ington began on the right, spoke to each person, calling him by name and exchanging a few words. Having completed the circuit he resumed his first position, when the visitors again approached him, bowed and retired. 26. Washington's Farewell Address. Washington was reëlected to office. As his second term drew to a close, he announced his intention of retiring from office, and preparing a rough draft of a farewell address, he submitted it to Alexander Hamilton for revision. It appeared in September, 1796, producing a great sensation. In December following he met the two houses of Congress for the last time. A touching incident is told of him as he was preparing to read his memorable address. Removing his spectacles and turning to those about him, he said: "My eyes have grown dim in the service of my country, but I have never yet learned to doubt her justice." 21. Closing scenes of Washington's life. His official duties terminated, March 4, 1797, leaving the nation in a state of great prosperity. He again sought the quiet of his country home, "where," he wrote a friend, "I hope my remaining days will glide smoothly on." Here he remained till his death in December, 1799. Congress, which was in session, immediately adjourned for the day. The next day, it was resolved that the Speaker's chair be draped in black; that the members and officers of the House wear black during the session and that soon a committee be appointed to consider the most suitable manner of doing honor to the man "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Public testimonials of grief and reverence were displayed in every part of the Union, and when the news reached England the commander of a fleet of nearly sixty sail of the line, lying at Torbay, lowered their flags at balf-mast. Bonaparte,-First Consul of France, ‚—on announcing his death to the army ordered that black crape should be suspended from all the standards and flags throughout the public service for ten days. 22. Patrick Henry's verdict of Washington. Washington, as previously mentioned, was a member of the House of Burgesses. He held this position for several years, and was subsequently chosen to represent Virginia in general Congress at Philadelphia in 1774. Patrick Henry, at the close of the first session, being asked whom he regarded as the greatest man in Congress, replied: "If you speak of solid information and sound judgment, Colonel Washington is decidedly the greatest man on that floor." NOTES AND QUERIES. Questions and answers for the Notes and Queries should reach us by the first of each month. We respectfully request all the readers of THE TEACHER to take part in the discussions of this department. Send in questions, and furnish answers to questions given.-EDS. ANSWERS TO QUERIES. 365. Is reduction in computation a convenience or necessity, etc.? In operating with numbers of different names, reduction is always necessary, and every necessary operation is a convenience. No two or more numbers of any different names can be added, subtracted, or compared without reducing them to the same name. The failure to fully understand this last statement is the chief reason why so much attention is devoted to teaching arithmetic. 366. Has the invention of percentage added any to the scope of arithmetical computation ? Without attempting to explain the intended meaning of the word scope, I will say, first, that percentage is only the extended application of the decimal system of numbers, or the dividing of the unit into a hundred equal parts, as well as tenths; and it has therefore given us another modified method of computation, based on the decimal system; second, it has furnished a convenient method of arithmetical comparison in our business operations. Z. RICHARDS, Washington, D. C. 367. How long must a rectangular piece of land be, containing 3 acres, if its width be of its length? Three acres contain 160 × 3 = 480 square rods. As the length is five times the width, there will be five equal squares, whose sides will equal the width of the rectangle; therefore √ = one of these sides, and 5√48o: the longest side. Z. RICHARDS, Washington, D. C. Credit to Robt. L. W., Cable, Ill. 368. Given the contents of a rectangular solid and two of its dimensions; required the third. Let a equal the known contents, and b and c the two known dimensions, and x the unknown; then x = a bc Z. RICHARDS, Washington, D. C. 369. Adding the same number to both terms of a fraction produces what effect upon its value? Why? The proper fraction is increased in value, because the number of 23. The testimony which Thomas Jefferson bore of Washington's parts, or fractional units used as a numerator, is increased, while character. Thomas Jefferson, his rival, said of him: "His mind was great and powerful without being