school. That, which is accepted from every other class as a labour of love, is demanded of them as a positive right on the part of too many school managers. So much is this the case that an instance came to my own knowledge very lately, in which a manager told a schoolmistress that she might have been sure there was a Sunday school connected with the church, and that she would be expected to attend it. The fact is, Sir, that not a few teachers find Sunday the hardest day of their week! Then as to vacations of six or seven weeks in the year: I would beg to call A. L.'s attention to the fact, that in towns the general period of holidays does not exceed a month in the year. 66 A. L. overlooks the undeniable fact that where one master gets £90 per annum, that at least half-a-dozen do not get above £70 from all sources, and many less even than that; and then with the utmost coolness he asserts that we ought not only to be contented, but thankful! And then, as though this were not enough, he, after professions of friendship and good will adds the libellous statement that very many of our trained masters are set up, conceited, and dissatisfied." If he had said that it was a wonder that so very few of the class to whom he alludes were afflicted with maladies, the existence of which he so much regrets, he would have been much nearer the mark; for the anomalous position which society obliges the teacher to take is enough to make him concentrate himself in self, and selfishness is the root of those evils which A. L. so much deplores. Being one of the profession, although not now in an elementary school, will, I trust, be deemed a sufficient apology for my troubling you with these remarks, the insertion of which, in the next number of your magazine, will oblige Your obedient servant, J. G. N. 12 11 11 SIR,-I shall feel much obliged if you will kindly answer the following queries:1. (a) In Wilson's Chemistry, p. 274, I find sugar written thus :-C HO (b) In Tate's Chemistry, p. 68, the same substance is written :-CHO (c) In Stockhardt's Chemistry, p. 440, it is written :-CHO Now, I can understand a and b to mean C H 0+HO and 2 H O respectively, but is the third (c) a correct way of writing it? If so, why do C H (olefiant gas,) 12 10 10 6 3 5 4 12 12 12 CH (gas from oil,) C H (Napthene,) though multiples of each other, form different 8 8 16 16 substances? and yet in the case in question, though also a multiple of the other, to form the same substance. 2. In the Minutes for 1855, page 130, q. 24, runs thus: "A compound, consisting of the two elements A and B, has been analyzed, and found to contain A 70 100 The equivalent of A is 56, and of B 16, what is the formula of the compound ", The elements seem to be Cadmium and Sulphur, and to be present in the proportion of 2 Cd. to 3 S., but as I am fast in the matter, will you kindly answer the question for me. I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, W. B. [1. Grape sugar C H O, and cane sugar CHO are two different chemical 12 12 12 12 11 11 substances. We are not aware what hypothesis is the basis of Stockhardt's notation, but conclude that as H and O are present in sugar in the proportion to from water, he supposes one atom to be present as water, and suppresses it in the notation. CHO+HO=CHO=CH O. With regard to the absolute number of atoms. 6 5 5 6 6 6 12 12 12 supposed to be present in a compound organic atom, it is to a great extent a matter of hypothesis. Liebig has the following passage in one of his letters :-" Grape sugar may be regarded as C H O or C H O according as we suppose it to be derived 12 12 12 24 24 24 from twelve or twenty-four atoms of carbonic acid by the replacement of half the oxygen by the same number of atoms of hydrogen." The notation of the hydrocarbons again cannot be said to be fixed: e.g. Brande writes olefiant gas C H. To 2 2 state, however, the kind of evidence which is brought to support either hypothesis would lead us too far. The practical hint to you is to consider that certainty on these points has not yet been arrived at. 2. The question does not demand of you to find what the substances are, but only to discover in what proportion they exist in that compound. Suppose that x atoms of A are united to y atoms of B. x 56 70 Then y 16 30 Therefore the formula of the compound is A R.-ED.] 23 Shrewsbury, November 22nd, 1858. Sir, Would any of your correspondents be good enough to explain the following note which I have taken from Pott's Euclid, page 45, Def. xxxv:-"It is possible for two right lines never to meet when produced, and not be parallel." Yours respectfully, W. D. For SIR." A Miner" having referred me to my Morell, I find it there prophetically written,-"It is frequently difficult to determine whether a word used in any given sense is a conjunction or an adverb. The test by which this may be determined is the following:-If the word is moveable to any other part of the sentence it is an adverb; but if it cannot be moved from the beginning of the sentence which it introduces without destroying the sense, it must be, strictly speaking, a conjunction." Having applied this test to when and how in the passage given, I am convinced of what I never have doubted, viz., that they are conjunctions my part I call words which connect the different parts of an extended sentence conjunctions; so that I am afraid I must remain, at least until I change my definition, ignorant of even that generally known fact that a conjunction is not the only word which unites subordinate sentences with principal ones. Assuming that when and how contained no notion in themselves, I was unable to see that they could extend another notion, simply from the arithmetical difficulty of believing that 01 = 2. "A Miner" admits my premiss, but supports an opposite conclusion by instancing the adverb. Having always had a latent belief that adverbs did convey notions, I was startled to find Mr. Morell confronting me. I find, however, on referring to page 26 of his Grammar (Constable's series) that, whatever his private opinions may be, he publicly teaches that notions are expressed by adverbs, and sets them down as notional words accordingly. Possibly there is a mistake somewhere. Yours, &c., V. P. November 11th, 1858. SIR,-I have four pupil teachers and a candidate, and am obliged to teach them either in my own private sitting room, or in the class room and find the gas and firing. The former I cannot do: first, because there is no convenience. I cannot have the use of maps or black boards. I must give up teaching the theory of music, as I cannot then have the use of the music board. I must also give up the weekly examinations, which I find invaluable, because I have not a table large enough. 