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Practical exercises in mathematics for secondary schools. (Les exercises pratiques de mathématiques dans l’enseignement secondaire.) (French) Zbl 1047.01004

The paper was originally published in 1904 [Rev. Gén. Sci. 15, 431–440 (1904; JFM 35.0099.02)] and here is its reprint with a foreword by Hélène Gispert. The foreword recalls the French school reform from the early teens and the paper – originally a public lecture given in support of advancing the role of mathematics in French secondary schools – is focused upon two topics: practical exercises in mathematics, the call for math laboratories in schools. Two quotations may serve as a summary: “One should investigate any opportunity for our students to measure specific magnitudes: lengths, times, angles, speeds etc., in that way inducing them to apply calculations to reality and convincing that mathematics is not a pure abstraction”, and “in a word, we will contribute to a formation of free men, tie minds of which would accept nothing out facts”. Still worth reading.

MSC:

01A60 History of mathematics in the 20th century
97-03 History of mathematics education
97C90 Teaching and curriculum (MSC2000)
01A75 Collected or selected works; reprintings or translations of classics

Citations:

JFM 35.0099.02
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