SCIENCE. 



FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1887. 



COMMENT AND CRITICISM. 



It is not often that the average school board 

 has the temerity to attack or seriously modify the 

 traditional course of study. A capable superin- 

 tendent or principal who is alive to newly devel- 

 oped needs and conditions will occasionally under- 

 take some reform, but, save in a few of the 

 cities of the country, even that is unusual. It is 

 probably for this reason, as well as because of 

 the importance of the particular case in point, 

 that so much attention has been attracted to the 

 action of the Boston school committee concerning 

 arithmetic. Something over a year ago the fol- 

 lowing resolution was passed by the committee : 

 *' Whereas the study of so-called arithmetic in 

 the grammar schools of this city covers much 

 ground which does not come within the proper 

 scope of arithmetic, which is the art of numbers, 

 no small part of the time and strength of the 

 pupils being given to merely technical application 

 of arithmetical rules ; and whereas the exercises 

 prescribed are often difficult beyond the best con- 

 ditions of mental discipline, the problems set for. 

 the pupils being really exercises, not in arith- 

 metic, but in logic, such as pertain to a period of 

 life several years later : resolved that the com- 

 mittee on examinations are requested to inquire 

 and report whether it is not practicable to reduce 

 and simplify the studies and exercises now pre- 

 scribed under the head of arithmetic." 



Afterwards Gen. Fi-ancis A. Walker drew up a 

 series of eleven questions, and submitted them to 

 the school principals for the purpose of obtaining 

 specific information, and was fairly successful in 

 the attempt. Twenty-five principals said, that, 

 were the matter left wholly to their own judg- 

 ment, they would considerably diminish the 

 amount of arithmetic taught ; twenty would not 

 diminish it ; and five would diminish it slightly. 

 As to the character of the changes desired, there 

 was great diversity of opinion. Thirteen would 

 omit discount, thirteen mensuration, thirteen the 

 metric system, — a most absurd suggestion, in 

 view of the increasing tendency to use this system 



No. 327 — 1887. 



in scientific books. Nine would do away with 

 compound proportion, eight with exchange, seven 

 with cube root, two with some of partial payments. 

 Thirty-two thought the practice of memorizing 

 the multiplication-table at first injudicious, four- 

 teen considered it advisable, while eight gave a 

 qualified answer. The gist of the conclusions 

 reached is, that the study of arithmetic should be 

 simplified by omitting various specified opera- 

 tions and over-difficult applications of the rest. 

 In fact, the aim of the teacher should be, not to 

 puzzle, but to train the pupil. That this is sound 

 doctrine is certain, but on what application of 

 it the metric system is omitted we fail to see. 



Some time ago vve had occasion to commend 

 the action of a committee in excluding from the 

 hall in which a teachers' association was meeting 

 the hawkers of school-journals and school-books. 

 We repeat now what we said then, namely, that 

 while legitimate adrertising is both necessary and 

 useful, yet it is out of place when carried on so 

 as to interfere with the proceedings of an associa- 

 tion meeting. We recently saw a case in point. 

 At a teachers' meeting not five hundred miles 

 from this city, two agents had established them- 

 selves on either side of the main entrance to the 

 hall, and were calling the attention of all who 

 entered to their wares. This, within limits, is 

 perhaps admissible ; but during two admirable 

 addresses, one on science-teaching and one on 

 English composition, the noise at the agents' head- 

 quarters was so great that the speakers were 

 heard with difficulty. Teachers lingered about 

 the pile of books and papers instead of giving 

 their attention to the exercises for which they had 

 come together. The whole proceeding was dis- 

 courteous in the extreme to the presiding officer 

 and to the speakers, and ought to have been 

 stopped at once. We have every reason to believe, 

 however, that in the case of this particular asso- 

 ciation the practice will not occur again. 



On July 13 the annual meeting of the National 

 educational association opens at Chicago. Gen- 

 erous arrangements have been made by which 

 teachers can secure transportation and hotel ac- 

 commodation at low rates, and there is every in- 



