New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-14
REFORM IN SCuOOL-IOURS.

Mr. William L. Grandsl of Syracuse l4tely pre-
pared, uLder vote Of one of our recent Legis-
latures, Report on the state Of Education in
this commonwealth, which, after serious delay,
was published last Fall, bu. seems as yet to have
Attracted less attention than its merits deserve
after making due deduction for is obvious faults
namely, length, discursiveness and needless re-
iteration. After all that fairly can be ha, been
urged against it, every one interested 10 Eiuca
ton may frd in that Report much food for prof.
table study and re1e ctioD, though he will some
times be moved to cay that the extracts and
anecdotes, dragged in by way of illustration, often
by the head and shoulders-sre not only easier
but more profitable reading than great portion
of the original matter.
As one result Of the researches and reflections
involved in the preparation of that Report, Mr..
Crsndsl has just Issued 81 Three Hours School a
Day: 4 Talk 9Th Parents, l2mo. of 26l
pages which We most heartily commend to every
teacher and parent. If it be fact, as we be-
lieye it is, that Mr.. c. here PROFOUND, great
truth hitherto uDrecOgnized or obscured-.he
truth, namely, that three hours per day are all
that can be safely and BEAUTIFULLY devoted, espe-
cially in childhood, to Intellectual requirement,
while The residue should be devoted to Work,
Exercise or Play, then that truth canno. be too
soon apprehended snd acted upon. Ire Erie
Enlargement, the Pacific L abroad, or any other
grand and bentfctnt Internal Improvement
can wait lift must, while we conform our edu-
catonal systems ard institutes TO vital require
ment Of Gods too long ignored sanitary law.
Mr.. Crandal's leading ideas, so far as We have
been able TO gather them from hasty exsmina-
tion of bis book, are as follows:
!. A sound mind in sound body is the proper
end Of education. But health Of body and vigOr
of mind are both assailed and impaired BY dai y
confinement of Elk hours in the school-room.
IL Even with the best ventilation no school.
room IN which score or more of persons are
daily collected can be so healthy as the open air.
No pupil, therefore, should be kept 10 school
lor ger than his stt ntion can be absolutely 1ed
upon, absorbed in, his lessons. And experience
has proved that three hours per day is as long as
such attention can unhaggingly be given.
III. The first duty of every child lie to GROW.
1t is of course primary duty of every paren. 70
see that the amplest facilities of growth and de-
yeloIment are secured to bis children. To this
end the constant, or all but constant enjoyment
of pure, fresh air, VI strained attitudes ample
exercise, exhilarating play &c, are indispens-
able
". The mind naturally loves knowledge
seeks it, receives i. with delight and assimilates
it. Each child is 8 natural seeker, and absorbs
Truth as naturally as the growing plan. or tree
imbibes carbon. We should 90 adjust our Edu-
eaiionsl machinery as to preserve this thirst for
intellectual requirement fresh and keen through
life. But most children are stupefed and stulti-
fed by the mephitic ders in which they are con-
fined through Elk hours Oh each school dsy-.hey
are overtasked and wearied, until by reason of
these abuses, the very thought Of school becomes
abho,rent-snd, having for years been driven to
study what they did not comprehend aud there
fore could not relish, they retain through after