of the first order; his penetration strong though not so acute as that of a Newton, a Bacon, or a Locke. His judgment was ever sound; it was slow in operation, but sure in conclusion. He was incapable of fear. The strongest feature of his character was prudence, never acting until every circumstance, every consideration had been duly weighed. His integrity was pure, his justice inflexible. His temper was naturally irritable, but he had a firm and habitual control over it; but if, however, it broke its bounds, he was tremendous in his wrath." On the whole, he admitted, his character was correct and perfect; in nothing bad, in few points indifferent; and never did nature and fortune combine more perfectly to make a man great and to place him where he would be held in everlasting remembrance. 24. Weems, the biographer of many heroes and who was at one time rector of Mount Vernon parish, Virginia, says in verse, of Washington's life: "A life how glorious to his country led! "A life how useful to his country led! How loved while living, how revered now dead; And with like deeds your own great name adorn." the size of them is diminished. The integral fraction (as §) is not changed in value by adding the same number to each term; as, 5+2 7 The improper fraction is diminished by the same op5+2 eration, because the number of parts used is not increased in the י 7 and 28 24 same ratio as the size of them is diminished. Illustrated thus:5+2 7 5 7 30 = and compared with 4+2 6' 4 6 24 Z. RICHARDS, Washington, D. C. 370. Required to add to, and to multiply by . Explain fully why in one case it is necessary to reduce to a common denominator, and not in the other. It must always be borne in mind that no fraction can be added, subtracted, multiplied, divided, or compared with another fraction, without reducing them to a common name,—a process essentially prerequisite in using each of the four arithmetical operations. But in reality no number can be multiplied by unity, or by any number less than unity; for to multiply means to increase. Illustrations. } + } }}+{}=}} = 114. Again, } × 7 is equal to taking of 3. The common denominator is 24, and 1. Now of } 11, which 37, by the short rule. So, also, if we divide 3 by 7, we get the fractions to a C. D. and divide one numerator by the other; thus, and H÷H = H which × = 1, by the short rule. IDEM. = = = -371. In a mill are employed men, women, and boys. Men work 12 hours a day and receive 6 cts. per hour. Women work 9 hours a day and receive 4 cts. per hour. Boys work 8 hours a day and receive 3 cts. per hour. As often as all the men earn $24, all the women earn $10, and all the boys $5. There are 59 employed. How many are men? how many are women? how many are boys. Each man receives 72 cts. per day; each woman receives 36 cts. per day; and each boy 24 cts. per day. It will take ($24 ÷.72 = 33}) 33 men one day to earn $24. 273 women ($10 + .36 = 273) one day to earn $10, and 20§ ($5 ÷ .24 = 20%) boys one day to earn $5. Now, to get the proportion, 33 + 277 + 203 = 811. Number working 59. .. QUERIES. 398. What language is spoken in Western Ireland? In Dublin, St. Petersburg, Athens, Naples, Venice, Geneva, Brussels, Amsterdam, Vienna, Berlin, Berne, Christiana, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris, Edinburg, Lisbon, New Orleans. 399. Was Henry VIII. of England a competitor for the imperial crown of Germany with Francis II. of France and Charles II. of Spain? Robertson's Charles V. gives him as an aspirant. In case of success, what would have been Henry's title? Francis's? 400. Women were allowed to vote in one state, ninety years ago. Which was it? 401. What are the principal causes of rain and why is it rain never falls in some parts of the earth? 402. What is the annual income of Queen Victoria? 403. Explain Bode's Law. 404. How do plants, eat, drink, and digest? 405. LITERARY ENIGMA. I am composed of 93 letters, and am a stanza from a very popular poem. My 24, 3, 81, 38, 49, 83, 56, 68, 9, 69, 26 is the title of one of Judge Tourgee's books. My 1, 15, 50, 78, 11, 70, 60, 85, 64, 7, 5, 66 was written by Charles Dickens. My 10, 44, 37, 43, 13, 65, 46, 93, 53, 73 is the author of my whole. My 47, 18, 33, 2, 26 was a very ancient poet. My 22, 12, 30, 88, 51, 42, 32, 25, 47, 35, 84, 71, 40, 43, 28, 57, 62 is one of Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney's books. My 73, 52, 15, 39, 58, 35, 21, 31 is an American poet. My 4, 60, 73, 18, 31, 26, 89, 33, 17, 19, 29, 87, 63, 52, 45, 11, 8 is an American clergyman and author. My 19, 2, 80, 33, 74, 20, 73, 15, 37, 82, 11, 34 was a Dutch colonist whose adventures are related by Washington Irving. My 92, 64, 79, 67, 1, 55 was the name of the wife of John Halifax, Gentleman. My 61, 41, 28, 14, 31 is one of the legendary kings