The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-10

got IL all done In about an nOuT, TIC salu'
IN THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS
Several of the grammar schools were VS.
tied. At the Lincoln School boy In the
eighth grade was asked what his last home
study" consisted of. He said he had to
learn the definitions of from twenty-five to
fifty words, and work out, ON an average,
four examples in arithmetic. lie SAID the
work kept him busy from two to three
hours.
Another boy in the fifth grade, same
school, said he was given six sentences to
parse, analyze and punctuate, and also
studied lessons in geography, spelling, read
ing and mental arithmetic.
In the sixth grade several scholars were
seen, and it was learned that the home
studies consisted on an average of three
and four examples in arithmetic to solve,
and to con over the various lessons for the
following day.
Inquiry at the Rincon School and others
developed about the same state OF facts.
Principal Hamilton and several of the
teachers in Lincoln School were next seen.
A PRINCIPAL TALKS.
Mr.. Hamilton said II have never heard
of q complaint from parents III the matter
of overstudy. On the contrary, parents
have come tO me and said that dld not
give their children enough to do" He adj
mitted that there might be Isolated cases OF
overnight and ambitious scholars VINO
hurt their health by too much study, but
these cases were extremely rare IL any
scholar was iniIrIng his eyes or health by
too close application to study he would be
readily excused.
MIR. Faulkner of the eighth grade, from
one of whose scholars complaint came OF
too much "hOme study" said that the only
work given to scholars to take home was
usually a set of four examples IN practlcal
arithmetic, involving some rule and princl-
pies taught that day. As 10 other lessons,
la ist If words SnHllluU and
definition. these were not compulsory, The
lessons for the following day were always
announced before the close OF each days
school, but their study at home was optional
with the scholars.
From Principal Hamilton was obtained
a list of the ''home studies" submitted
to scholars in the various grades OF Lincoln
School. Recent examples were gwen.
HOME WORK IN GRADE s.
l. A certain sum of money at interest amount
lug al per cent for certain time TO S12lo, ana
AT 10 per cent for the same time 10 SI6oo. he
quired the principal aud the time. ~
2 Find the exact time between May 13, 1885.
and November %, 1885.
3. Required, tue interest on $3.50 for l year,
months and u days, at per eent; ,,,,,,,,,
+. Required, the interest on $40 for months
ana % days, at 8 per cent.
A SUM" IN LUMBER.
In Grade I the following is a fair speci-
men OF the home study given to the
scholars:
l24 boards, 10 inches wide, Is feet long, at
100 boards, 16 inches wide by IA feet long,
at SIG 90 Ter NJ.
40 boards, 21.x12, 10 Ieel long, at SIS 70 per
90 boards. 3x1o. IS f4et long, at sI4.
60 boards, 3X4. u feet long, at Sl2 90
Required the itemized cost and the total
amount of the bill.
ONE DAYS "HoME WORK"
Grade submitted the following for
''home work" Tor October oh:
Analyze by dagramng the following:
The brave soldier received severe wound.
The rich old man gave large diamond 10 his
son.
How many square yards of plastering in a
room 6 feet wide, "a feet long and . feet high,
allowing II square yards for doors aud WIN
dOws?
What Will it cos, to plaster room "a teet
inches long, 10 feet 3 inches wide and 10 feet
high a. $50 per square yard, allowing IA square
yards for doors and wlnuoWsY
COMPOSING SENTENCES.
In the fifth grade, where no arithmetic Is
given for home studies, the scholars were
given certain words out Of which to COM
pose various sentences, such as declaratiye,
interrogative and qualifying, introducing
adverbs
The words submitted were: Fine oranges
Los Angeles; Paul Revere the night"
from Germany; "hOrses of value auc-
ton; California Sacramento; and Man
had been NIL night; ana the results as
landed in the next day were the following;
Fine oranges grow near Los Angeles.
DId Paul Revere ride through the night?
Toys come ftJm Germany.
Many horses OF value were sold al auction.
The capital OF California Is Sacramento.
The mau had been wandering about all night.
THE COURSE OF STUDY.
Some idea of the mental capacity children
hon ora a al fta6 IN
the receiving classes, are supposed to have
may be inferred by q perusal OF the course
of studies assigned them.
RECEIVING CLASS.
Oral lessons, writing and reading, twelve
hours week.
Numbers. two hours week.
Observation lessons on plants, animals
and the human body.
Training Ia pollteness.
Physical training, twice day.
Moral training, thirty minutes week.
After year or so of this work the pupil
is ready for the first grade, when he gets:
Oral and written exercises, writing and
reading, eleven hoursa week. This includes
three lessons a week from the first reader;
twice week from leaflets in the school IL
brary: a phUnic concert drill in words; copy
ing on slate or paper of the lesson read;
spelling the hardest words in the lesson,
and asU request to the pupils TO take their
readers home and read to their parents:
Language lessons which consist in telling
the children a story and having them tell IL
back; writing short sentences; exercise on
nouns, and capitals and punctuation.
Number lessons, forty minutes day,
adding, subtracting. multiplying ana dlyld-
lug, with numbers smaller than ten; coins,
measures, days of the month, ETC.
Observation lessons and oral instruction,
lessons in colors, objects, plants, natural
phenomena, etc.
Drawing.
Health, morals and polteness.
Physical training.
Moral training thirty minutes week.
The second-graCe scholar purSues two
studies in reading, writing, language and
spelling, to the extent of ten hours week
and completes the first reader.
He puts three and a half hours n week
into arithmetic, in numbers from l to 1000.
Geography is the only new study added IN
this grade, all the others remaining.
The third grade has elementary sciences,
history and patriotism added to the others.
In the fourth grade talks on maxims OF
industry economy and order are added.
These six rules are also required to be COM
mitted 10 memory:
l. Be as polite to your mother as you would
to queen.
2. Tue politeuess consists in a kind regard
for the feelings and rights of others.
8. Look persons 10 the eye when they speak to
you or when you address rheIn
4.
schooimates as you are TO strangers
5. Whispering or laughing at lectures or
places of amusement is both rude aud vulgar.
Every boy should bear in mind that for him
his mother is the highest lady In the land.
The scholars are instructed in their duties
toward one another and toward their
teacher.
Language and grammar come in on the
fifth grade, in addition to all the other
studies which are prosecuted at greater
length nv means of extensive home tasks
Language and grammar, arithmetic, letter
writing geography, history and patriotism,
elements of natural science, moral and
physical training. rules of p0liteness, etc,
comprise the third grade.
In the seventh grade the study of the his
tory of the United States is included in ad-
ditiOu to the others.
AN EXHAUSTIVE GRADE.
The eighth or finishing grammar school
grade is an exhaustive Que, and includes
home studies limited to two hours daily, but
which are invariably exceeded. The course