The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-24
MODERN SCHOOLING DEFENDED
The Introduction OF Physical Training II
the High Schools Commended.


To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sir: If the
Brooklyn teacher who criticises Modern
Schooling" In The sun to-day should ask me
where Tangier is." l could not reply def
nitely without consulting an atlas. 1t also
takes me much time to divide $3.50 by
without putting down the figures" My
spelling also often seems atrociouS.@ II
dictionary 10 not handy use circumlocu-
lions to avoid parallel" labelled re
PEELED" and many words whose correct SPELL
Yet i was eare5uIIy ,shooled with exactly
the kind OF methods r.. c." OF Brooklyn
wishes YOU to believe should BE- restored.
Minute esd essss and ni
hundreds Of more obscure places We were
taught t. arithmetic, from one single book, as
book With seoS oa ss so e.
right. by heart. by sheer persistence and
much effort. was the basis OF my instruction
4, Al this was thirty years ago. At the same
time teachers were bewatling departure
from an earlier style Of teaching, more thor
OsSh and dca In the
existed has been that OF oomplaint-teach-
ers opposed the introduction Of English into
high schools: teachers opposed the use Of
ponents OF more extended preparation for
teaching are teachers.
It is quite consistent for, r: c." high
school children are poorly educated and that
too much physical culture is the reason.
read the dessrptien Of the .etting1tHp easr
publ cation Of It's bresthins and stretohins
reaul Ir;'at seem; to me enough to win
to the body In the high schools | am glad to
hear II, II any one doubts that 1t g time FOR
it. let him visit any high school and note the
pasty complications. listless eyes and sloppy
DOsitiOno OF the students in IL.
They are going to open the windows and
make the girls nhale air after walking up
better corrective of heart action can be found
than deep and regulated breathinS?
1t is intended to break up the class periods
stretch his arms and legs' Amenl There
Universal protests s' Of :eacsers Of this and that
wn9 want an Inlnterrnptea hour Tor more
s' father ax: md r,sss in' tss
.hs Ssa health CULTURE he 9eng INTO
like the one know best they have been sadly
at variance with the demands Of city life.
which are. or ought to be. for healthy. vigor-
we'll. clear-eyed, sweet breathsd. not over
timid because they don't know everything
nor overconhdent because they have been
The trouble with high schools, has been
their attempt to produce a scholarly, asoetio.
physically arrested type Of man ana woman
such as went out OF fashion about $50 A. D..
New York isn't. especially In need Of good
spoilers, mental arithmeticians, or people
in an atlas. Minutely accurate scholarship.
the schoolteachers ideal, may be a pleasing
subject for a Phi Beta Kappa. dinner. but
Manhattan doesn't need most Just noW the
ideals Of schoolteachers: she wants meh and
women with good constitutions, and we'll
nurtured nerves, moderately well read in
good variety OF fields. with sufficient curiosity
left to study some more In one line or an
other But they must be healthy and v!gor-
GUS. Whoever put this physical training
and all the fathers are behind him.
NEW YORK. Oct ~. n. T. ScHUYLKR.