The reason ordinarily is, that they say that any of the boys may answer, instead of that all of them may. The boys do not get the idea that it is wished that an universal reply should come from all parts of the room in which every one's voice should be heard. If the answers were feeble, in the instance we are supposing, the teacher would perhaps say;
"I only heard one or two answers: do not more of you know where the Rocky Mountains are? Will you all think, and answer together? Which way are they from us?"
"West," answer a large number of boys.
"You do not answer fully enough yet; I do not think more than forty answered, and there are about sixty here. I should like to have every one in the 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?"