Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-12
GAIN HALF AN HOUR.
THE SCHOOL CHILDREN WILL PRoBA-
bly, BE ABLE TO CO HOME EARLIER.
This Ia what the Committee Recommends.
Proposition to Have Fifteen Minutes
Rccess-City Hall News.

n ratncT prOtracteu ana Quite A'~'N"'
ing session Of the Committee on Teachers
and Schools, of the city School Boaru'
was held In the Office Of superintendent
Fox. In the City Hall. last evening. Inc
question OF frightening the dinner recess
In the public schools OF the city was the
topic OF discussion. and the question was
considered at length. Senator william
lovenstein presided over the session. ana
others present were Messrs. Joseph G.
Dickerson, James III. Capers' Superih-
tcndcnt Fox. and Supervisor Charles <.
Rady.
snmc routine business was disposed OF
before the recess matter was taken up.
when IL arose superintendent Fox cx-
planned that in accordance with his In
structlons in the matter he had written
10 twenty-three superintendents = public
schools In various sections OF the United
States. and submitted to them number
OF pertinent questions as to the existing
system in their respective cities. and
whether IL gave satisfaction or not
Replies In ftfhr OF dinner recess OF
from one TO two hours. as now in exist
cnce. were received from the superln;end-
cn;s of public schools in Philadelphia.
Albany, y. Y. Cleveland. O.. Chicago. ILL.,.
Cincinnati o.. -. Louis. Mo. Pittsburg,
Pa. Rochester y. y. Birmingham. Ala.
indianapolis. Ind, Washington. ID. C..
and Baltimore. In nearly all these in
etances. however. the long recess for din
ncr was only introduced and recommend
Ell in primary and grammar schools. while
in nearly all the high schools but one
session per day is held with short inter
mission.
The superintendent Of the public
schools in the following cities expressed
themselves in favor OF the system pre-
vailing at present in Richmond: Lynch
burg. Norfolk. Petersburg, Atlanta. and
Savannah. Ga.
STATEMENT OF THE SCPERINTEND-
ENT.
Mr. Fox next read a statement contain
ing a summary Of the various communl-
cations received by him on the subject
which was In substance a follows:
There are two plans carried out. either
two sessions per day separated by "A long
recess for dinner. or one session only
with reasonable recess. The plans
adopted conform largely with the customs
Of the patrons Of the public schools In
the various cities: in the North two ses-
sions per day generally prevail. ana in
the South one. All superintendent are
unanimous IN recommending only one res
sion for the high schools. The plan best
adapted for the advancement OF health
and instruction should he executed. In
the schools Of the South n long recess
would meet with serious objections"
FIFTEEN OBJECTIONS.
The Superintendent read statement
from the principals Of the various schools.
which contained the following fifteen OBJ
jcctions TO the suggested change Of sys-
TEN,
"The chanSs Is not asked for by the
general public. or the patrons OF the
schools. II has not been made in private
schools. and there seems to be no incli-
nation for II in these institutions. 1t
would Ne in conflict with the established
customs Of the public in this city. II
~lu,l curtal materially the time OF the
children. now AZ their disposal for recrea-
;7n AMI exercise. Many male pupils are
rcwsb ". and they would lose the OPP
Jur.unity Of earning money by selling
papers in the afternoons. 1t would Sc
rlously interfere with music-lessons.
which most Of the children now have in
the afternoon. The long distances would.
IN many instances. make il impossible for
children u return from their homes IN
TIVE prescribed time. Teachers would de-
rive no benefit fTom the change. which
yraotic1,iy would add another hour TO
their duties. The 'Ioub.es and difficult
ties OF discipline would be largely In
creased by The change. Il seemed 10 con-
tain a new doctrine. 20 the effect that
rot food was more Gigestable than cold
u.a,i,so II would increase the habit Of
n. ..Ss,lng. and thereby Tia cases OF
inli. IN I'm this community TO eat a
hearty dinner every day would debar the
children from a condition TO study 1t
would increase hardness. and In many in
stances children would fail to return for
afternoon sessions Under :he change
ianltors wolli not have sufficient time
- put the school buildings in proper con-
dition for tho next day. The suggested
system might work wcil in the North
but ii was impracticable in the South
ONE TEACHER DISSDNTS.
This statement was signed by i'll the
principals except Mr.. J. l.. Ezekiel. who
submitted a report Of his own. In 1t he
says that In his opinion the suggested
change IS move in the right direction.
Pupils. az well as teachers. would he
greatly benefited by hot meal in the
middle Of the day. The intermission
would give the tired minds an opportunity
Of relaxing At present the larger num-
her OF cases Of discipline occur in the
afternoon. when body and mind are more
or less worn out. The hours for meals
at the homes Of the children would soon
conform with the school-hours, and the
change would teach the people pTactical
lesson in hygiene.
Mfr Fox stated that Mr.. s. r. Pendle-
ton. of the Central School. had submitted
the question 10 his pupils for conference
with their parents. The next morning
fully three fOurths of them returned win
replies in favor OF the system now IN
existence. The Superintendent added that
ne had consulted but two physicians on
the subject-Drs Lewis Wheat and tn
ter-but that both gentlemen mad ad-
vocated the sut gested change
MOVED NOT TO CHANGE.
Major Capers thought the question
should TO settled at once as the uHcer-
taintv created by the proposition was n
detriment to the entire SCHOOL system.
He. therefore. moved that the pi escnt sys-
tenn Of school-hours be retained. although
he was in favor Of extending the recess.
Mr.. Dickerson stated that the change
II agreed upon. would, OF course, have
to be excluded from tho High School.
In all the public schools, however he
thought. any change looking to an In
crease OF the school hours would be
Objectionable He had given the whole
subject much consideration. and thought
the patrons OF the schools were always
endeavoring TO adapt themselves TO the
rules of the schools. He had come TO the
conclusion that ii would be the most
desirable thing to do to allow one hour
for recess POSSIBLY from II to / H. NJ.
and during that hour no child should
be kept IN for punishment 1t should be
the privilege of each scholar to either
20 home during recess or remain at
school. at his pleasure. and the thirty
minutes added to the present recess of
thirty minutes should be taken from
each OF the periods of study. This
change. If agreed upon, would make it a
system OF five working hours PER day,
instead Of five and a half. as at present
He embodied these various points In
an amendment which he offered 10 Major
Capers's motion. excepting the High
School from the provisions of the amend
ment.
Major Capers thought there was very
serious objection TO the amendment II
adopted. he said. It would lead to a re-
laxing of discipline. and. In many in
stances. conflicts between the two races
would be brought on II the children
were enabled TO spend so much time in
ha ha vnfI Of ha do