Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-27
IN THE SCH00LR0oM.
What Is Being Done in Maine for the
Advancement OF Education.

Mrs. Frank Dinsmore has resigned her
position as teacher of music In the Madi-
son schools. u
The young men Of the free high school,
IN PRINCETON, have organized a basket ball
club. They are pracricing in the Town
Hall under the leadership of their teach
er. Mr.. Samuel r. Actly.3
Ivan /. Felker, sub-master at the West
brook High school. has resigned his po-
sition 10 accept position as teacher
OF the sciences at an academy at East
Greenwich, Rhode Island. l.
Miss Olive B. Crawford, who has had
charge of the South End school in East
port for the past Is months, has resigned
on account OF ill health. Miss Carolyn
Kemp, formerly assistant In the school,
has been elected to succeed Miss Craw-
ford. ana will begin her duties at the be-
ginning Of next term.
THE Signet," published by the students
of the Dexter High School, has just been
Jeanette Folsom, '03, chief editress; Mary
Z. Hatch, assistant editress: Mary L.
Hatch and Miss Marion L. Curtis, point
e5S Maade F. R Laneaster 49, alumni
Katherine Hutchinson. '0i. locals; Charles
E. Dustin, '05, athletics; Willis N. Haines,
'O3. exchanges; Charles l.. Ryan, B, bus
mess manager; Charles s. Brewster, as
sistant business manager.
A professional gentleman in this city
was telling the Commercial yesterday OF
his home trials at assisting his young
daughter in over study at home. The
Gated, in early middle life, has kept up
his interest in his college branches of
study and has a large business. His
daughter, who is II or IL years CT age
numerous studies and is obliged, every
day to sit down to her books as soon as
she is through dinner, in order to get her
lessons and maintain her rank at school.
mr. n afternoon
to these studies and often not only the
afternoon but long evening are de-
voted to books and lessons before the
work laid out for her by the teacher Is
completed. One evening recently this
gentleman was more than an hour try
ing to solve problem in algebra which
was among those given his daughter
for out of school study. Although he is
good scholar and thought himself equal
to anything in that line this question in
algebra puzzled him for an hour. There
must certainly be something wrong III
the curriculum of our schools when
pupils OF the ages of II to 16 years of age
are required to study five afternoons and
five evenings each week at home, IN Or
der to keep up with the system OF marks.
the course of study in our grammar and
high schools. No time for rest. for out
door exercise, for physical growth and re-
cuperation-only devotion TO books and
study. Our public schools We're never de-
signed to make these unreasonable de-
mands upon the pupils. President
Hunter of the normal school of the city
of New York has recently Civ EN- his opln-
ion that he would have no home study
at all during the years from six to nine.
and after nine years up to IA he would
not have the time exceed one hour. ore
hour at home and one hour at school.
For all children under IA he says there
should be one study hour in school every
day. under the direction Of the teacher.
In urging only one hour of home study,
DR.. Hunter says: Il firmly believe that
the hours of study in an classes OF
schools are too long, and that in conse
ouence the children have too little time
for exercise in the open air. l beieve
in making haste slowly. One OF the
greatest errors in teaching is to push
Children ahead too rapidly. 1t is as UNI
wise to force mental growth as to force e;
the growth of a tree by Juggling at IT'S
roots" As to the question whether there
are too many subjects now taught IN Our
nublic schools, DR.. Hunter is inclined 60
link it depends largely on the teacher.
some teachers get much more work out
If school children than others cah An
able teacher will make any course coin
nara tivelv easy and it should be the nrst
pputv of the teacher to make studies easy
To Scholars of different temperaments.-
Panpor Commercial