Smith's Second Book of Arithmetic. Practical and Mental Arithmetic, On a New Plan, in Which Mental Arthmetic is Combined With The Use of the Slate...by Roswell C. Smith.

First published in 1827, by the time of this 1850 edition, this volume sold as Smith's Second Book of Arithmetic. Practical and Mental Arithmetic on a new plan, in which mental arithmetic is Combined With The Use of the Slate: containing Complete System for All Practical Purposes being in dollars and cents...A Practical System of Book-keeping. The book, by Roswell C. Smith, contains simple math exercises in plain language with questions and answers that were devised by Smith while teaching in Providence, R.I. with his brother Asher L Smith. The cover consists of paper covered boards and the remains of a brown leather spine. This copy was published in New York. It was used in Maryland and is inscribed "Sarah Lee Brandenburg, February 22, An 1855."

Roswell Chamberlain Smith (1797-1875) was brought up in Connecticut with his brother Asher L. Smith. While his first edition received praise, the second edition 15 months later resulted in controversy and an 1881 claim by Professor Daniel Adams of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, that some of the changes “had been filched.” Smith also wrote grammar, geography, and other arithmetic textbooks and was a supporter of Prudence Crandall and her effort to educate African American students. He should not be confused with his namesake nephew who was a lawyer, publisher, and founder of Schribner’s Monthly Magazine and the Century Magazine.

Publisher Daniel Burgess and Company was founded in Hartford, Connecticut in 1830 by Daniel Burgess (1804-1856), who planned to provide textbooks and reference books for the common schools. The company worked independently but also partnered with John Paine, Spaulding and Storrs, Cady. In 1844 Burgess moved to New York, where he became a deacon in Henry Ward Beecher’s Plymouth Church in Brooklyn. He retained the operation in Hartford and opened a new headquarters in New York, which remained in business until 1883.

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