Letter from Norton to Thayer, August 13, 1821 about Farrar's translation of Lacroix's algebra and the USMA curriculum.
Boston Augt. 13th 1821
Dear Sir
During the time which I had the pleasure of spending at West Point, something was said in conversation either with yourself or
Prof. Douglas about La Croix' Algebra, which let me to mention that a translation had been published for the use of the students
at Cambridge. I have taken the liberty to send it, with two other works used in the course of instruction at our College.
I believe however I should not have troubled you with these volumes and the present note, if I did not afford me an opportunity
of expressing the pleasure which all of our party felt from our visit to West Point and our gratitude for the very polite and kind
attention which we there received. I cannot help hoping likewise, that the knowledge which Mr.
Ticknor and myself acquired of the admirable discipline and system of instruction at the institution over which you preside may be turned to some accounts in
application to the College at Cambridge. It presents, I think, in some important points a model for our literary institutions.
With great respect, Dear Sir, your obed't sev't
Remarks:
The text referred to is
Silvestre François Lacroix (1765-1843), Elements of algebra; translated from the French for the use of the students of the university at Cambridge, New England, Cambridge, N. E. : Printed by Hilliard and Metcalf at the University Press, 1818: "... The following translation [by John Farrar] is from the eleventh edition, printed at Paris in 1815"--p. [iii].
No copy of this work exists in the USMA library, but the second edition of 1825 is there. That copy is stamped "Textbook
USMA 1823 to ____" in the gutter of the title page, but this clearly refers to the earlier edition. This copy, dated Sept. 1823, belonged to William
Elon Basinger, who graduated second in the class of 1830 (Cullum # 588) and died
on December 28, 1835 in Dade's desperate battle with the Seminole Indians. Need to check the library copy, as this annotation in AAR is clearly messed up.
I checked our original sheet on this and there is no annotation about Basinger,
nor is there on any other Lacroix sheet.
Look for other correspondence related to this. It would be interesting to know if this had any effect on the Harvard curriculum.
This letter clearly results from a meeting of the Board of Visitors in 1821. Look up who was on the board.
There is a typescript of this letter in The West Point Thayer Papers
1808-1872, edited by Cindy Adams, 1965.
Page created November 2000.
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