The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-01
Arithmetic I'm The Upper Grades

In the elementary grades the chief
object of the teacher of arithmetic is
to make the pupil accurate and rapid
in calculations. The boy or girl must
learn to add and subtract, to multiply
and divide. whole numbers, decimals
and fractions. The emphasis there
FORE is on the processes. Constant
drill. oral and written. is necessary.
II a boy should leave school an ex-
pert in adding. subtracting, multiply
ing. dividing whole numbers. deciJ
mails and fractions, he would have lit
tie difficulty in any OF the number
problems that would be demanded of
him I'm his private and business life
After the mastery of these elementary
processes in arithmetic, the object of
the arithmetic course changes ard the
aim then becomes to acquaint the
pupil with certain business terms and
customs.
Take. for instance. the topics OF
commission, interest, stocks and
bonds. IL is not the arithmetic or num-
ber calculations that present Difficult
ties to the pupil. but the meaning OF
terms and the business usage that are
unfamiliar and make the trouble for
him. Here the emphasis is to be put
In making clear what commission and
interest and dividends are. AS soon
as these terms become clear. little diff
iiculty Is found in determining what
arithmetical operations are needed in
working particular problems under
these topics. Teachers will need to
give clear explanations of the rea-
sonable customs of paying commits
sions for services Of life insurance
agents, real estate brokers and archi-
! tects; Of paying for the use of money
"a certain part of the money borrow
cd; Of paying out to shareholders in a
corporation certain per cent Of the
profits made. In the case Of stocks
and bonds, the whole subject of cor
porations, common and preferred
stocks will need to be thoroughly dis
cussed. The distinction between "a
partnership and a corporation will
deserve attention.
Teachers themselves are too fire.
quently ignorant of these matters
They will need to broaden their
knowledge of the business side OF
these topics. In the case of stocks
and bonds. the home corporations.
such as banks. cotton mills, building
and loan associations. will give op-
portunities or making the subject in
teresting and real. The bonds of the
home school district or town will offer
material for problems. A few simple
problems. using these nearby illus.
tiations. IL carefully worked out and
understood. will give all the under
standing needed. The practice of Civ
Ing type example in stocks and
bonds and. then. working n whole
page of problems has nothing to rec
ommend ii. The attention Of the pu
pii' instead of being directed chiefly
TO the business side, is given wholly
10 certain number processes with
which he is supposed to be already
I familiar.
Take topic like. carpeting and
plastering. IL the practical question
OF carpe,ing and plastering the schooi
room could be carefully discussed and.
then' after this discussion. the pupils
could be required To give an explana-
ton of how he would go about find
lng the number Of yards of carpet. or
number OF yards of carpet, or num-
Der or square yards of plasterinC. on
one or the rooms of his home. the
knowledge of this subject would be
more complete than if he worked
pages of problems in carpeting and
plastcring taken from textbook.
the nature Of the arithmetic lesson
therefore. changes in the later years
Of the arithmetic course, and the
recitation becomes more like n recita-
ton i'm history or science Less calcu-
laiion and more discussion is needed
hsrs.-Winthrop Weekly News.