New-York tribune., 1903-02-11
SCHOOL SYSTEM EVILS.
No Rational Method Of Teaching as
Yet. SAYS Nr. LezciS

The evils OF the public school system the
subject o. DEBATE AZ the Crban Club in Brooklyn
yesterday afternoon For the better understanding
of this topic M Lewis. or Public School No II,
read z paper before the members
Many evils have almost passed away said M
Lewis Some arz the wane. but others are yet
fan The days OF mere scholasticism are passed
that IS our Fetch done away with The youTg are
longer fed stone Of syutax, but with little
more Il mas come that the man who can build
tEe house the engine the factory. the steamship;
who weave fabrics, who can fashion iron and
steel into thousand forms Of use Is higher lhan
rhe mar who merely keeps the books or chronicles
the achievements Of the hand worker Labor's
coronation Is coming Il is the work Of the ecuca-
ro- 20 hasten that Gay Women can help 10 hasten
better and more surely than Il IS 70 the
intelligence Of our women that we look for the up
lifting Of the standard Of humanity Intelligent
wlfehood and motherhood mean intelligent sons
and daughters. and that means the bettermert OF
the race The Organization into working clubs OF
5rteiligenr cultured and purposeful women Is one
Il the most helpful signs of the day. II is difficult
70 measure and forecast the result Of their con-
-er1ed action They should choose for leaders
women remarkable for sense judgment and tact
Al zho work fer the abatement Of unnecessary
noise n the for the purifying Of the slus
rll Sums shall be more for the restriction OF
child labor for the securing O fair treatment for
Working boys and girls. for the Improvement OF
ros1itsle for giving little children school build
snes where part, at least, OF their lives VIII be
passed n comfort, brightness and happness-these
are public educators
what DO YOU regard as the principal defect IN
ou- public schools2r asked one woman in the audi
ence
Their size promptly answered the lecturer
That Is PERHAPS the outcome o. z naJionsl
tendenc~ We want everything so large heard
of & scheme The other day build a school seven
stories high Much better build number of small
schools And tae classes are far too large Imagine
class of seventy-five chilGren-a common size for
q class &c be, Why in class Of that size teacher
I'll ~E-r f-7r7fz- CT1sffr
soraIl-v Of each pupil she ought 10 know II 10
teach properly. she calls the roll and hears the
little ones answer. but otherwise the teacning
must be done Il mass
With regard 70 teaching, what are some OF ule
teaching e.1lsg'' asked another member
TOO many vords-too much OF the GradgTlnd
system"
That makes me think" laughed member of
p poor Young girl I know who wanted 70 ger q
rs-e Is teacher Of sewing il the schools IN orcer
10 do this she had take an examination ohe
zol along all right with il until asked what an 1n IN
-ca Tor nar stock Of knowledge, and the poor grl
rushed from The place N tears. 93e Vas q
.erel- 2erson for the position. TOO. 49,. -.
No man has yet suceeeqea IN nTgfrlss sre 1pof1 hours
~ zoo IC1g for many children Children OF from
-ve 10 ten should moi be lcrger than three hours
brain absorbs 40 more they SIT there 3Id 5a 20
the pass. The better way ~oC4e e, T5oo0 y IN
sessions. Inorrirg an9 az a a. sIr,s Az,
Tor different sets OF cl;lereh NJ Is @ t1Ir
-el - - cl1e- IN each session This
vita clI.e3 r. LE,fe5 - 1171isfion of certain
.I5e--5--s 5Iv idea is 10 enable the children 70
-s shorter terms and 70 employ the 50 me teafleT
-r f,orb sessions and pay her betteT-Ihus getting
better teacher Then grammar Is q saIyCS .I-SS
-.-zf-b should not be attempted BY very younS
--rrrr TFrsT are the rules OF synrax and con-
irla-5orS 70 q little childc But language lessons
z6oaid begin IN the kindeTgaTter Grammar as Il
IS fracreE-lv taught = aetriTneut =
-r- - oVe-60ue The chief mark on the tililu =
- 5oIta- mark The fundamental rules and IrebC-
-s~1s s-e important. Of course; but why WORT
cbd for weeks least common TruItp!ei ifi 4ar @
--ra-- common MEASURE. things that he Will tT-
= one never think Of asain IN the co'1iS - ~
5ay. nor have occasion 70 Use - ,,c-
Il ruother complained Of her depr1NaII,ioh q IL II
-s-I'e so~Serv in the evening. she Is coIl-
rir1aIiv s7orkng algebra or some 9Ins. 1.4,.
- Tesa snS we never her. sald tns WoiId-l-
~ Iris sid that IN such a case the teacleIs
Hc-1IS ne demonstrated with ! 90 hoI aPptoss5 pess5
"a fr-,, ,--,-t- rnveeIfr he remarked ~ cliiu
should be free the evenings 10 rest 1i0 ~ '0-
- 4s-rv smoke OF the condition OF PuDEc I
sc6o1 S0 . which she saw when ElslIisF7 s7. "a l-
srrr-s ra~e,lfIv state reflected 10 cttlt
ne Ts-ooizizn Board Of EDUCATION she gesl "a "a
--re 7oTse in which this mse1ng was H.l -
F-sf F5Fsce has been given by MIS- AaoLs" -
Pe--~z = the Urban Club It's heaoouaI1ers