New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-21
NOTES ON EDUCATION.


I'll. f;eorsia Assembly is inquiring into the ieas'
,,,;,v Of establishing chronological senooi III 'ha'
State
Tho Philadelphia Common Council has mado an
appropriation for supcrinteadepcy on s,,i.hsS
~, office may therefore lie considered csta"hs"o"'
rhsre IL n movement In San Francisco Tor the ap-
,o,ut,ncut of school Directors by the Mayor. mo
reason given for tie proposed change is that' I'M
dor an e,cctcd board, political influence is souie-
times more poveruI in the selection Oh teach.i'
than the personal qualifications OF the appnc""'''
Tho Rochester School Board has ordered that
5,,no the neat term in the public schools the
,r,,no and afternoon recess be abolished. auu that
Tie principals be Instructed to carry ONT the ,o
lowing proCramne of school hours: Inc ho'n"s
and Afternoon sessions will begin respec"'eiS DIV
O'Clock a. m. and 1880 p. H. aud VIII cioso az
1880 a IN. and $3.50 p. III, The seventh eikn'n
aud ninth grades will he dismoSe' III 'no ~"
Mt o'clock IL is also ordered That at 1919 10 tle
;, .,,d 600 in the afternoon, five minutes
sall he devoted to calis henic exercises ana mFch
ING IN every school ROOM while the windows are 10
bs thrown open sufficiently to change the ar Vi
the rv,m Ii is understood that this piovlsoa IS W
he r,gidly adhered to in all cases. lho ioiego'"s
rlan of school houis has been III operation ior sew
era weeks In most If not all of the schools win
the following results. which were obtained from
the reports IRON the various schools
First-Tne numt er of pupils asking to leave
the room bas hut slightly increased; IN some iu-
stances the number has actually been diminished.
Soco,d- As 20 the appaIcnt sanitary effect OF the
change there has been no Increase in the s'eSsno''
OF lanpor of the rupls or complaint OF headache;
in fact I'm n number of instances these nave Very
perceotibly diminished. ihe recess In WINTER at
least has boon very fruitful source OF COLO anu Ca
tarrh. with their accom- ranying headaches. ETC.
.Tbird-As TO Department. there have been fewer
cares of discipline under the order OF things ana
the general doportment Is reported as inproVeu OF
as remaining in status QUO"
Fourth-The effect upon lessons and recitauons
Is reported as decidedly beneficial
Fiftn-As to the question whether the. new pan
gives time .aough for study and rectasions it is to
be said that since teacher and pupil have the Same
time ms under the nd plan and without tho inter-
runt,on accustomed by the rccoBs the report is, uni
tornly, time sufficient"
enthusiastically and regularity OF attendance
have either not been perceptibly affected, or nave
been improved.
S.veuth-Ihe pupils with scarcely any cxcep-
tions. are nfavor of tie new ran.
Eiehth-With but now and then an exception the
n.rants ull aDproye The School Committee add
that they are of the opinion that the recess I'D ene
winter season is prolific OF colds ana catarfn etnor
canpbt by expoure on the playground or by slttlne
nxercis,, Furthermore the IDEA that the pupils are
rcuured TO SIT still tor two hours ana hall i'll INC
forenoon and two hours In the AFTERNOON Is no. III
accordance with the facts. Glasses change every
twenty minutes aud pupils march TO ana from tnsr
Rotations. which greatly relieves tue teuluin Oh
constant sit ting and by provision I'D tniS ianeo-
meat tho school loom is furnished with fresh ar,
while the pupils are exercised IN callsthencs anu
marching BIZ this plan shall have M unbrOhen
school session. which will be great gain III c0ncepc
ratiun of Thought upon the lessons ana IN power OF
uppneatlUn 10 study. Again. as, upon any ial
tstlnaie one.lai the number OF cases OF discipline
nrse from trouble the play ground. these. OF
course will be greatly reiuced. while at the same
time the danger of bodily injury, occasioned by the
recess rs any one can readily understand VINO mas
ever large school turned ioose upon VIC play
ground will be done away WIN.
Araln-ibe opportunities for acts OF petty tyr-
amy exercised bg tie strong over the weak WIZ
be lessened 10 the infinite Joy OF many parent Oh
young aud tender children.
And sCain-and what is perhaps or more conSe-
ouence than all These considerations. 1t will reduce
to minimum. far our public schools are con-
terucd the opportunities CT moral contamination
for despite the utmost vigilance OF principal ana
teachers the recess affords most lrutlul OCCASION
for the spread OF vice.
Your committee has already been advised by
parents whu for the last reason alone could not
pstrOnzo the public schools Dui VINO arc NV
sending their children TO them unuef the nc" AZ
iaugenent. A.. l. A., .. e
rareuts viii family cOnVenlences. rs III gives
time for the children to eat theu dinne at Ieisue
and gives them tune dnneIs TO the head Of
the family. And, as tie afternoon session VIII be
closed half an hour earlier than bv the former plan,
N will enable us to close the schools IN clear DAY
light TINS removing NJ once the serious danger OF
damage TO the eycsIgbt in rooms that, at their best
are but poorly lighted, hut which III the WINTER
season from half-past three to four O'Clock are 100
dark TO admit OF the printed page distinctly
Ill