The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-11
Schools and Vacations.

To the Continental traveller, comnf
to the United States merely as al inter,
estcd observer three facts in the life
| and training OF children fasten, as he
| had often declared, his attention. First
| that during lime months OF the year
| they have too much 20 do, and during
three too little. Secondly that during
| the nine months. they seem 70 be absol-
| we'd from every human and cultivating
duty their whole family circle giving
itself up TO the hasty feeding Of their
bodies and TO the scurry evidently deem
ed necessary to the requirement OF the
studies which, like a black fog loom
up before them and above them from
September until July. incapable Of being
shaken off, and yet impossible TO wholly
penetrate Thirdly. that education"
seems to mean a plan which the instruc-
tor fits upon each child, rather than
the educing from within, of the chllds
own powers.
Is this an unfair estimate by the for
eigner? IL so. why then does he invari-
ably receive this impression? Surely not
because he looks for IT. for II Is diane
trically opposed TO everything 10 which
ne is accustomed at home. He does
not even at first comprehend what his
eyes and ears tell him; but when he does.
regard Americans as material in their
tastes. illogical I'm their educational views.
and impervious to the laws of beauty.
We know that this is not in every case
nor I'm every community true. But is
there, then, no foundation for the Euro
peans impression?
There is a curious law Of life. upon
which doubtless the old saw, 1T is al
ways darkest just before dawn" is
founded. namely. that the defects Of n
plan show most startlingly just at ;he mo-
ment when the germ of the new growth.
hidden back Of them. is about 10 burst
its letters. flower into view. and with
one bound scatter the old shell into
oblivion. And this is true i'm great de-
gree Of art and its power upon the busy.
eager, intelligent people of the United
States at this moment.
II is unfortunate that the season I'm
pubic schools lasts from September TO
July. IL is one month too early in the
autumn, and one month too late I'm the
spring. But already many parents, teach
ers. and students are protesting
against It. and finding comparatively
little opposition TO their protest from
the city governments, councils and
boards. The day is. without doubt, there
fore. fast approaching when that Gus
tom will be changed. Less easy Of sou-
ton, however, is the next questiOn-What
and how much should be required OF
children during the nine months. and
how little during the three? Let cduca-
tional inspectors and theorists think out
that problem remembering that no child
was ever really refreshed by total lack
OF daily duties or by absolute freedom
At any period Of existence. Every hu-
man being. save in Illness. has obliga-
tions, heavy or light-but stnl obliga-
tions-to perform; the child should have
his little ones in summer as well as IN
winter. 1t is not for laymen 10 say how
this should be arranged but that IL
could be accomplished is true. and the
time is fast approaching when the boards
IN lst consider the necessity Of summer
duties seriously If they would not have
the long vacation days become the breed |
ing-time OF vice and lawlessncss which !
no nine months of mental discipline or /
moral regulations, however filed they 1
might be With studies in both, can |
bliterate.-llarper's Bazaar.