Education Math Science (1 results)

Wilson, James. Arithmetic manuscript notebook, 1810, documenting mathematical instruction and student practice in post-Revolutionary New England, with direct relevance to the study of early American education, numeracy, and manuscript culture. The volume opens with a formal definition, "Arithmetic is the art of computing by numbers.," followed by systematic lessons covering numeration, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and extending into applied topics such as "Division of vulgar fractions," "The Rule of Three," and "Reduction of decimals." These subjects reflect the practical mathematical training expected of students in the early Republic, where arithmetic supported commerce, land measurement, and everyday economic activity. The notebook also includes dated personal notation-"Bowdain February the 13th, 1810. Tuesday morning, the sky being clear."-anchoring the work within a specific time and place and illustrating how formal instruction intersected with lived experience in a rural educational setting. Wilson, James. Arithmetic. Bowdoin, Maine, February 1810. Manuscript notebook comprising 56 handwritten pages, measuring approximately 12 x 7.5 inches, written entirely in ink with carefully structured headings such as "Reduction" and "Reduction continued," followed by worked examples and ruled numerical columns. The volume demonstrates a methodical approach to instruction through repetition and extended problem sets, reflecting pedagogical practices prior to the widespread use of standardized textbooks. The consistent penmanship and organization indicate sustained use as a working instructional text rather than a presentation copy. Manuscript of 56 pages with dampstaining and foxing to the front cover and first leaves, with occasional marginal staining; all text remains legible and the structure intact; overall good to very good condition. A student-produced primary source documenting arithmetic education and daily life in early nineteenth-century New England. Signed.