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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16379, 4 March 1919, Page 2

In an article in the Dominion Mr. F. L. Combs makes some interesting remarks on “The Pedantry of School Arithmetic,” in which he points out that much of the arithmetic taught in our schools is useless for practical purposes. Ho specially refers to such rules as compound proportion, partnership, and fractions, which are without value except as gymnastics. As an improvement on this pedantry Mr. Combs suggests that double entry accounting should bo introduced, followed by education on the nature and operations of joint stock companies. No one will deny that book-keeping is of great value to business men and farmers, the latter of whom are too often hopelessly ignorant of it, but neither book-keeping nor the operations of joint stock companies are subjects within the grasp of the ordinary child of 12 or 13 who is now put to tho study of fractions and proportion. A hoy or girl of 15 or 16 will make more progress in tho study of bookkeeping in three months than a. child of 12 would in three years. This is because it needs a certain amount of mental development and facility in handling figures before the problems of book-keeping can be grasped. Some of the old rules of arithmetic are admitedly chiefly of the type of mental gymnastics meant to develop ease in handling figures and mental agility in dealing with easy problems. Whether the same results can be obtained by other methods with a closer relation to tho affairs of everyday life is a matter for the experts to decide, but heaven preserve us from the child book-keeper Mr. Combs complains that arithmetic is beyond the average parent, and so the schoolmaster gets no assistance from the home—and yet he proposes to introduce journals and ledgers and joint stock companies into the peaceful family circle. The parent recognises fractions and proportion as unavoidable evils like measles and mumps, but will strongly resent children spending tearful evenings over the mysteries ot balance-sheets and bills payable. \

Some months ago the military authorities at Trentham camp decided to give the profits arising from the sale of the book “Historic Trentham” to a scholarship fund for the sons and daughters of New Zealand soldiers. The idea commended itself to some of the leading citizens of Wellington who interested themselves and set up a committee to assist in raising a fund worth while. The commit-nee went to work energetically and organised a Trentham Dominion Scholarships Art Union. Some very generous prizes were given, including 2100 sheep, two motor cars, two pianos, an organ, and other articles, so that the committee was able to launch one of the most attractive art unions ever offered to the New Zealand public. The total value of the 170 prizes offered is set down at £6285, the first prize being worth £IOOO, the second £7OO, the third £650, and the fourth £SOO. The whole of the prizes are gifts, so that there will bo no expense in that direction to be taken out of the proceeds. The purchaser of £1 worth of tickets will have 3400 chances of winning a prize, so that from that point of view the art union is an attractive one. But it is entitled to the support of the public by reason of its object, which is to raise a sufficient fund for the endowment; of scholarships for: tjie children of New

Zealand soldiers. It offers a partial solution of one of the many post-war problems. The art union is being directed by a supervising committee including such well-known people as Colonel Potter, Camp Commandant at Trentham, Colonel Roberts, Dr. Riddell, Messrs. C. P. Skerrett, S. Kirkcaldie, J. Macintosh, J. M'Lellan, L. Blundell, G. Dixon, H. Beaxicbamp, W. Watson, W. Reece, and E. Riddiford, while Major-General Sir A. Robin, Colonel Potter, and Dr. Anderson, Secretary of Education, are the trustees of the fund. The object must be a deserving one, or the names of these men would not be associated with it. The drawing of the art union will take place on July 31 and the sal© of tickets, which are obtainable locally, will close at the end of June. lij deserves public support.