New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-13

for cass recitation and in every branch of
common school &c ucaton other than those mentioned
h very simple NM, sed orayyS 1ui e. e.s
and 10 charge upon the heaessness and thoughtlsss
Of teachers the heah aud over active brains Of the
rising generation But say II deliberately, there is
nothing in the internal management oil gocl Puote
schooloand there are many such-thGt can justify
the counlsint Of ill.judged ov1rwork in the school
itstlf AndI cannot help thinking that the examna-
ton we have just made shows that the opposite view
is well founded.
how are the three and hall hours, which We have
found TO be the amount Of tim" left for really active
recitation and class Instruction spent. II may safely
be presumed that fifty pupils are very small average
for the usual size Of casses in our public schools. II
The class il 10 be kept in healthy condition. IL il
necessary that the industry OF each pupil should be
carefully noted each day. II this be done, know Of
no skill or experience that will enable any teacher to
make thorough work with recitation from fifty pu-
nils in less than forty-ye minutes on the AVERAGE and
may add it requires tolcrably expert teacher TO do
this II divide the three hours and half, or 2l0
Minutes by A. the assumed length of each recitation
We have four and half recltations 1t must then, be
appert 10 any one who will take the trouble 10 ex
anime this H0f Mfrc cannot be any arrangement for
study an sctOoi. The whole theory and economy Of
our Public School system make this impossible Aud
il our City Superintendent in addition tO his WELL
meant censure the present course of instruction.
would only take the trouble to point ont anything like
a remedy for that which he rsures, can assure him
that the remedy would lie carefully considered by
some of our most active teachers, who from careful
study for years of the working of their classes day by
day, with reference to this very point, have come to
regard it inherent in the system of Common School
instruction of this city.
But is il wrong 70 require study at home The City
Superintendent t. leave the impression that it
is Iftfis be what he intended will he tell US how
or when the lessons to be learned If he only
meant that there is too much study required at home
what remedy he propose for the occasional care
lessness of teachers who give too long lessons,
and whs would continue 20 do were there but two
studies pursued at home in place Offour
nv own experence-and it has been atoerably long
and extensive one--is that the Superintendent state
ment serious pressure upon the pupils s much too
sweeping and exaggerated, and that so far from it being
true as rule that the community consider their chill
dren ovcrworked in school and at home, the very
verse is shown by the facts. For one complaint OF
ovcIwok there ten that the pupils seem to have
little or nothing to do at home, and these complaints
are accompanied by the wish that, if consistent with
school arrangements additional studies may be placed
on them.
If the public say thing 20 the teachers and M
other to the Superintendent then that is another ques
ton But till assured of this it may well be forgiven
the teachers if they hesitate accede to the Slpern
tendcnts views, and ask careful examination of the
matter. \.