2nd. I have only one sitting room, and co not want it turned into a school room, to say nothing of the spoiling of carpets, table covers, &c.; besides, I consider the class room the proper place to teach the pupil teachers. Will you, Sir, through the medium of your periodical, give me answers to the following: 1st. Are teachers obliged to find candles and firing. 2nd. If not, and the managers will not, to whom must I apply. By so doing you will oblige TOPSY. [The practice is so different in different places, that we can give no authorised reply to our much-injured correspondent. Some of our readers may be better informed.-ED.] Bristol, 16th November, 1858. SIR,-In your last is a letter from "A Shoemaker," expressing surprise that certain arithmetical questions in your September number had not been answered, inferring that schoolmasters were unable to solve them, and kindly directing them to a place where they might obtain information. As some of your non-scholastic readers may possibly be thus led into error concerning either sehoolmasters' acquirements, or their readiness to answer enquiries in your periodical, allow me to state in reply, that the questions referred to were not given for your correspondents to answer, and so far from their being above the acquirements of trained teachers, they form part of an examination paper set to students, who had only completed one fourth of the usual period of normal training. Hence A Shoemaker's" surprise is uncalled for. May I inform "Justitia" that he will learn how the subject he mentions may be brought before the meeting to which he refers, by applying to the General Secretary of the Associated body, Mr. Ullathorne, Brandon Hill Schools, Bristol. I am, Sir, very faithfully yours, IUTA. The New Schools, Great Malvern, Nov. 20. SIR, Will you kindly allow me to ask, through the Papers for the Schoolmaster," to be recommended a good and cheap work on Calisthenics, and games suitable for the play-ground. I am, Sir, yours obediently, THE MASTER. London, November 19th, 1858. SIR-Would you or a correspondent favour me with an analysis, according to Morell, of the following passages, parsing the words in italic : "But me, scarce hoping to attain that rest "Though smooth And slippery the materials, yet frost-bound (What seemed at least commodious seat) were there." At hewing mountains into men, and some At building human wonders, mountains high." I beg to apologise for the length of this, and have the honour to remain, Sir, Yours very respectfully, E. C. W. November 21st, 1858. SIR,-Would you kindly inform me how, in parsing, to treat such phrases as the following:-"In general," "in common," "in case," "as regards," "from hence." And also what part of speech "downwards" is, in the following sentence :-the conquest downwards." I am, &c., " "From ΧΟΝ. In [In parsing such expressions the choice lies between taking the words separately, or together as phrases. If the former mode be adopted, we must supply the ellipsis. "General" is originally an adjective qualifying terms understood. general," on the other hand is an adverb phrase. The same remark applies to the phrase in common." In example (3)" as regards" is a loose and doubtful expression for as it regards," where the verb properly agrees with its object "it." But as before, there would be no great impropriety in considering" as regards" as a preposition phrase, equivalent to "regarding or concerning." "Hence" is an adverb, equivalent to "from this time," and the word "from" in "from hence" is redundant, but where it occurs, the words may be taken together as before, adverbially. In the last example, " downwards" is an adverb, qualifying a participle or verb understood. "From the conquest downwards (traced,) the same results are seen."-ED.] British Schools, N. A., Nov. 22nd, 1858. SIR,-If you can spare room in your December number, will you kindly insert the following queries for the expression of the opinions of my fellow-teachers, or your direct replies would be esteemed a favour, as time would be gained, and waiting for the January number would probably cause the delay of what ought to have been done ere this-the preparation of plans. I am recently come to these schools, and find them in the most wretched condition, and the children's attainments very low. It is intended to refit the room, and I would ask : 1. What is the best kind of fittings for a room 40ft. by 20ft. ? There is one pupil teacher, and I hope to raise the attendance to claim another. There are *four classes, and the stages of mental development require this quadripartite division to be maintained for all the ordinary subjects of school instruction, and to unite any two of them would only debar some pupils to advance others. To my mind the tripartite system of fittings is not best adapted where the attendance ranges about 80 or 100, to secure the greatest progress of all the children. From Mr. Alderson's report for the last year, pages 582-3, it appears that his views, if I rightly understand them, are not favourable to the tripartite arrangement, and that smaller groups" ranged parellel with the side walls of the building" are more compatible with good discipline, and, I think, with gradational and individual progression. 