Abstract
I HAVE been waiting in the hope that Mr. Levett's letter (NATURE, No. 30, pp. 65, 66) would elicit a response from other members of the “rank and file” of mathematical teachers. No one having come forward, I venture to do so, lest the subject should again drop. Mr. Levett's suggestions appear to me at least worthy of some little ventilation, and I hope some leader will be induced to utter a note on the subject. Knowing that many of the leading geometers of this country are favourably disposed to the “reform” movement, I feel sure their silence is not attributable to indifference. In the meantime it is my opinion that no isolated efforts will bring about such a reform as will thrust out Euclid from our schools; united action is what is wanted, and then “a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull all together.” I could easily select from the four Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, and London, four geometers who could, I believe, if it be possible, bring out in concert a work which should be a fitting rival of the old-world geometry, command the attention which such a work ought to secure to effect the change desiderated, and convince gainsayers. A scheme might be drawn up in concert, the working out of the details committed to one, and the work appear under the united names of the body. Then as to the number of the “rank and file” willing to give their support to such a plan, possibly some mathematical master at one of our public schools (I could in this case also make a selection) could give much valuable information. I hazard the above remarks, not wishing the ball set rolling in the columns of NATURE to come to rest, until the change has been effected or its inexpediency irrefragably demonstrated, valeant quantum valent.
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TUCKER, R. Euclid as a Text Book. Nature 2, 141 (1870). https://doi.org/10.1038/002141b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/002141b0
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