Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-03-04
Shall the Books be taken Homel

OnessA CAAO ASVVAo Uo U8A0U nOm0t
Whether it is best for school boy
or girl to take his or her hooks home
to study is Q question that interests
every parent, guardian, teacher and
child. The writer has always held
to the belief that the hours of at
tendance at school are long and nu-
merous enough for any healthy boy
or girl to devote to study and reci-
tation. II tho pupil cannot get his
lessons during school hours, it will
be found, in ninety-nine cases out
of a hundred. that that pupil has too
many studies for his capacity. The
remedy then is to reduce the num-
Der of studies, not increase the
number of hours devoted to study.
Upon this subject Miss s. W.
Starkweather, Superintendent of the
public schools at West Chester.
Pennsylvania, in . recent report
made the following very sensible re-
marks:
There is growing conviction in
the minds OF many, that the hours
OF school are all that should be spent
by the child in study, and that the
remaining time should be devoted
to recreation and homo duties. An
equally large number claim that the
precious hours of youth should noe
be wasted, and urged that such tasks
will be imposed as will compel the
child to spend the entire evening In
the preparation OF lessons, % in this
way alone can he be kept employed
within doors, and apart from evil
associates. It is entirely possible
that both are right, when We con-
slider individual cases, and the varis-
ty OF homes, and our requirements
have been regulated accordingly.
We forbid taking the tsxt-books
from the school-room in the primary
departments, except by special per-
mission, upon the presentation Of .
written request. In intsrmediato
grades, We strongly discourage home
study; in grammar grades, the pre-
paration of one lesson at home NAV
be permitted. Under ordinary cir-
cumstances in the high school, two
hours study out Of school Is Ill that
is expected.
!. Ehsssasa, dssttlsus, in6taxoe ~
which pupils sxcite the sympathy
and invoke the aid OF the entire
family while learning their lesson,
when proper attention during the.
explanations Of the teacher, and =
habit Of self-reliance would make
this unnecessary. A foolish ambi
ton raay prompt : parent 10 urge
tho retsntion OF pupil in class
which is really beyond him, and
where he may be to over-worksd a.
to become thoroughly disguised with
school. A number OF books are
sometimes taken home, and an even
ing spent in idly turning the leaves
or dawdling over the pages, while
the scholar dsludes himself and his
friends with the idea that be is :
very laborious student, when the
truth is pernicious habit of study
has been formed, and little knovl-
edge acquired, while dreaming over
the lessons and sustaining q part in
the family conversation. a half
hour of vigorous study would b iar
mere beneficial.
There are q few cases, too, 0S
chronic Incidence, to overcome which
has caused no little perplexity. We
have resorted to various expedients,
but perhaps the most effectual ons
has been the transfer OF the pupil 10
lower class; for, practically, the
pupil who can prepare lessons. and
will not, is greater drag than one
who is striving to prepare them,
but canno'.
Though heavy work may be inn
posed upon those of mature years
without injury, We believe it IL harm
full in the extreme to burden the
youthful mind with tasks that afford
ceaseless worry and anxiety, thus
destroying all mental elias ticity, and
undermining the constitution. Their
mental and physical dsvelopement
are alike promoted by the relaxation
of study when out OF school. to
which they return with happy faces
and fresh zeal. In this way, they
will cherish pleasant memories oi
their school days. and acquire, it ID
hoped, love of books that will
abide through life.