The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-01-26

II "reformers' are truly in search o
something to reform, which needs re
form, let them take up the matter o
examining" the immature brains o
the school children at the expense O
their health and the proper, develop.
ment their bodies. Editor Box, in
the January issue of the Ladies' Home
journal, takes up this important mat.
ter and brings it to the heart of every
parent. Methods of imparting the
learning found in books have changed
Ill the past twenty years, the old way
was too slow, and the result is that a
fairly bright child in this age will have
passed the grammar course, before it
has graduated into pants.
All this is very pleasing to the par
ents, and many misguided persons
keep up at home the "forcingn
methods of the school cirriculum, at a
pace that even the more mature brain
power of the elders could not stand
While there may be small proper
ton of the school children which are
not injuring themselves in the exer.
ton OF study, by far the greater por-
ton Is, and the courses should be
adjusted for their benefit.
Under the age of seven years a child
should not be allowed to 90 to school.
tor them the ordinary methods at
home, or few weeks of kindergarten
work, teaching them by simple means
to use their eyes and hands, is suffi-
Gent. From seven to fifteen, period
CT the greatest growth and develop
ment in the child, those who have
made study of the question claim
that the school day should not be over
four hours, with as much of outdoor
exercise or play. After that age the
scholar should ne in proper physical
condition to take up the the problems
of the full school day, with a bodily
and mental vigor that will insure
rapid advancement and no harm,
This examining, together with poor
ly ventilated and lighted school rooms,
results in impaired vitality, poor eye
sight, headaches, extreme nervousness
and kindred troubles, premonitory of
short life of sickness and disease,
and an early decay, before the educa-
ton acquired at such cost, has been
of any benefit. Then again, much OF
the stuff which fills these immature
brains is worse than useless for it is
not likely that ii will be called forth
from it's store house in the life of the
owner. If the child's first lessons
cause it to be observing of the practi
cal things of life and business. it will
in after life be found fairly we'll fitted
to grappled with any propositions to
which it may gravitate, with we'll
rounded mind, clear to take in details
and decide knotty problems.
In Washington city schools the
adoption of new methods require more
than half the school day to be spent
in the open air, observing under the
direction of the teacher. Supt. Bar 1
nard, OF Seattle, has ordered that the
first to sixth grades have but three
hours schoolwork during the day, and
no home study, and other cities are
taking up the question in earnest.
The question is indeed a serious one TO
every parent whose children are at all
inclined to he studious, and a reform
is badly needed all over this country,
if new generation is to take place of
the present one, physically as well as
mentally able to take up its battles.
Like all "reforms" the first ideas
are likely to go to the other extreme,
but no one will deny that there is
room for reforms in the school system
of the present day. Y