The daily gazette., 1879-10-14

puNSioAi auOr IN Uauty VtutildAeu hdC-
tories, and lis direful consequences unOn |
their health and constitutions, fulfilled,
III his regard, the highest expectations
OF Its most ardent advocates. But 1t did
more, 1t developed the surprising fact |
that ils AN educational method It had de-
cided advantsges-,hat,i indeed, children |
under 10 Or II years learned as much, II
not more, and learned easier, anu more
satisfacl orily under the half-tiine system
than under the whole time.
This is the testimony OF sOne of the
most intelligent, skilIful and expert
enced educators in thus country, and i'll
Europe, which. no far ~ l know, stanJs
uuquestiOned. "IL IN a remarkable fact,"
says Dr. Lincoln, "that in great many
instances the half time children working
in tina same school with fuli.rmers ale
known to accomplish As much work and
make as much progress" One teacher
says, that "a class of seven years, taken
from An infant school, could, in three
years, under the halt-tme system bo
brought to r,ading intelligently, sriting
fairly and spelling culiectly; aud carried
into arithmetic a. Tar as deciDals."
Another says, u boys and girls, taken
from the infaat school. IN three years, III
had reached the folio wing point: Writ
ing a fair hand, spelling well; reading
correctly with attention to the meaning;
work. Dg sums in decimal fract,ons with
ease; u fair knowledge of the geography
of the world 4 and parsiug and
aDaly zing ordinary simple sentences"
Who could ask more? 1t " gratifying
to be able to add in this connection.
that the experience Of Delaware on this
question, may he cited. More than two
years ago the Board Of Education of The
city of New Castle, heset by the same
difficulties you experience. moved
thereto by the necessity of furnisning in-
crea,ed facilities, which they could not
otherwise supply, and stimulated and
encouraged by the suggestion OF the
distinguished Sanitarian ID. Il. Lincoln,
NJ. D., of Boston, ito whom l am indeUt-
for the facts upon which this letter is
baseo) and the dictd Of the Medico-Lega'
Society OF New York, that 1t was desir-
abe To restrict the hours of conf finemeDt
| of small chIl,lren in school rooms aud
their application to studies, from hygiene
cunsiuerations, adopted he plan in their
| primary school of lowest grade
Iu reply to an inquiry, Miss Dobb, an
intelligent young lady, who taught the
school during wear after the iItroduc-
duction of the half time system, and who
| has experience III the full-tim6 system,
expressed to me on last Friday decid-
ed preference for the former. she brseu
| her decision upon the fact that the child
ren ere more attentive 10 their studies,
uiore receptive OF instruction ard found
the restraining discipline Ot the school
room less irksome and faiguing, and,
thar, consequently, the labor Of eaclibg
| was less exacting and veXatiOus. She
| spoke in strong terms of the contrast In
behaviour aud application, between the
fresh pupils iu the afternoon aud those
woo had gone through the labors and
constra hts ofa morning session.
In Its purely hygienic bearing this sub
l t..nf l.A NJ l..fsA Xal faAH
sity and continues to enlist the interest
Of the ablest sanitaiians and educators
| ON both sides Of the Atlantic; and can
not convey to your minds the conclu'
>ions more clearly and intelhgently than
by quoting from DIR. Lincoln, rs follow
The capacity tor mental labsr tiff.rS
yery widely in III Roront inuivlhuals anu
at Iii iffrrent ages. The young adult ol
average power of the age OF ~, or neal
that, may devote 8 ORB hours to close
mental work; the youth IN nigh schools
| ) or the younger child from "a TO a.
No greater amount can be exacieo ol
the average without doing harm"
III have succeeded IN refiecting thi'
important subject with the p' rspicuity
with which it has been prese ented &c, ,anl
received by ny own mind, you must SET
that the half time syst. M Is conment
able, not alone upon the principle that !
,alf Loaf is better than no bread, mt be-
cIus. of It's intrinsic merits which giv'
II decided advantages over the plan nov
,hmost universally practiced, OF ktepinl
children of all {. yes, from up to III or II
III both primary aud grammar SCHOOLS
. the same number of hours.
1st-becaase the children learn az wei
-.ome say better,-in the short tim
. system, and, therefore, the ejucationa
advantages are, at least, equal
2ut-because twice the number
l hA MT m 4
creased expense for teaehers, schot
) | rooms, furniture &c. ana
q 3rd-because the physical condition
: the children would be greatly improve
! diseases prevented and a healthier
: sturdier race of men and women woul
4 he developed by shorter conf cement II
+ the POISONOUS air OF llly-venillateu az
: freer access TO pure air and suniight,an
+ the iuvigoratiDg influence OF moderat
: work and gladstone pay.
= 1t will be seen that leave out OF IN
II estimat. entirely, the economize vie'
a of the value of such light labor as CHI
n dren might perform during the create
/, number of hours out of school.
Trusting, gentlemen, that you Will M
# deem this action intrusive, but will 0e
@ lieve that my motives are humane, phi
n anthropic aud patriotic, L remain VIII
n great respect, your Obedient servant
"a GEO. TROUP MAXWELL.
e The paper was accepted and referre
A. to the following committee, with pow
r. to print if deemed advisable: Messr
* Conrad, Brown and Morrow.
l. On Mr.. Ruth's motion an election
/ All the vacancy of Dennis j. Mento
II of the Teuth Ward, resigned, was gor
n into and Lewis p. Lynch. sbeing non
mated, was elected by the following vot
y. Lynch 8; 80.
70 The chair notified the Finance Cou
|, mittee that but two weeks len aimed, "a
~ cording to law, in which to make o
" their estimates for the coming year.
- Mr.. Baird asked that the committee
+" school No. 2, have authority TO ope
=, school 20 minutes before 2 O'CLOCK ID u
q afternoon from Nov. LIST to March lst,
~ y order TO avoid the early darkness Ill
ing the winter.
~ A suggestion was made to include
=, ~ schools in this, and it was postponed
- two weeks.
iu A new heater was authorized to
III procured at No. IL school.
40 Mr. Lally offered aresOlution Prov
.. gu ing that all acquisitions for stationary
on referred to the SuLerinte ndant tor
y. mination and approval by the visit
i'0 committees. The resolutIOu was la
over for two weeks.
- Adjourned.
la ORDER.
i'd Duirg the evening the following
rs. ders weie dii ected TO he drawn:
st VIM. M. Kennard 81 Co., SlS13;Hen
es GreNs. S744; VIM. IL. Foulk 49, 20; Gia
on r. Eckel, Si5;nP. Is. & j. b. Forma