of Britain, and the father of Arthur. My 36, 91, 93, 40, 76, 54, 6 is one of the characters in Shakespeare's "Comedy of Errors." My 86, 10, 77, 73, 29, 68, 59, 3, 80, 53, 70, 72, 75 is a title conferred upon Chaucer by his contemporaries. My 16, 23, 55, 27, 15, 67, 90, was a Roman poet who flourished in the first century A. D. WASHINGTON. BY M. V. GORMLEY. FATHERLAND, so great and free! O not like proud Ambition's son Or flattered crimes to deeds of worth. Sleep on in peace, O hallowed shade! THE KINDERGARTEN. The Scheme for Study" indicated the fact that certain measures should be developed, explained, and apIN modeling it is often necessary to divide solids plied; consequently before the period for playing store In modeling it is often necessary to divide solids arrives we direct the slate to be arranged with the longest formed, and as it is almost an impossibility for the chil-direction from back to front. A foot ruler is next laid dren to cut with string or wire, and rather difficult for a teacher to attend to each child separately, a very good means of dividing the form may be introduced by placing in each pupil's hands a three-inch long splint, which, pressed firmly down and through the clay, cuts with tolerable smoothness. CONUNDRUM Spelling lightens a Friday afternoon lesson, and may be developed thus: The teacher, having in her mind a list of words, beginning with a certain letter says, "I'm thinking of a word beginning with a." In turn the pupils reply by asking if it be a certain word, which they of course spell. When the correct word is given it is written upon the blackboard. Lists of words having the same root formation, or similar prefixes, or suffixes, are developed in the same way. HERE AND THERE. BY M. E. C. across the slate, and a line drawn having exactly the markings and figures breaking the surface of the measure, same length. The children are led to notice both the before the lengths which they indicate are duplicated upon the line. Any length longer than one foot,—a yard, for instance, is represented by a line upon the blackboard, to which in turn the children apply either an inch or foot-long stick, as the requirements of the particular lesson necessitate, taking care to mark off each application at the right of the top of the stick rather than above. When the long line has been divided the number of divisions is counted, and the class knows that so many inches, or feet, make the yard. Afterward, as busy work, sentences denoting these values may be prepared upon slates or papers, or very narrow lengths of wrapping paper may be marked off into inch or foot lengths, or both. These child-made measures, if taken home, will afford much amusement as well as instruction, for the small owners will attempt to measure all sorts of objects, gaining in consequence a notion of much that would otherwise remain unnoticed. HOROUGHLY believing in learning through doing we turned into account the last hour of a dreary, dark day by developing a lesson on color, thus saving Orderliness is just as necessary in the coat-room as in any strain upon the eyes that might have occurred from the schoolroom, and as there are always some pupils using the regular school material,-books, slates, papers, seemingly devoid of any sense of order, it is a capital and pencils. The exercise was conducted with that free-idea to assign a certain hook to each child, making him dom so acceptable after a week's hard work, and the re- responsible for its care. A few words explaining the sults were so delightfully satisfactory perhaps it will be sug- manner of hanging the coat or cloak upon the lower part gestive to others to learn "just how" it was done. The of the hook, and the hat or hood upon the upper, will not pigments, red, yellow, blue,-were brought out, while be amiss. If, perchance, hooks are not numbered it is a every one was being supplied with a half sheet of white simple matter to place above them chalk figures, or those "practice paper "; after the colors were recognized there cut from an old calendar. At any cost of time and was dropped upon each paper as much of the red pig- trouble insist upon tidy coat-rooms, and the child, once or ment as could be taken upon the tip of a rather large twice reproved, will eventually learn to be careful to place knife-blade. This was smoothed with a white splint his clothing where in-filing pupils cannot trample upon about four inches long until perfectly free of lumps, and it Some children learn a rare lesson in economy and then an amount of blue, similar to that of red, was ways and means of abusing money values by being told dropped upon another part of the paper. This, too, was their clothing "costs money," and when ruined through made smooth before it was mixed with the red. As soon their