Clark’s Got Abacus

 

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Junior Clark Huey’s unknown talent is grabbing the attention of many people.

 

Alyssa Hudson, ‘11

 

What’s two plus two? Most people can answer tht question pretty easily, but how about 32 plus 64 and 78 plus 25? For many, those questions take a little bit more time, but not for junior Clark Huey, who has a unique hobby – he participates in an after-school abacus class.

 

The abacus is a calculating tool that performs the arithmetic process that is used primarily in Asia. However, they have also been used a lot in Russia and by the blind.

 

Abacuses first appeared in China in the Second Century B.C. Because they are easy to make, they were used in schools until 1990 and are still taught in China.

 

They are usually made out of bamboo and sticks, with beads that are used for counting. The bamboo makes a frame and contains the sticks. Each stick has a certain number of beads on it, representing different values.

 

Huey has been participating in abacus for so long that he has reached the advanced level of “Dan.” The Dan level is one of the last and most advanced levels of abacus.

 

He can even do abacus in his head and can almost instantly add, subtract, multiply, or find the square root of any one, two, or even three digit number. In addition, he helps teach abacus classes.

 

Despite his skill with the abacus, Huey uses a regular calculator while he is in school.

 

He said that, although he has tried bringing his abacus to school, it was too cumbersome and awkward to take out in math class each day. Also, Huey can do mental math so fast that he usually does not need a calculator.

 

“Using an abacus helps students to form a visual picture of the problem,” said Principal Mrs. Sandy Satterberg, Huey’s math teacher. “Learning to form visual pictures helps promote problem solving skills and aids students, like Clark, in solving very difficult mathematical problems.”

 

Huey said that the mental abacus helps him out a lot in school.

 

“I wish I could learn how to do abacus,” said junior Tulsee Doshi, “It looks so cool when Clark does abacus. He goes so fast.”

 

But it also has its drawbacks, including aiding in his incredible cheapness.

 

“I’m obsessive about prices of stuff,” said Huey.

 

In fact, the last thing that he bought was a $3.00 antibacterial foaming hand soap from Bath and Body Works, and he admits that he only bought it because it was on sale.

 

Aside from doing abacus and attending Jesuit, Huey also plays flute and piano, goes to a Chinese school where he learns Mandarin, and is an accomplished member of a Chinese yo-yo team. Last year, he showed off his amazing yo-yoing ability in the Multicultural Assembly. All of his after-school activities mean a lot to him.

 

“If I did not do these things, I do not know what I would do,” said Huey.

 

So the next time your math teacher tells you that you cannot use your calculator on an assignment, try pulling out an abacus instead. You may get some awkward looks, but with luck and a lot of practice, maybe you could compete with Huey.

 

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