The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-07
TOO MUCH STUDY NOW
NOT ENOUGH TIME is GIVEN
FOR RECREATION.
CREATION.
School Superintendents Want the Chill
dren to Study at Home With Their
Parents to Help Them-Many Chill
oren Already Overtaxed With Work.

With all due respect to the school
superintendent, Marie cannot agree
with them in their conclusions about
studying at home outside of school
hours. 1t seems that they heretofore
recommended that time should be given
during school hours for the children
Of the public schools each day to study
their lessons for the next day. Rea-
sons given against study at home were
that in some cases parents and older
brothers were liable to assist the chill
dren in their school work, and too often
solved problems which should have
been done by the children themselves.
Now the superintendent have come to
the conclusion that it is an excellent
thing for children to have the cooper
alton of their father and mother or
older brothers and sisters in preparing
their lessons for the next day.
1t is too bad that the superintendent
have come to this conclusion, because
in many of the best institutions of the
country the tendency is in the opposite
direction and advanced thought on
this matter appears to be that all of
the school hours should be given to
recitation and study, but that when
the school door has closed for the day
the pupils are free for recreation and
rest until the following day.
In our craze for education many
matter somewhat and that the growing
bodies and developing minds Of the
children of the country have been over
taxed.
If a school that begins at $3.50 in the
morning, and is not over until in the
afternoon, does not give the pupils
sufficient time to study for the next
days lessons, it is strange. The grade
school hours are differently divided
and the pupil who lives at any distance
from his school will hardly be able to
reach home until 4 o'clock. To be
obliged to sit down almost Immediately
to prepare for the next days lessons
is a great hardship and does not give
the child time enough for recreation
or exercise.
This matter has been thoroughly dis
cussed by teachers, and at many of
the best private schools in the country
the pupils are advised not to study at
home at all unless for an examination
or other extra occasion.
AS to the help of the parents, there
is no reason why school children
should not appeal to their fathers or
mothers for help, but mothers have
been heard to say they dreaded their
evenings because it was more difficult
for them to understand the methods
now used in the schools than for the
children.
Many ana many girl VI poS SooS
to bed with a headache every night on
account of this evening work at their
books. If a child is in school prac-
tically all day, the last of the after
noon and evening should be given to
recreation and a change of thought.
There is such a thing as OVERRIDING the
matter and one evidence of this is
perhaps the number of children one
sees wearing glasses. The brain Is
tired and the eyes are strained.
Educated and cultivated minds are
not of much use unless the bodies are
healthy and the physical strength
keeps pace with the mental. Some
study at home may be desirable, but 1T
is too often oVerdone and children have
been heard to say that they are tired
all the time.
All work and no play makes Jack
dull boy, and it is a question whether
We are not encouraging too many dull
Jacks these days. However, it is not
recorded that the superintendent said
study at home was obligatory, and it
is to be hoped that children will be
given time enough for outdoor exercise
and for legitimate amusements.