The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-09-29

isolated study be so arranged that the
child may pass at least two hours a day
iii the open air. One reason, other than
improper diet, why the majority of our
boys and girls do not enter maturity with
that share of health of mind and body
which they should have, lies right here
in that they do not get enough fresh air
and sunshine into their bodies and ma
lures. 1t is sad reflection upon Ameri-
can home training that we hear it said
so often by young people that they never
knew what IL was to study hard without
physical injury until after they left home
and entered college. The higher institu-
tiGns of learning understand this need of
physical development for brain growth far
better than do our lesser schools and our
he mes-sad as it is to admit II.
! Some educators will claim that the
hours of home study are already arrang-
&c much as here suggested. But these
rules, even where they do exist, go for
nErght where the pressure of lessons is
so great that the child feels he must pur-
sue home study in order to keep up
with the class and pass There is
where the fault lies. The number of re-
quired studies in the vast majority of
schools is far beyond all needs and be-
yond all learning within the time allotted
for their study. The ambitious child
anxious to learn and thinking that these
lessons are necessary to a full education,
takes them home and gives them the
study there for which time is denied at
school. There is too much given to our
children to learn, and a great deal of il
is absolutely useless to them either for
the present or the future. The most cas-
ual investigation into the studies of our
children reveals this The crying need OF
our school system is fewer studies and
mere time given to those studies which
are essential.
But no material change can be hoped for
in this matter until the American parent
throws off his or her present indifference
and demands reform. No change car
come from within the system or the
school, it must come from without-fron
the parent. There must be closer co.
operation between the home and the
school.
What to demand of our school system
is the first step. and if. child. when h
, reaches the age of fifteen, has beer
: taught
To read aloud pleasantly and intelligently
To write legibly,
To spell correctly,
} To express himself clearly in letter,
To count accurately,
TC use his mind himself,
To use his fingers so that his hands will
, be a help to him in earning his living
That is all that should be expected of tn
child either boy or girl That is enough
Tor seven years learning in the grea
! formative period of life.
? There must be shorter hours and an alb
solute adjustment of home study befor
the age of fifteen, and even after fifteel
nc evening study beyond an hour
Our children must no longer be tn
! p-ey of ignorant and constituencies poll
: t;cianS who either control our Boards o
! Education or are a part of them-men alb
: sclutely united for such work as that in
{ trusted to them.
How to get these reforms for the par
Tents for their children is the next step
They can come only through closer &C
operation of home and school. The teach
. er and parent must come closer together
4 That is the root of the present evil. On
u means toward this end lies in frequen