Q. 6, p. 462.-The roaring noise in a sea-shell is caused by the form and polished surface of the shell, enabling it to collect and reflect the various sounds in the vicinity. (x C. R. Q. 7, p. 462.-Let x represent the length of the ladder. Then, 5)+252x2; from which, x= 65. = W. W. C. We have the difference of two numbers (5), and the difference of their squares (252 = 625); hence, 625 ÷ 5 = 125, the sum of the numbers; 125 + 5 = 130; 130 ÷ 2 = 65, length of ladder. J. W. J. The perpendicular equals hypotenuse less 5. ... base2+(hyp. 5)2= hyp.2. The hypotenuse then is found by adding to the square of the base the square of difference between hypotenuse and perpendicular and dividing the result by twice the difference between hypotenuse and perpendicular—a simple rule for solving such examples. 2525265, the hypotenuse or length of ladder. ΙΟ Mt. Union, O. E. H. S. Correctly solved also by M. V., J. W. C., M. F. Andrew, and W. J. Patterson. Q. 8, p. 462.—In all such problems, the number of square feet left, after taking out the greatest perfect square from the given area, will be equal to the number of linear feet in the breadth, and the square root of the greatest perfect square will equal the length. 304 =17, with remainder 15. 17118, the length of the ceiling, the breadth being 15. Experiment by adding 2, 3, 4, etc., to each dimension, and deduce rules for solution of such problems. Lucasville, Ohio. M. F. A. The length of ceiling equals & its width, so that if be removed by a line parallel to the end, a square will remain with side equal to present width. Now, to increase each dimension by 1 ft., a strip 1 ft. wide must be added to end, another as long and 1 ft. wide to the side, and I sq. ft. at the corner. Then as the ceiling is of the square, the whole area will be of sq. + of a strip 1 ft. wide + of a strip 1 ft. wide +1 sq. ft. 304 sq. ft. Ommitting the 1 sq. ft. at corner wide and the of similar strip, we strip of same length = 303 sq. ft. square of a 1 ft. strip; but strip of same length and uniting the of a strip 1 ft. have of square of a 1 ft. of this quantity gives us the of a ft. wide strip is equal to a of a ft. wide, or to two strips of that length}} By placing these two strips on adjacent sides of a ft. wide or 11 in. of the square and adding 121 sq. in. to fill up corner, we will have a new square containing the sq. in.; the side therefore is of 303 sq. ft.+ 121 sq. in. 191 II 180 in. or 15 ft., the side of the original square, or the width of ceiling. 6:5:x: 15. x = 18 ft., the length. Mt. Union, Ohio. √ 304 X 2 — 2 = 33, the sum of length and breadth. of 33 = 18, the length; and of 33 = 15, the breadth. Five Points, Ohio. E. H. S. Then, † J. B. Q. 9, p. 462.-14 ounces is the base. 144 per cent. is gained. J. W. C. To the same effect, M. F. A., J. S. W., and W. J. Patterson. W. D. P. says, incorrectly, that 16 ounces is the base and the gain is 12 per cent. Q. 10, p. 462.-"Next" is an adjective, used as a noun, object of "to" understood. "Luxury" is a noun, object of "bequeaths." W. D. P. "Next" is a noun, indirect object of "bequeaths." S. M. L. "Next" is an adjective in the superlative degree, modifying "age" understood. "Luxury" is the direct object of "bequeaths." QUERIES. A. M. M. I. Is the greater strength and skill of the right hand a natural provision, or the result of habit? R. P. 2. Why is Australia said to be the "land of inverted orders ?" M. V. 3. Would simple experiments in natural philosophy and chemistry be profitable and appropriate in ungraded schools where these subjects are not regularly taught? A. B. 4. What is the value of calisthenics as a school exercise? and what system is best adapted to country schools? S. J. W. 5. What method of teaching beginners to read is now recognized as best, by leading educators? PRIMARY TEACHER. 6. At what stage of a school course should children begin the use of pen and ink ? 7. ID. Does a decimal fraction cease to be a decimal when its denominator is written? For example, is a decimal fraction? 1 W. A. M. 8. A man bought a farm for $5,000, agreeing to pay principal and interest in five equal annual instalments. What is the annual payment, reckoning interest at 6 per cent. ? 9. IO. II. We were offered seats. Parse "seats." B. F. F. Parse "well." R. E. D. Upwards of fifty houses were blown down. Give the construction of words in italics. 12. There are but three pennies in the box, all told. told." B. C. Parse "all A. C. T. EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT. The MONTHLY is mailed promptly before the first day of each month. In most cases, it should reach Ohio subscribers not later than the second or third of the month. Any subscriber failing to receive a number within a few days of the first of the month, should give prompt notice, that another copy may be sent. As a general rule, the MONTHLY is sent to subscribers until ordered discontinued. Requests for change of address should be received before the 25th of the month, and the old as well as the new address should be given. New subscribers have come in so fast that we can no longer supply the September number. We are sorry, not that we have so many new subscribers, but that we did not print a larger edition of the September number. The October issue is larger; new subscribers need not hold back. We want the MONTHLY to be the exponent of all that is best in the educational thought and methods of Ohio teachers. To this end we invite them to contribute to its pages. Reports of experiments, bits of experience, short practical illustrations of every-day school work, will be always welcome. In thus helping others teachers will benefit themselves. The August number of the OHIO EDUCATIONAL MONTHLY came promptly to hand containing more than five times the contents of its ordinary issue, being the entire proceedings of the State Association at Chautauqua, July 7-9. It is an admirable piece of work in every point of view, and reflects great credit on the MONTHLY. No wonder Brother Findley hurried home from the meeting. The association pays him $200, we believe, for the work. The teachers of Ohio think it pays to publish their proceedings, and it does.-Intelligence. Thanks, Brother Vaile, for the compliment; but you are mistaken about the $200. The cost of the August number was about two-and-a-half times that of the regular issue. The association pays a part, but not all of the extra cost. The movement to provide proper classification and course of study for the rural schools is advancing slowly but surely. Township after township is falling into line. The teachers of Gallia County, at their last institute, appointed a committee to prepare a course of study. A similar movement in Miami County is referred to elsewhere in this issue. We have great faith in this movement. We believe the country teachers of Ohio have it in their power to double the efficiency of the country schools without additional legislation, though a little legislation would be helpful. What is needed is intelligent and united effort. Let the teachers of each township take counsel together, unite their forces, and press onward. com "A late writer," says the editor of the OHIO EDUCATIONAL MONTHLY, pares learners in modern schools to kettles hung at the pump-spout-most of them with the lid on. The teachers are occupied in pumping, and there is a great splash, but most of the kettles remain empty." And yet this is the new education which we hear so much about these days! The fact that our methods of instruction even suggest such a comparison is deplorable. "The teachers are occupied in pumping," you say. Will the editor, in the October MONTHLY, be kind enough to inform us who is responsible?