INTELLECTUAL ARITHMETIC UPON THE INDUCTIVE METHOD OF INSTRUCTION. BY WARREN COLBURN, A. M. REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION. WITH AN APPENDIX CONTAINING A SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR'S LIFE, HIS ORIGINAL COPYRIGHT, 1863, BY TEMPERANCE C. COLBURN, WIDOW OF WARREN COLBURN COPYRIGHT, 1884, 1891, AND 1912, BY JENNY G. DARLEY, MAY - 2 1931 PREFACE TO THE REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION OF 1884. IN revising Warren Colburn's First Lessons in Intellectual Arithmetic, we have endeavored to make the Colburn Method of Instruction 1 more apparent and attractive. 1 The principal changes have been in the matter of Part I., Section I. (of the old edition), which has been augmented, and arranged in three sections. In other portions of the book we have made changes in the arrangement, additions, and a few alterations. Those problems which related to prices and coins now out of date have been either changed or replaced by others. In place of the Introduction to Written Arithmetic by Warren Colburn's son, which was contained in Part III., new matter has been substituted, and introduced into the present edition as Sections VI. and VII. We trust that the simplicity of the first part of the book, and of the questions at the beginning of each section, will not 1 The following extract from the Preface to Colburn's Algebra gives us, in Mr. Colburn's own words, a clear and simple description of his method of instruction: "In fact, explanations rather embarrass than aid the learner, because he is apt to trust too much to them, and neglect to employ his own powers; and because the explanation is frequently not made in the way that would naturally suggest itself to him, if he were left to examine the subject by himself. The best mode, therefore, seems to be, to give examples so simple as to require little or no explanation, and let the learner reason for himself, taking care to make them more difficult as he proceeds. This method, besides giving the learner confidence, by making him rely on his own powers, is much more in. teresting to him, because he seems to himself to be constantly making new discoveries. Indeed, an apt scholar will frequently make original explana, tions much more simple than would have been given by the author. "This mode has also the advantage of exercising the learner in reasoning instead of making him a listener, while the author reasons before him." |