2. Have any of my fellow-teachers ever felt the disadvantages arising from the inadequate teaching power they have as contrasted with that at the command of teachers who may be fortunate enough to have from 200 to 300 scholars? In this latter case it is evident that the staff of responsible assistants is sufficient to allow the school to be broken up into six or more parts, each presenting a uniformity of attainment it is impossible to keep up, even if ever obtained, in the former. The facility with which the one is taught and the expenditure of energy requisite, are both in favour of the larger school. Any teacher who has had much experience knows it is far more difficult to keep the minds of from 70 to 80 children, or half the number (varying in age and mental status as they invariably do in any country school) all employed for any length of time, than to teach the same or even a greater number of about one uniform grade. 3. Do not the gradations always met with in ordinary country schools necessitate sectionizing at least into four? If so, ought there not to be a greater number of pupil teachers allowed to such schools than I to 40 scholars? 4. As a consequence of this necessitated division, would not a different style of fittings be better adapted for such schools than the tripartite ? I am, Sir, yours very respectfully, AN OLD SUBSCRIBER. They are united for moral and religious training; but I feel that some sectional arrangement would be preferable, if I had means at band, and teachers often hesitate (wisely I think) to allow crude, inexperienced Pupil Teachers to take this most important part. SIR, When I submitted my questions to H. E. I certainly had no intention of being abrupt, much less of appearing as one "who will not see that Drawing can be of the least service to the industrious classes." If I am wrong he ought to rejoice at the opportunity of proving it, and further, I could not forbear a suspicion (which is not yet wholly removed) that those elabor te and liberally distributed specimens owe more to an Art Master than a Schoolmaster, as I am informed that a gentleman whose name bears the initial H. E. is connected with the department. But to the question. H. E at once concedes the danger of attempting too much. This saves me much trouble. But why does he compare Drawing with Botany, Physical Science, Mechanics, etc., instead of good reading made better-expertness in arithmetic made more practical, and indifferent writing, such that it shall be no barrier to a boy's securing a good situation, etc., but for the mere purpose of preferring it. H. E says "Most people know from experience how lamentably deficient working men are in comprehendidg a drawing Of course they do. Substitute reading, writing, casting accounts, or even epistolatory correspondence for comprehending a drawing, and what becomes of the argument. Often have I met with painters who could not measure their own work; masons and carpenters who could not find the contents of a block of marble or a piece of timber, etc. Drawing would no doubt be useful to such men, but would it be the most useful? Most people know also (and teachers especially) how often boys lose situations and are doomed to be hewers of wood and drawers of water all their lives, because they are deficient in the elementary branches of instruction. But who ever heard of boys losing situations because they could not draw? Here I would direct attention to Mr. Brookfield's (H. M. I.) lecture on reading. Its creating "a taste for the beautiful," and the marvels it is to perform for masons, carpenters, etc.. is very taking as a theory, but the fact is we want something more practical. What with the theory of physiology, social and political economy, common things, etc., we find, like the ass in the fable, in trying to please everybody we please nobody, and risk losing our reputation as teachers in the bargain. But the hue and cry is now for drawing, which of course according to the law of progress will have to surrender to the next crotchet of some one who is thirsting for a niche in the educational temple of fame. Let not H. E. misunderstand me. My objection lies in its creating a false standard of measurement. Many of our best teachers are placed in the lowest rounds of the ladder of merit, because they don't teach enough of the favourite subject of the person who constitutes himself a judge without "sneering" at first principles. I still assert that boys are not with us long enough to profit by it. It supposes the foundation at school and the superstructure afterwards. Has not this always ended in disappointment? Right lines, curved lines, and spiral lines are no doubt all right in a school of art, but I am looking at it through the medium of our elementary schools. An occasional one may profit by a rigid adherence to it I grant, but the mass get a distaste for it before they get through the first stage. H.E. thinks bythis am sneering at first principles in arithmetic, &c. Happily my jury is counted by thousands, of which H. E. is but a solitary unit. The truth is I want the time for the principles of arithmetic, etc. Please to read my question 6 and 7, and then read the following reply :The latter two queries (6 and 7) are already partially answered. (Where.) Because he who teaches drawing has no more work than his neighbour, and can meet the Inspector with as high a standard (some would say higher in the special subject of writing) and as good order and discipline. To his interest we may balance £8, whilst he neither introduces nor skims more subjects than his fellow schoolmasters, and can teach as thorougnly in the bargain.” H. E. unfortunately proves too much. Can anything be clearer than that he who teaches drawing has not so much work (in other subjects) as his neighbour by just the amount devoted to drawing. Then how can he meet the Inspector with as high a standard? The standard will be shorter by just the amount devoted to drawing. Yet H. E. says he neither introduces nor skims more subjects than his fellow schoolmasters. Then the £8 a-year is poor compensation to those who don't get it, |