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-04-23
REASON WHY SERIES.
Seeking To Show How A Study of The Various Courses
In The University of Missouri Equip The
Student For Future Usefulness
WHY STUDY MATHEMATICS? BY PROF. O. ,. KELLOGG,
Professor Of Mathematics the University Missouri

stand upon this ground alone. if it
were necessary, and particularly if |
mignt assent TO the statements, first.
thdt being uncertain as 10 just where
| his vocational tastes and opportunities
will lead him. the student OF our arts
college must be as broadly trained in
! fundamental things as possible, and,
! secondly, that breadth of understand
! ing. and power to think straight, are
among the most desirable results OF d
/ liberal educatlOn. The broad train
/ ing. designed to enable one to land on
! his feet in whatever career opens up -
/ him, should certainly contain some
| thing o. Il subject so fundamental TO
the other sciences. and TO SO many
technical arts. AMI even if the gradu-
ate feels no other Eeed for his mathe-
matioa. he will have one of the essen
tial element Of Il broad culture if he
is able to understand and appreciate
, the IC,lems, jhe activities and the
successes Of LIS fellow men who are
in scientific and technical pursuits.
Such training is a training for
broad anG enjoyable life. rather than
for vocation. and will leave the mat
ter by merely suggesting the question
Il. to WhC,h": the former does not com
pare favorahiy III Importance with the
latter.
And finally. fc" the development of
intellectual power, | feel that 4 strong
case can be made for mathematics.
That the subject is peculiarly adapted
TO train The power for clear. unassail-
able reasoning, lies in the fact tha; the
things about whi;h it reasons are sus-
Ccplible of simple. exact statement:
The ability to analy given data. with
the object Of determining jHst wnat
bears OH the problem. and what is br
side the point; the critical sense. which |
examines the reasoning, ana tells II
wig, her or hot it is trustworthy; tn, |
aesthetic sen-c, which tells H. whether |
it is Orderly and concise. or ciamsy |
and tedious: the imagination. which is |
needed 10 find the means Of solving a
new problem; these are some uG the |
things which well taught mathematics |
is in pO ition 20 bring out and deyel |
Op.
1t is net 20 be inferred that feel tha; |
mathematical study can well replace a |
large number CT other studies. Many |
of them cultivate many of the same |
qualities. Bu believe that there are |
sCme mental faculties which mathema,- |
les can best develop. and claim for il
some part IN every liberal education on |
the basi OF its fundamental relation |
ship with % many forms of human ac- |
tivi:y. o. course this claim must rest.
like that of every other subject, upon
it being well taught And because il |
ha- not b5en well taught. many people
have an erf0rous idea OF its nature. of
its difficulty and its attractiveness
Wherhor We Of the staff in the Univer-
sity are handling the subject well or
nos can Only be determined by The rc-
suits, and ! believe that each student |
wCuld do well to test this. as we'll 4
the other suggestions of this paper. for
i..msplf.
Next SInday's article will he nv DR. II
George Lefevre. "Why Study 20.
ology?"