South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-24
GUST TRADITION
FROM TEACHING
Of ARITHMETIC
Committee Suggests Time on
Simpler Exercises and Work
in South Bend Schools Will
Follow This Report.

South Bend schools and those sug-
gested by various authorities of re-
pute. a committee of nine appointed
by Supt. l.. j. Montgomery. Thursday
submitted its report Of its findings ac-
complaining IL with suggestions for a
revised course Of study. Couched in
concise and brilliant language the re-
port is an exhaustive survey of the
current methods employed, In which
both the psychQlogic and practical
tendencies are fully discussed.
Reform in elementary school
arithmetic says the committee, aims
mainly at economy and Specialization:
at lower time cost and a more mar
ketable product"
Specialization. il continues means
the adapting Of arithmetic 10 gen
eral social needs and the elimination
from its content topics and processes
that are obsolete. unduly complex and
Of special application only. In short
il has been found too much time is
expended on such topics as allegation,
furlOng, quarter. progression, apOeth-
ecary's weight compound proportion,
surveyors tables cube root. troy
weight. etc. Therefore, it is pointed
out. simplifcation of the course is
necessary and the elimination of all
those topics that are designated as
artificial"
Developing and fixing arithmetical
operations through the use OF sim
pie, practical exercises viii produce
far more reliable habits than the ex-
penditure Of much time in the solu-
ton of what is unnaturally long or
complicated" says the committee.
Traditions Give Way.
Topics and processes whose only
support is tradition must go, is the
new slogan, continues the report. It
holds that the elementary teaching of
arithmetic must be conserved in the
interest OF common needs. THE
pupil must learn TO make use or the
arithmetic tool for the comprehension
of his small world, for the gradual
comprehension of a broader world,
and for the computation of his daily
experiences necessitate." is the sum-
ming up of the committee regarding
the simplifcatiOn of the course.
The committee does not coincide
with the current belief that the essen
tails in elementary arlhmetic should
he mastered in three or four years. 1t
may be possible. says the committee,
but not eXpeGient. Arithmetical fact
must be associated with habits, it
says. and these do not become proper
~ fixed in much less time than the
elementary school years provide. SO
the committee would allow six or
seven years ia which TO master the
elcmentaTies and permit diversified
tion in the seventh and eighth years
TO fit individual needs. Trouble i'm the
early stages is believed due to meth
DDS of instruction. child nature must
be reckOned with. The natural pas
sion of the siX-year-old for knowing
the how much the "how big" the
"hOv long" etc, must be considered.
~ wise utilization of his innate sense
Of rhythm, love of repetition and de-
sire TO measure viii bring him, be
fore the end o. his primary days, to
truer concepts than former genera
tion ever had" believes the commit
tee.
Suggests Time Required
At this point in the committees re-
port is given a table which recon-
mends the time limit believed neces-
sary for each grade in arithmetic reel
tation. For the first grade 5 minutes
per week is advised; for the second
grade. 100 minutes, the third. 1875, the
fourth, NTH. sixth and seventh. $50.
and the eighth. 10. It follows with
a recommendation of the distribution
of arithmetical fact and material
through the various grades.
Changes in method of instruction
are said TO be due "a advance in edu-
cational psychology and the demand
of the public for practical ability in
arithmetic! fundamentals The pSy-
chology of the problem has found
that arithmetic can be made as fascin-
ating 10 the child as dramatic read
ing, rhymes, games. etc. "COnServa-
ton of the child's interest and not the
development of AUTOMATIC ability is TO
be regarded as the aim in the early
grades says the committee
Inductive methods OF instruction
q "a no
teacher ought not to find il necessary
70 tell a pupil a number fact. show
him a relation, or explain a problem
Her work consists in making the con-
ditiOns which lead 20 the discovery of
the fact. and which shall make clear
the conditions. In order TO instruct in
this way teacher must be fully alive
TO the continuity of the subject We
are having less and less of the teach
ing of isolated topics in arithmetic It
is too thoroughly unscienudc and
wasteful"
Attention is called to the scientific
measurement of results and establish
ment of standards With this at hand
IL is pointed out a teacher can claim
more professional attitude To her
work. She viii have sense Of inn
portance and security hitherto denied
her.
Two Aims of study.
Under subtitle OF Aims" the re-
port then states that the two aims i'm
teaching arithmetic are first for speed
and accuracy IN number manipulation
and second the intelligent and indie
pendent application OF the pupils ac-
quired skill The report finds the
world OF affairs states too many young
people come out OF school unable To
perform simple arithmetiCal opera
tions with any degree OF speed and
accuracy. I'm view OF this g1e COM
mlttee urges the attention 81 teach
ers 90 this cry as well ass TO the in
telligent and independent application.
experimenting igs findings the com
mittee submits "a Ge<liled course OF
study in arithmetic Tor each grade
which lt believes corresponds Co it's
ideals. DO covers an Grades from the
kindergarten to The eighth inclusive.
filling 20 closely typewriter pages.
The report cf Che committee viii be
carefully considered by Supt Mont
gomery and used AS "A basis OF teaching
arithmetic az the opening o. the
le15-l9l6 school year