The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-06
Ahead of Those of Boston
in Some Ways.
LUNCHEON FOR PUPILS.
Some Of the Branches That Are
Criticised as FadS.
THEIR VALUE POINTED OUT.

The citizens of Providence msy wei
feel proud of the public schools of this
city. They have long stood il the very
front rank of public schools of the coun-
try. That they hold this position Is due
primarily to the interest in the schools
taken by the people at large, but more di-
rectly it is the result Of wise and efli-
cient school board and able ana thorough
school officers.
The schools OF Boston are looked upon
as standards to follow in ali parts of the
country. But in the matter of school
lunches for the pupils they are at least
six years behind the schools of this city.
In 1855 this subject was taken un here and
has become permanent and successful
feature. The pupils are expected, where
they can do SO, TO bring Ubeir own lunches
Snd can be supplied at the school with
milk coffee ets. Various articles OF food
are also for sale at a cost TO the pupil OF
from two To five cents eacn. No article
costs over five cents. The plan is self
sustaining, so that the financial problem
is solved The city owns the implements
and various pupils act as attendants and
receive therefor their lunches free.
In Boston this matter was first at
tempted in 1894 and at the present time
many of its details seem to he iinper-
the problem than the one evolved in this
city, but II Is not unreasonable TO sup
pose that Boston Will eventually adopt
the plan for school lunches that mas been
in operation here for nine years.
There has been considerable criticism
recently OF number of bjeots
taught in tho schools of Providence.
Certain subjects have been marked i'm
arit ttaist ms ta nd
been called fads. These so-cailed fads
are music, drawing. sewing. nature work,
cooking and cali 'tbenics.
This century has Deen most emphati,
cally one of discovery, invention, innova-
ton and progress, and this is especially
true among the people of one great ma
ton.
New ideas nave overturned old ideas in
such rapid succession that today the man
of q century ago woula hardly be able TO
find more than few vestiges of what
went TO make up the civilization Of 1900.
80 many uDdreamei-Of innovations
have been OF such incalculable value
that the American mind has almost come
10 feel that whatever is new must be
right.
And this has led TO the feeling that
whatever is old must 10 wrong.
So that e overturninx forces are roll
ing on with eccumulative momentum.
This is just as true Of educational ideas
ana standards as OF anything else.
Now some one conceives the notion
that many of these recent additions to tho
curriculum Of the schools are valueless,
simply tads and that the good old stud
les are right ones tO follow. But il is
barely possible that the vast strides OF
progress that this people Is taking in
every direction has some not very remote
connection with the changes in our school
system. And this is 80 evident along
many lines rs not only 10 be undspntalI
but also to make clear the fact that with
out the educational changes the material
progress would never have resulted
SO ii is u very easy matter To call aDy
study in our schools to account, but IL
Is serious thing 20 attempt to overturn
any subject of school work without first
being reasonably sure of all its bearings
and relations to the student mind, and
its effect on education as whole.
1t seems n little strange to tnn music
put on the list OF fails, n subject rat has
mad It's share OF attention ir m every rep
utable scncol in the country Tor years
Music has been taught in the schools Of
this city for 90 years and certainly is
Justly entitled TO rank among the legiti-
mate studies lt Is rather late in the
day to set tue stamp OF "fad" on it.
As TO the value OF music no one nrob-
ably questions IL for a moment. Someone
has said, Let me write the songs OF "a
people and i care not who makes the
laws" Music will ever hold powerful
sway over the hearts and mind Of men.
IL IL one OF the great roiining influences
of the school and certainly = worth ths
b per cent VI pupils time that IL occupies
Alexander Balm says OF music: "It is
the art most universally cultivated 10y the
masses Of people. And again, Among
the recognized branches of common edu-
cation are drawing, music, elucuton,
good breeding, literature.
Uf drawing, he says further. "The art
of writing ranks high among the manual
requirements and should b. preceded BIZ
simple exercises. 1hs simple lessons of
drawing are easier than writing Draw
Ing has been taught in the schools Of
rroy yidenoe for % year So ana its value Is
such that 1t stands IN no danger from the
attacks made upon it. 1t takes but so
minutes week OF the pupils time.
Sewing Is the least established in our
- hool system OF any Of tho branches
taught.
40 is undoubtedly 81 great practical bon
eft 60 GLASS of Duuils that would receive
little or none OF such instFu elton az home
lt takes 40 minutes a week 81 the time
of the girls in the seventh grade Per
hspS an Improvement could 10 made bv
dropping ~ frsm regular school stuuiss
and establishing regulif sewing ca .s
that would call in that class OF girls VINO
would be most beroilted by tho work
The school comm ittee Is In no way
r6spDnsibls for the cooking in our schools
Dr. Greer was the leader in move
ment that resulted in n mum Der of philan-