carelessness must be replaced by money which as the dry-mixing was accomplished a few drops of water should have been used for something else. were added, and after a very thorough mixing a pretty creditable paint was then obtained. The children's pleasure was unbounded as the orange color came out strongly during the process. The remaining secondary colors were at a later period developed in the same way, and we feel confident no child will be unable to recognize these, or any colors, after actually working with them. It creates, besides, so great an enthusiasm that more children remember to bring duplicate colors, in various materials, to increase the school collection of colors. Another sort of order, which is of considerable importance in a child's training, is that of keeping the "house," or desk, tidy. If the child is taught to carefully pack up the contents of his desk at the close of each session, one step toward orderliness in future business-life, or home-making, has been taken. There are so many, many children in this great world combining the incapacity to follow directions and lack of tact in execution, it is an excellent idea to introduce a systematic scheme of "helping the teacher." Certain little folks may be directed to distribute or collect material on one day and another set on another day, or particular work may be given various children to do,-for instance, the most careless child may be chosen to dust the tables and mantel, which work will necessitate the careful moving and cleansing of various articles of bric-a-brac; the particularly thoughtless, if given the care of the plants for a week, will surely profit from the service. Through these little "by-plays" two results are positive to be gained, one the power to follow directions, and the other to execute in an orderly manner. A teacher being extremely annoyed by the fingersnapping prevalent in her new class, adopted the following means of breaking the habit. When a finger-snapping occurred she looked very much astonished, and inquired where the dog was which the child seemed to be calling, and added, as if in a quandary, "We only snap our fingers at dogs, but I see no dog here." Shortly the finger nuisance became a thing of the past. This same teacher, being obliged to overcome a habit,-possessed by the same class,—of emphasizing the fact of a need for her attention by making a species of grunt, resorted to the clever means of exclaiming in a frightened tone, "Oh! I'm afraid of engines; I cannot go near them for fear of accident." This class also being unusually noisy of movement their clever teacher suggested that horses were very noisy when they moved because of various reasons, and she wondered if horses had come into her room; if so she would be obliged to have some one take her place, as she was not accustomed to the management of such creatures. The children were simply carelessly clumsy, and this notion soon settled the difficulty. WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY. BY LUCY WHEELOCK. HE birthday of the "Father of his Country" must THE be celebrated in the kindergarten, as we are to train our children to be patriotic citizens. What shall we do? In the first place visit Baird, on Essex street, and secure some of his paper figures of Washington in Continental costume, one for each child, if possible, to carry home as a souvenir. This will introduce the conversation of the morning about the man, his time, his deeds, and his service to the country. Pictures of Mt. Vernon, and others, illustrating different incidents of Washington's life may be found in histories and biographies, which furnish a basis for an outline of his career, not forgetting the famous cherry tree anecdote, which almost every reading-book contains. Children are not prone to be iconoclasts, and believe implicitly in the little hatchet, as everybody should. America has previously been taught, and this is the hymn. for the day. One poor child was so impressed through this hymn by the idea of her country, that when she was taken to West Roxbury Park she exclaimed in delight: "Here is my country, 'tis of thee!" For work at the table, the little ones are furnished with bundles of sticks for illustrating the stories told earlier in the day. The first thing is the cherry tree, which is made from direction, and looks like this. One child with a realistic mind wished to put inch sticks at the foot for roots, and red circles on the branches for cherries. Next comes the hatchet, for which there are various models, this one being chosen finally. Some children have seen the Washington elm in Cambridge, and after some discussion as to the comparative size of an elm and a cherry tree, it is decided to take a five-inch stick for the trunk of the elm tree and put four branches on each