room_ answer, and all precisely together."

He then repeats the question, and obtains a full response. A similar
effort will always succeed.

"Now, does the sun, in going round the earth, pass over the Rocky
Mountains, or over us, first?"

To this question, the teacher hears a confused answer. Some do not
reply; some say, "Over the Rocky Mountains;" others, "Over us;" and
others still, "The sun does not move at all."

"It is true that the sun, strictly speaking, does not move; the earth
turns round, presenting the various countries, in succession, to the
sun, but the effect is precisely the same as it would be, if the sun
moved, and accordingly I use that language. Now, how long does it take
the sun to pass round the earth?"

"Twenty four hours."

"Does he go towards the west, or towards the east, from us?"

"Towards the west."

But it is not necessary to give the replies; the questions alone will be
sufficient. The reader will observe that they inevitably lead the pupil,
by short and simple steps, to a clear understanding of the point to be
explained.

"Will the sun go towards, or from, the Rocky Mountains, after leaving
us?"

"How long did you say it takes the sun to go round the globe, and come
to us again?"

"How long to go half round?" "Quarter round?"

"How long will it take him to go to the Rocky Mountains?"

No answer.

"You cannot tell. It would depend upon the distance. Suppose then the
Rocky Mountains were half round the globe, how long would it take the
sun to go to them?" "Suppose they were quarter round?"

"The whole distance is divided into portions called degrees; 360 in all.
How many will the sun pass, in going half round? In going quarter
round?"

"Ninety degrees then make one quarter of the circumference of the globe.
This you have already said will take six hours. In one hour then, how
many degrees will the sun pass over?"

Perhaps no answer. If so, the teacher will subdivide the question, on
the principle we are explaining, so as to make the steps such that the
pupils _can_ take them.

"How many degrees will the sun pass over in three hours?"

"Forty-five."

"How large a part of that, then, will he pass, in one hour?"

"One third of it."

"And what is one third of forty-five?"

The boys would readily answer fifteen, and the teacher would then dwell
for a moment, on the general truth, thus deduced, that the sun, in
passing round the earth, passes over fifteen degrees