New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-12
SHORTER SCHOOL HOURS.
THE MOVEMENT GROWS.
DR.. uaasceH Preparing a Report
Relief for Little Children.

Cs,v Superintendent Maxwell is preparing re-
port for the Board OF Education which II Is said'
will be the first step toward the adoption OF 'iii
hour or a three and one-half hour Gay Iot .ne
Lowest grades in all tie elementary schools OF TINS
CITY The Board of Superintendents has peeh IN
vestisating as the relative results obtained pE
fulI day classes part times classes. morning ciaes
ard afternoon classes in the first two school years
strce the beginning of Novenb-r The investiga-
= ton MAS begun a result OF a proposal maze py
Commissioner Abraham Stern at the OCTOBER meet
ing Of the Board OF Education TO cut down the
school day in these grades generally by eliminating
: certain studies Mr. Stern said that since almost
all the part time pupils of the system were in the
% first TWO school years congestion could be done
with by practically doubling the capacity of
the rooms allotted the small children ty cutting
the school day in two.
President Tiff OF the Board Of Education is IN
cned 10 favor the plan OF Commissioner Stern In
reference 10 the adoption Of hours for the
younger Children he said Saturday:
p While a FIVE hour day is probably good to keep
children OF the streets in parts of the city.
believe IN short school days for younger children.
Of the schools on tbrae and onebaif hour dsv
reEUarlZ vTo-Iid sir1IZ- he "a linz mart line ses
sion fun time session. but ieel that part time
every child educational facinies as great as posi-
mental ana physical growth. IN the Juvenile Asy
s lurn where I am director We give our children
makes them restless. our children average from
seven 20 sixteen years OF age
special committee OF
OF Education. which az pointed to apportion
the burden Of the 8 $4,000 cut in the educational
{ budget for 1896 has practically decided TO cut
DOWN the day in the first year least from FIVE
to three and one-half hours This is 10 release
the teachers from class work SO that they may
De utilized 70 90 the bookkeeping ~ the schools
In its report TO the BOARD Of Education at the
December meeting. the Joint committee Of asso-
ciste superintendent and commissioners will
favor Mr. Stern's plan Of generally shortening the
session. while il will not accept his methods Of
obtaining the results. the officials say one plan
Of Mr. Stems will probably be supported-the
reduction Of the hours according TO tie present
part time schedule. In full time classes the essen
uals receive so minutes weekly while the non
essentials, such nature study. drawing sew
ing and music receive $50 minutes. Under the
part time schedule. with three ard one-haIf hour
day the essentials receive attention 100 inmates
week. and the non-essentials 325 minutes afaihe-
MATES has thirty minutes extra for part time
classes while nature study IS reduced thirty min
utes drawing sixty minutes. sewing fifteen min
utes and music Ten. The time allotted physical
training, 90 minutes, IS subdlviGed for part time
classes. hygiene being taught as q part Of English
and rs minutes being allotted to physical training
. recesses and organized games Th full time
classes have go minutes unassigned and tie part
tine 40. Mr. Stern proposes cut fifteen min
utes- or sevent,--iTe weekly. from the part time
arrangement in order TO reach three and
half hour day.
? The teachers of the city desire to see shorter
Reilly, Of the Male Teachers Association of Man
haitian on Saturday explained some OF the reasons
Tor shorter session from pedagogical point Of
view. He said:
The shorter school day has been tried II: scores
should try the plan and improve npon il Western
cities have taken the lead in the movement and
The East We feel that there is nothing in our
experience that would justify in maintaining
Lidl choTeIl are stronger mentally or physically
VINO VINO nave been kept IN school FIVE hours each day
school as well as for The one Who T. pl 10 10 d i'. so
II the work in the course Of study is possible
for a young child il the valuation of studies is
correct. then the child will do well in the
shorter period as in the longer Perhaps
bsaT 10 &c the Immediate result dpcn ehilds
education, but are not his physical health and
Does he show any better development at the age
o. fourteen than child who has not been unduly
The growth of our public schools has witnessed
Tor the little fodder Of six summers I e and for his
blI .f9thef OF fourteen years IS II not self evil
the power TO work longer and with more in
Tor a session graduated according TO the childs
he has become undui8 xhepsted is Worse 4 tfsn
probably work beyond a school period Of three
hours day, and he VIII learn as much in
teachers Will be found almost unanimous in the
opinion that five hours is too lorg a school day
short school session for young children recon.
discipline will be proportional the child's
strength. Children will be likely be
overburdened with studies in shorter day to form
q dtstaste for school TO break down mentally.
i should think that the additional freedom would
greatly increase the physical strength Of the child
again child's mind VIII grow nationally
through q greater opportunity for the display Of
free Individuality The impressions gained in the
schoolrOom more likely to become assimflated
IN the free. unrest~ained activity OF the child
Ny association has advocated the establishment
Of short session for the children of the first and
second years Of the elementary schools. Its plan
IS this: Class No. viii attend from % 10 80 a
and from l u 2. m: Class No. 2 from 1910
G. m To y m. and from to p. m Glass No. to
be taught by teacher No. ], aided by teacher No
2 and Class No ? 70 he taught by teacher No 2,
% aided by teacher No. ]. In the second wear the
+ time should be extended ! O'Clock in the after
moons adding one-half hour 10 the session Of each
class In this way the children will have a day
proportional to their powers. and the problem Of
overcrowding viii be done away with for some
years TO come Furthe- two classes of fifty OF
f.. sixty pupils each will be under the of
teachers at no additional expense TO the city, and
nc one 5cher win he compelled take care OF
sixty children alone is frequently the case
{ under the present conditions