MEANS OF DEVELOPING SLOW PUPILS. 567
SHOP-WORK AND DRA WING AS MEANS OF DEVELOPING
SLOW PUPILS.
BY PROFESSOR R. H. RICHARDS, OF BOSTON. MASS.
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WE shall all agree that a teacher should have in his possession as many
means or tools as he can, in order that he may meet the needs of as many
varieties of mind as possible. The analytical or mathematical method
stands at the head of the list, and always will do so. There are minds,
however, which have difficulty in accepting the dictum of pure mathe-
matics, while a graphical representation or solution quickly removes their
doubts and they go forward with renewed confidence. We might allude
to the graphical method as the perspective of mathematics. Simple illus-
ration : A student is to compute from the number of cart-loads of pota-
soes the number of bushels to the load, and the cost per bushel and the
total cost of the lot. If he is to do the same for a lot of carrots, the bright
boy will see through it at a glance. The slow boy may get mixed up and
multiply his potatoes by his carrots, and lose his way. If the problem is
shown him in the form of a parallelopipedon, with the number of loads
scaled off on one edge, the number of bushels to the Toad on a second,
ind the price per bushel on the third, he gets the perspective or compre-
hensive view of the whole, and sees the value of the areas as well as the
solid, and the foolishness of multiplying potatoes by carrots.
The graphical method always helps to clear the mind when it is in
loubt. The bright, quick minds see at once. The doubting Thomases
nave to try in order to see. Shall we condemn the doubters and tell them
hey are not worthy of an engineering education, or shall we help them ?
There are easily ten places waiting for this class to one for the bright
class ; and in some instances the plodding fellows will fill those ten places
more satisfactorily than the bright, quick fellows who ave hurrying to the
ead, even while the latter are en route.
Now graphical methods run through everything in physics, chemistry,
ind mathematics, and the engineering applications thereof. We have
graphical statics, showing the relations of stresses in structures, telling us
now strong the various beams, posts, ties, and struts should be in bridges,
‘oof, and other structures ; making a complete check upon mathematical
computations, and a completely new and different side of attack for the
mind which has trouble with the analytic method.
We have graphical dynamics, if I may use the phrase, giving the rela-
sions of time-space-force which go together to constitute power. We have
oraphical hydrostatics, showing pressures and columns. We have graphical
hydrodynamics, showing columns pressures, deliveries, velocity of motor,
velocity of wheel. velocity ratio for best economical results.
