Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-10
HALLIDAY SESSIONS.
A Movement to Reduce the Working
Hours in the Public Schools
DURING THE VERY HOT WEATHER.
How the Plan Would Operate in a Well
Regulated School.
TEACHERS AND PUPILS OYERWORKED

Such weather as has been experienced by
Pittsburgers for two or three days is suffi-
cient TO cause any man, woman or child to
quake when the thought of hard work or ex-
acting duty comes up. Especially the school
children. who longingly have awaited the COM
ing Of the sunny days, are aroused to sense of
shirking studies and surreptitiously taking a
''ticket-of-leave" from chestnut readers stern
pedagog ogues and the singing switch.
To obviate all this trouble movement is
now on foot which will give both teachers and
scholars more time to recreate by introducing
the halliday system during the months of May
and June Whether s a T i VIII succeed generally
the sub-districts of the city, is another question
1t Is thought by many that the scheme is a
most commendable one, but it is simply within
the rulings of each ward and their schools. If
one ward says mo" that one shall have full day
sessions.
IT Is DISCRETIONARY.
In other words they can each use their own
judgment as to the practicability and bene-
fetal results accruing from it. As yet no sug-
gestion by the teachers have been made at the
Central Board of Education for the plan, and
Charles Reisfar, Jr., Secretary, said to THE
DISPATCH writer that Superintendent Luokey
or himself would hardly hear of it before to-
morrow, when the teachers generally congre-
gate at the education rooms ITO talk over mat
ters." The question has been brought up re-
W
nitely known what the outcome will be.
In five schools of the suburban wards the
hAlf-day system is carried on. and has proven
to be an eminent success The majority of
schools at present convene at $50 A. NJ. the
session opening at S45, followed by recitations.
then l5iminutes' recess is allowed at 1880 The
scholars then reassemble and recite, when din
ner hour IS announced, which lasts from noon
till lo'clock This over, the school is in session
until o'clock, when it dismisses.
WHAT ExPERIFNCE SHOWS
Experience shows" said teacher for many
years, that during hot weather the pupils are
practically out of school, and I cannot imagine
what benefit will be derived. from an educa-
tional standpoint, by either the absent ones or
those who demoralize the former by their in
dolence and lack Of studious attention to
rules.
ITO show you," continued the teacher, 'the
superiority and beneht'resulting from the half
day session, the school Is called at 8 A M, and
from that hour have continual course of reel
tations until II noon, abolishing the recess as
heretofore has been the rule, thus accomplish
ing as much and probably more than a whole
schoolday of study, etc. The whole secret of
the thing is that our pupils are fresh in the
morning and are more capable but as the day
wanes their efforts become irksome and with
out consequent fruit. A great many parents
Keep their children at home on hot afternoons
rather than risk their health by overheating
and overstudy."
ovERwoRKED TEACHERS.
On this subject an amateur teacher said:
II certainly approve of the new plan. My ex-
perience has been that the afternoon hours are
a drag on both pupils and teacher. Many Of
them eat hearty dinners, and the tendency is
strong to go to sleep.
Under such circumstances nothing really is
accomplished. The minds of the scholars are
sluggish and the hours are actually wasted.
From a hygienic point of view it would be
much better for the boys and girls to exercise
their bodies during the afternoon. The time
could not be put to better use, and the i'm
provement in their work would be noticeable
Most thinkers admit that they do their best
work in the morning after good nights rest
when the brain feels like working. If the op-
posers of this new plan could only see the pu-
pills and teacher struggling in hot summer
afternoon, they would readily see that more
work can be done in four hours in the morning
than three in the afternoon. If the work were
physical it would be different, but when the
mind is weary there can be no concentration"