—Abram Brown, Ohio Editor of Intelligence. Who is responsible? The teachers, of course, who do the pumping and splashing without first getting the lids off. There is not much about true teaching that is like pumping, but teachers who persist in pumping (and a good many do) should first get the lids off. The shut mind is not receptive; little can be put in while the lid is on. Better far to let go the pump-handle tal powers in motion and the lids will soon learn to do their own pumping. Columbus, Brother Brown? and set about training. Put the mencome off, and the boys and girls will How do you manage the pumping at The Educational Weekly (Canada) enters a protest against the prevalent practice of publishing, in connection with the proceedings of school board meetings, the names of all teachers who apply for positions. It is claimed that the practice accomplishes no good, is in bad taste, and should be abandoned. When only one of thirty applicants can be successful in securing a situation, it cannot be agreeable to the remaining twenty-nine to be publicly advertised as ranking, in the estimation of the board, below their successful competitor. And it sometimes happens that a teacher seeks to improve his condition by applying for a better position than the one he holds. The public announcement of an unsuccessful effort of this kind is not beneficial to any of the parties concerned, certainly not to the teacher. All this is very true. The practice complained of is in bad taste and has no compensating advantages. But the root of the evil lies deeper; it has its origin largely in the willingness of teachers to scramble for places—a practice more unbecoming than that of publishing the names of applicants, betraying a want of delicacy and professional spirit. The experienced teacher should endeavor to get himself into the attitude of receiving rather than making proposals; and boards of education should choose their teachers and invite them to their positions. It is disreputable for a lawyer, a physician, or a clergyman to make direct application for employment; and it ought to be so for the teacher. It devolves upon teachers to educate public sentiment in relation to this matter. One who has occupied a position for one or more terms should not submit to the humiliation of being compelled to make formal application, before he can be employed for another term. Some boards of education have so little sense of the fitness of things as to require this. We have known cases of town boards advertising for an entire corps of teachers, though none of the old teachers had given any intimation of a purpose to retire, the object being to induce competition and keep down salaries. The honorable and wise course for boards of education is to fix salaries, elect and notify all the old teachers they wish to retain, and fill vacancies with the best material in reach, whether applicants or not. Teachers on their part should respond promptly, accepting or declining; and when an engagement is made it should be scrupulously kept. A case of some interest concerning the use of the Bible in public schools has recently been decided in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs claimed that the reading of King James's version in the schools was a violation of the State Constitution, the only correct English version being the Douay Bible, and that all others are incorrect, unauthorized, and sectarian in character. Judge Mehard held that public schools are established, not for regard to the children as individuals, but as part of an organized community. They are the outgrowth of the State policy for the encouragement of virtue and the prevention of vice and immorality. The instruction to be imparted includes the cultivation of morality as well as the attainment of knowledge and intellectual culture. The morality which the State deems it important to cultivate must be the morality which is regarded necessary for the support of the laws and institutions of the State. This must be the morality on which they are based, and this is the morality of the Bible. It follows, therefore, that the source of that morality is not excluded, but that the Bible may be used for the moral culture of the pupils of the public schools. With regard to the plaintiff's assertions that the highest ecclesiastical tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church has declared the King James version to be sectarian, incorrect, and incomplete, Judge Mehard holds that the decisions of ecclesiastical courts do not bind the State, and that, as no preference is given by our laws to any version, all versions stand equal before the law, and school directors have power to authorize the use of any version in the schools. Yes; but is it wise, is it practicable, for school directors either to vote the Bible in or vote it out? If one board may authorize its use, a succeeding board may forbid its use; if a Protestant board may authorize the use of the King James Bible, a Catholic board may authorize the use of the Douay Bible, and so on to the end. The wise thing for school directors to do about the Bible is to let it alone. It is above human legislation; it will take care of itself. We have had quite enough of contention over this matter. And for what have we contended? For a mere form, an empty shell. All the boards of education in the universe cannot prevent an earnest teacher from carrying into his school a heart full of the principles and spirit of the Bible; and of what avail is the perfunctory reading of the Bible in school by a teacher who has not its principles and spirit in his heart? We make the following extract from the last Annual Report of State Superintendent E. E. Higbee, of Pennsylvania, to note the contrast between Ohio and her sister State on the east. Pennsylvania finds one man in each county insufficient to accomplish the needed supervision; the country schools of Ohio are almost without supervision. How long must Ohio continue to waste millions of money annually on her rural schools, for want of proper supervision ? "No matter has given us more concern than the inspection and supervision of our schools. The field, including the whole State, is that of an empire. |