The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-09

effect of this work suporf themselves and
the chill ldren, as they Claim any adverse
criticism Of the system would likely en-
danger their situations. 55 But have man
aged to learn the following facts: -,
In order to finish the work assigned to
each grade in the time appointed, the
teachers are practically compelled to re-
main at the schoolhouse from one to two
hours after school has closed for the day.
keeping many Of the pupils as long as the
rules sMfilEallow, and then correcting, talk
ing ont and weaving oyer the work that
has not been properly dbne This is sure
,ly hardship to the teachers. At least
one of the teachers has been accustomed
to have some of the more backward of
her scholars come to her home on Sat-
urday morning for two or three hours that
she might instruct them more thoroughly
in the work To be sure she was not or
dered to do this by the principal, but it
was necessary 10 do it or fail to get the
required amount of weaving done. 1t is
not surprising that so many of our teach
ers are the victims of nervous prostra-
tion when we consider such things as
these. Within the past two weeks in. one
school at least two teachers have for
mally protested against the amount. ,SOf
work to :sbess done, stating that it could
not be accomplished in the time allotted,
and one of them stated that she would
| resign her position rather than take the
work home with her and do it after school
| hours. It would be a crying shame should
this matter be brought to an issue and
these teachers forced out. 81
The nervous strain induced by too close
application to this work can hardly be
estimated. More than one teacher has
| told me that at the close of a weaving
! period she has been so nervous and ex-
cited that she would cry like child
| When this condition prevails on the part
| of the teacher we can certainly expect
difficulty in maintaining discipline. Ir
fact some even claim that it is more diff
| ficult to keep the children in order after
/ than before such a lesson. This would in
dicate that the children are also affected
| by nervousness when engaged for a pro
! tracted period in this work. .-.
| To my mind, the great objection t
| the present plan is that too; much lis re
quired of the pupils-mofe than can pos
sibly be accom- plished within the time al
lowed without the teachers and pupils re
naming after school hours in order t,
finish the work, or taking the work hom
with them, or neglccting other work. A
I the latter is the easiest way to get tn
basket work done, we are prone to be
1 lieve it is. the way most frequentl
adopted. H. -~ !;
When we stop to consider that. abou
|threefourths, of our boys and girls go n
higher than the first or second year i
the high. school, If that far, and that tller
are a dozen or so business colleges in ou
city filled with pupils from our publ
schools, who have not received in, ou
public schools such instruction as woul
fit them for any kind Of business career
the neglect or omission of instruction i
any Of the fundamentals Of a commo
school education is a matter which Eough
to deeply concern every parent.
1t is. a notorious fact that so little tim
is now given to instruction in spelling
, our pubic schools that it is difficult
t find among the high school graduates on
t who can write even a: short letter withot
f rnisspelled words. Any business man wh
$ employs such graduates will confirm tn
5 lstatement. Two or three years ago,
. Ia junior class in one of our high schools
!, forty seven out of fifty-two member
present at one recitation misspelled tt
!, word business" Let us have more rea6
1 ing and less raffa, more spelling an
t fewer hammocks, more mental arithmet
[ and not so many baskets, more and bett,
Ipenmanship and less blankets, and I%bt
S lieve our boys and girls will be bett'
Y fitted to meet the burdens and duties
n life; and to acquit themselves nobly.
Tt might be possible to appoint a teacl
Ell Ter Of industrial work for a district gil
o ing one day a week to each school In Il
S district, and having. the scholars fe
S at a time for such instruction, and thu
: save the nervous energy Of the graz
ell teachers for other and, I think, more In
a portant work, and at the same time gi'
q each pupil better personal instruction
d the Industrial work. But such teache
g would need cast-iron backs to stand tt
: strain of constantly bending over thew
e in the hands of the pupils, the patience
= Job as well as nerves Of steel
n Hoping that tlfs agitation of baslS
e5 work in our schools may result in SUI
i la reconstruction of the present syste
& las will give to our children a more sensib
n and better balanced course OF instructf
leI in our public schools, and again thankil