18. Is this a correct rule for finding the volume of the frustum of a pyramid ? If not, why not? Find the area of the mean base by taking half the sum of the areas of the upper and lower bases. thus found by the height. Litchfield, O. Multiply the area of the mean base YOUNG TEACHER. 19. At the Summit County Institute last summer, Superintendent Hartzler, one of the instructors, was asked to explain the following problem: "What is the time when of the time past noon equals 3/4 of the time to midnight ?" The explanation was deferred for want of time, and Mr. Hartzler promised to give, the next day, a new and better method of solving such problems. When the next day came time was still wanting, and we failed to get the instruction. Will not Mr. Hartzler be so kind as to give us a brief explanation of the above question through the MONTHLY, and oblige a number of his admiring teacher-pupils at the institute last August. COUNTRY TEACHER. 20. Why has Rhode Island two capitals? Sherman, O. 21. W. A. MORTON. In the sentence, "In mother goose, the cow jumped clear over the moon," is the phrase "in mother goose" adjective or adverbial? or, does it modify the subject or predicate?. Southington, O. C. F. "PROCEED FROM THE KNOWN TO THE UNKNOWN." W. H. PAYNE, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. I have selected for examination one of the most plausible of the socalled "Pestalozzian Principles." Many teachers have accepted this as a simple axiom. Such will think it absurd to attempt a critical examination of it. If this were an axiom, it would certainly be absurd to discuss its truth; and so I will begin by asserting that this well worn "principle" is a bit of educational cant that passes current to save the labor of thinking. Axioms that are not axiomatic arrest thought. They foster the delusion that a method has received its final justification when it has been shown to be consistent with one of these assumed principles. The mischief lies in the fact that these maxims are partly true and partly false. In some cases they lead us to the truth, and in others they betray us into error. 5. Why is September 2nd called St. Augustine's Day? New Chambersburg, O. H. H. BOWER. 6. How much of the earth's surface is illuminated by the sun at one time? A. M. Bower. Magnolia, O. 7. In "Every Latin word has its function as noun or verb or adverb ticketed upon it," or "Every Latin word's function as noun or verb or adverb is ticketed upon it," are the words noun, verb, and adverb in apposition with word or function? 8. J. E. M. Harvey says "The object of a transitive verb in the active voice is in the objective case." In what case is the object of a transitive verb in the passive voice? 9. IO. R. "He looked as if he had been hurt." Parse italicized words. sentence? II. Who is the author of the following lines, and from what poem are they taken ? "I saw a vision in my sleep, That gave my spirit strength to sweep Adown the gulf of time. I saw the last of human mold, That shall creation's death behold, Berea, O. As Adam saw her prime." L. E. S. 12. What is the diameter of a globe that contains as many cubic inches as there are square inches on its surface? R. 13. What is the diameter of a globe that contains four times as many cubic inches as there are square inches on its surface? R. 14. What is the diameter of a globe that contains one-fourth as many cubic inches as there are square inches on its surface? R. 15. Is the relation of the surface of a globe to its volume constant ? 16. What is the exact length of the longest board, one foot wide, which can be laid flat on the floor of a room 12x16 feet? E. S. L. 17. A man bought 50 turkeys in two lots, paying $12 per lot. He paid 20 cents per head more for one lot than for the other. Required the number of turkeys in each lot. JAS. BARNES. Summerfield, O. 18. Is this a correct rule for finding the volume of the frustum of a pyramid ? If not, why not? Find the area of the mean base by taking half the sum of the areas of the upper and lower bases. Multiply the area of the mean base thus found by the height. YOUNG TEACHER. Litchfield, O. 19. At the Summit County Institute last summer, Superintendent Hartzler, one of the instructors, was asked to explain the following problem: "What is the time when of the time past noon equals 3/4 of the time to midnight ?" The explanation was deferred for want of time, and Mr. Hartzler promised to give, the next day, a new and better method of solving such problems. When the next day came time was still wanting, and we failed to get the instruction. Will not Mr. Hartzler be so kind as to give us a brief explanation of the above question through the MONTHLY, and oblige a number of his admiring teacher-pupils at the institute last August. COUNTRY TEACHER. 20. Why has Rhode Island two capitals? W. A. MORTON. 