side. A red stick placed near the trunk represents Washington as he stood to take command of the army. Robert wishes to make his sword, which is done by using two long sticks and a short one. "And here is his soldier cap!" cries Curtis, who has been admiring the cocked hat. Washington's house, at Mt. Vernon, is last represented, and the gate. Marching games are in order on this day, and,― "Soldier boy, soldier boy, Where are you going, # Bearing so proudly your knapsack and gun? "I go where my country, My duty is showing, Bearing so proudly my knapsack and gun." Then each child is given a little flag, and as the line marches around the room, waving the tiny banners, the teacher sings, "Color boy, color boy, Where are you speeding, Waving your banner of red, white, and blue? "I go where my country My service is needing, Waving my banner of red, white, and blue," answer the children in glad chorus. As a closing occupation the flag is again introduced the stripes counted, and the position of the stars noted; And while we look to the straight line for mathematical then each child is given a sheet of white paper to make a flag. This is done either by painting or by pasting on strips of red paper, such as are used for the weaving, and a blue square on which are pasted tiny gold stars, which may be bought in sheets at fancy stores. The flag is finished by pasting to a splint for a flag-staff, and each child carries his home with, perhaps, a dawning love for his country and its flag. precision, we turn to the curved line for all the elements of beauty. This perception can be emphasized by drawing the child's attention to a tree. The tree is an idealized representation of a straight line. Its branches grow in various degrees of inclination. The angles may not be so exact as the geometrician's, yet they are angles. The network of veins on the leaves forms distinct angles. But as nature completes all things with rarest art, the edges and shape of most leaves possess all the beauty of the curved line. The twisting and curving of the FROEBEL'S PRINCIPLES AND THEIR PRAC- branches and twigs fulfill a law of graceful adaptation of TICAL APPLICATION. BY FLORENCE CLAP, BALTIMORE. LIIS second gift consists of a ball, cube, and cylinder, the exact with the aesthetic. As we are considering the work of the Divine artificer we find perfection, and man has long since gone to the forest for his most ennobling and uplifting architectural form, and most appropriately has used it to build places of worship, where the pointed arch with its sculptured tracery of enrichment draws the eyes and thoughts heavenward. Thus the law of contrast introduces the child to an exact knowledge of form and its relations. The same method of representation by flat surfaces and outlines can be applied as in the use of the soft ball. Beads, cubical and cylindrical, can be obtained, and a new use can be made of the paper representations of the ball and cube. The child can paste these forms with regularity on cardboard, and make figures of beauty. GINN & COMPANY PUBLISH Stickney's Readers. Best in idea and plan. | Hazen's Spelling Book. Spelling taught as a Best in method and material. Best in interests and results. Classics for Children. Choice literature; full notes; large type; good paper; firm binding; low prices. Whitney & Knox's Elementary Lessons in English. "The brightest, most original and most practical books on the subject." Wentworth's Mathematical Series. "The most successful text-books of the last decade." part of language, and by the aid of intelligence as well as memory. The National Music Course. First awards at Universal Expositions of Vienna, 1873; Philadelphia, 1876; Paris, 1878; New Orleans, 1885. Combined Number & Language Lessons By GINN & COADY. An idea that is at once novel and practical. Wall Maps; Fitz & Joslin Globes ; AND A FULL SERIES OF HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BOOKS. By JOHN T. PRINCE, Agent of the Massachusetts State Board of Education: COURSES OF STUDIES A practical hand-book by a practical man, based on extended observation and long experience, and giving the art rather than the theory of teaching. AND METHODS OF TEACHING. A BOOK FOR Untrained teachers find it indispensable, experi- EVERY TEACHER. enced teachers are helped by it, and it is, indeed, It embraces courses of study for graded and ungraded schools; methods of teaching all the subjects belonging to the common school curriculum, based upon sound principles; and suggestions upon organization, moral training and government, with lists of apparatus, reference books, etc. It is precisely what you want. Special Teachers' Price, postage included, 75 cents a copy. SEND FOR CATALOGUE AND FULL CIRCULARS, GINN & COMPANY, Publishers, Boston, New York, and Chicago. |