Practical Mathematics for High Schools
One of the most constructive critićisms that have been made of secondary-school mathematics, by a general educator, was made by H. C. Morrison, State Commissioner of Education, of New Hampshire, when he said, “The traditional courses in algebra, geometry, trigonometry and advanced algebra must be revised as to organization and content to meet the need of the adolescent, and the social purpose of the high school … mathematics must be considered as a language to interpret science. … It must be presented to give immediate opportunity for functioning. It should be adapted to meet the needs of the different courses.” These suggestions were offered after years of observation of high-school teaching of mathematics, and were no doubt due to the following causes: change in type of pupil in the high school; feeling that the industrial and commercial needs should be recognized in secondary-school mathematics; disbelief in the formal discipline theory.