Morning journal and courier., 1882-04-29

STUDY OUT OF SCHOOL. 1 A recent inquiry in Cleveland showed that during a certain period twenty five per cent of the girls and eighteen per cent. of the boys who attended the high school were re- moved from school on account of sickness. Of one hundred girls who entered, all but five per cent in good health fifty graduated with markedly poor health thirty-five were l feeble, and seventeen in reasonably fair phy- 1 sical condition, while none were robust. These returns were certainly very alarming, and an inference has been drawn from them that study at home had much to do with this serious state of things, though the facts con- cerning the amount of study at home done by the Cleveland high-school scholars are not l given.
 1 more elaborate and definite investigation in the same line has been made by the prin- 1 cipal of the Fitehburg (8Iass.) high school, who submitted eight questions to the parents of his scholars. The answer to the first question showed that there was an ave- rage of two and one,quarter hours out off, school study by each pupil. Six hours was the greatest amount reported, and forty minutes the least time so spent. The school, it should be said, Las daily sessions of five hours, from which should be deducted two intermissions of fifteen minutes each Five days of the week are occupied by the ses- slons, and the responses to the questions are averaged on the basis of five school days, though some studying probably is done on the other days. Six and three-quarter hours for aocb anbo iC Fboy, bo IoiI of work in that school. Tho replies to the sec opd question, How many hours of this week have been used in study or practice uncon- nected with the school? resulted in showing that, while more than one-half of the pupils had no such work, music, painting or similar engagements, and while one was reported to have spent eighteen hours week in that way, the average was half an hour each school day. It appeared also from answers received that, on an average, one and one quarter hours were occupied each day with home work. One scholar reported twenty five hours a week of this domestic employ ment. To the important question, whether or not in the parents estimation the scholar was affected injuriously by home study, the
 
 Ninety-three out of the hundred answered no. The seven per cent. of the scholars re- ported injured have an average of three and one third hours of home study credited to them, and all but one are girls. Domestic duties are said to be excessive in two in- stances among these seven per cent. of the pupils. The fatigue attending social enter tainments was taken into account The analysis of answers shows that no one of the seven per cent. alleged to be injured attends these entertainments.
 From the above it appears that the Fitch burg high-school scholars use on an average six and quarter hours for mental exertion and keep in fair health. The time they spend in study is certainly enough. Probably five hours would be better as far as health is concerned, than six and a quarter, but of course no general rule can be laid down in matter of this kind. Some children can study much longer and harder than others without injury.