Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-05-25
Three Hours School a Day.

The late Mr.. Crandall. State Sup't of n.
York for year or two, published a book in
which he strongly argues against more than
three hours OF school day" The fol-
lowing Is an extract from his work.
" The Secret Of Successful Hudy --Adopt
the plan he - proposed--,hree hours dav.
with two fifteen minutes recesses taken out
of it-one at the end of the first hour, and
one at the end Of the next three quarters Of
an hour, to venlilate the room and the lungs
of scholars and teachers, and 10 give the cir
culatioE impetus for the next hour of mo.
tionless work. say, adopt this policy, and
the children will rush with delight TO the
schoOl-ay, with the same inexpressble ioy
with which they now rush from 1t And
what an advantage we thus secure The
very vitality of education For that intel
IeciHai labor alone tchich is voluntary and
cheerful, adds strength 10 The mind alone
adds 10 The stores Of memory. IL is only when
mind scis voluntarily, that it possesses ener-
I gy. Everybody knows this His own ex
perience, not books, is every ones teacher
for this. Unless the mind so act, how can il
strike out new and bold paths Of thought
and investigation, and persevcringly follow
( them? And in gaining a know ledge of facts.
/ as IN spelling, reading, geography, history,
! &c, the came law prevails. Their acquisi-
/ ton depends on memory. Attention Is the
secret of memory. Interest is the secret of
attention. Interest is impulse AMI impulses
are VOLUNTARY, or individual"
The subject is attracting considerable in
terest is being extensively considered a
mong the friends of Education, and is re-
ceiving the notice Of the newspaper press.
BY what follows below. IL will be seen that
the subject is favoraby viewed by some Of
the ablest friends of Education in this
State
"The undersigned believe that the I'M
ion of mental and physical labor is neces-
snry IN order to render general education pos
sible ana attainable. BY way of carrying
system of this kind into operation they
would recommend that in district schools Of
the coming summer, parents and teachers
should introduce the plan of having clssses
or entire schools omit the afternoon session
for two weeks or more and note the result.
They have strong reason for believing a CON
tinuous daily school, of one daily session of
three hours, would promote industry and ed
ucaton much better than the present system,
and would therefore be a reform as great as
ii is easy Of trial.
II. Eaton,
]. Meacham,
John II. Hopkins,
w. IA. Parker,
X :. Kendall,
JOS II. Barrett.
April, 1855.
haze no doubt that children well taught
during a single session at school, of three
hours each day throughout the year, (the re-
naming time being devoted to exercise or
labor would make far greater progress in
learning and mental discipline than they nole
do by attending school two sessions a day of
three hours each and that general educa>
ton might thereby be made more practical
BILE and economical.
CALVIN PEASE.
Prof. Lat. and Greek Languages,
Vermont university.
We concur in the above.
j. WHEELER, ID. D.,
LEONARD MARsB. NJ. d.,
HoRAoE IIATcH, NJ. d.,
ZADocK THoMrroN.
Burlington, Dec. rs, 1854.