Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 37.djvu/65

Rh elementary algebra is begun, and geometry is continued. In classe de rhétorique (ninth year of the course), two hours a week are devoted to recitations in solid geometry and cosmography; and in the last year (classe de philosophic), four hours per week, are devoted to a complete review of the work of the previous years in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry.

It must be admitted that in this country the mathematical instruction, sketched above, would be thought to afford a somewhat meager outfit for a young man intending to present himself for examination at any of our American colleges, with their present mathematical prerequisites. It is also obvious that the French, who, according to President Eliot, "are quite as skillful with numbers as the Americans," do not gain a skill in "ciphering" in the classical lycée course. This proficiency is obtained elsewhere, as will be further shown. The French are, indeed, not only skillful with numbers, but are as a nation eminent for their mathematical ability; and their management of the much-vexed problem of the relative time to be devoted to elementary mathematical branches in the classical fitting schools commends itself to the serious consideration of American educators. A comparative exhibit of the classical lycée and Boston School courses clearly shows that it is to the excess of hours of recitation as a whole, and in no small degree to the holding of mathematical studies in abeyance, that the French are enabled to accomplish what they do in the way of bringing their boys to college at an early age. Give to the Boston course, for instance, ten-per-cent increase of recitations, plus the difference existing at present between the respective hours given to mathematical studies in the lycée and Latin School courses, and we have 1,426 hours. This is more time than is at present devoted to Latin, in the Boston Latin School, during its entire six years' course. It still more closely represents the difference in the respective hours given in the two countries to modern languages and drawing, with the hours of the entire course in philosophy added. It clearly follows—reversing the point of view—that Harvard has but to slightly reduce its requirements in mathematics to the French lycée standard, to enable it to obtain from its matriculates—those coming at least from the Boston Latin School—not only the attainments in philosophy considered so desirable by its president, but also considerable proficiency in such other branches of the French programme as its honorable faculty may "elect" to receive.

With the present public sentiment, and especially in view of the present requirements in mathematics on the part of American colleges, it is not probable that we can look for a reduction in mathematical studies in our classical preparatory courses to the point exhibited by the programmes as existing in France. But