21. In the sentence, "In mother goose, the cow jumped clear over the moon," is the phrase "in mother goose" adjective or adverbial? or, does it modify the subject or predicate? Southington, O. C. F. "PROCEED FROM THE KNOWN TO THE W. H. PAYNE, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. I have selected for examination one of the most plausible of the socalled "Pestalozzian Principles." Many teachers have accepted this as a simple axiom. Such will think it absurd to attempt a critical examination of it. If this were an axiom, it would certainly be absurd to discuss its truth; and so I will begin by asserting that this well worn "principle" is a bit of educational cant that passes current to save the labor of thinking. Axioms that are not axiomatic arrest thought. They foster the delusion that a method has received its final justification when it has been shown to be consistent with one of these as sumed principles. The mischief lies in the fact that these maxims are partly true and partly false. In some cases they lead us to the truth, and in others they betray us into error. This maxim is often employed to justify the constructive or synthetic method of teaching geography, according to which the pupil proceeds from school-yard to township, from township to county, from county to state, from state to nation, from nation to continent, from continent to hemisphere, and finally to the globe. But if an undoubted psychological law can be. trusted, this specious method is false, is absolutely without scientific justification. My faith in a psychological law is much stronger than my faith in this educational axiom. Therefore I suspect that we have to do with an axiom that is not absolutely axiomatic. From my point of view, then, this examination is not absurd. The "genesis of knowledge in the race" has been a favorite starting point with the educational philosophers who make a liberal use of this axiom. Now it must be apparent that with the race, the genesis of knowledge must have been from the unknown to the known; for each individual of the race had nothing in the line of knowledge to begin with, and so must have proceeded from the unknown to the known. This primal experience is typical of the experiences that follow in the life of the child; for a considerable time passes before the old is implicated in the new to a degree sufficient to fall within the compass of this rule. The child is ever encountering new sensations; but as these are simple, he derives no help from previous sensations. In his knowledge of objects, the general process is still the same. Each new object is a new unknown It may be composed of parts that are really contained in objects previously known; but as first impressions are always confused, these parts are as yet not discriminated, and so cannot be used to analyze the new unknown. Again, in this course of unconscious tuition, the learning of elements or parts is always subsequent to the learning of aggregates or wholes. Definitude, as Hamilton has observed, is not the first, but the last term of our cognitions. It is only in a mature period of culture that the knowledge of elements is sufficient to permit a prompt resolution of the new into the old. Childhood is well over before the resolution of the confused into the definite is well begun. One half of thinking is mental disintegration,-the reaction of the mind in the way of analysis upon complex presentations; so that, if before the presentation is made, its elements are already in the mind, the tension of thought is low. To think vigorously, there must be some resistance; but resistance becomes less as analysis becomes easier; and analysis grows easy in proportion as elements admit of quick discern ment. If, then, the dogma, "proceed from the known to the unknown" means that the pupil should master the elements of a complex notion before the notion itself has been presented, it is unsound from two points of view; 1. It is in direct conflict with a normal law of mental growth—a law that is stated by Hamilton as follows: "The first procedure of the mind in the elaboration of its knowledge is always analytical. It descends from the whole to its parts, from the vague to the definite." 2. In consequence of a violation of this law, this dogma, interpreted as above, absolves from the necessity of thinking. Indeed, when I think on the possible consequences of such a doctrine, I feel glad that this dogma can neither be interpreted nor applied. How happily hopeless the case is, we may judge from Mr. Bain's fruitless struggle with this "favorite maxim of the teaching art."-(Education as a Science, p. 128.)-Educational Weekly. HINTS TO YOUNG TEACHERS. Be punctual. You cannot enforce punctuality on others unless you set an example of it yourself. Keep a cheerful countenance; your face is a looking-glass, and should give only pleasant reflections. It costs no more to look goodhumored than to look glum, and it will add seven years to your life. If you must put on a sour face, and wrinkle your brows, and let down the corners of your mouth, let it be in the dark, where no one will suffer from it but yourself. Never with- Avoid forming the habit of fault-finding and scolding. hold approbation when you can give it conscientiously. fault, unless compelled to do so. The withholding of praise will soon be regarded as an expression of displeasure. So you will save time and temper. Give but few orders; see that they are obeyed promptly and fully. Give directions to a class in a firm and decided tone, loud enough (and only loud enough) to be heard by all concerned, the tone being that of command; disobedience will be a breach of discipline. Directions to an individual are better given in the form of a request, the tone being that of courtesy; disobedience will be a breach of good "Attention! class; close books; take up slates; John, have the goodness to raise the window next you." manners. Keep your class well in hand; stir up the indolent; restrain the rest |