New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-11
SCHOOL ROOM AND FRILLs.

The question of schooroom accommodation
is still troublesome one. Multitudes of GILL
dren are in part time classes. and many can
enjoy that modified benefit only through the
use of temporary and makeshift quarters OBJ
viously. the way to remedy the trouble IS to
estimate as accurately possible what the
school population of the various districts OF the
city will be- say. two years hence and then to
begin-and within the two years to finish
schoolhouses of sufficient capacity to contain IT.
To start building now on the basis of present
needs is radically faulty. because when the
buildings now started are finished it will not be
t0-days needs they must meet, but the III
creased needs of that time two years hence.
Meantime while we have to be content with
crowded quarters and part time classes, 1t VIII
be particularly good plan to devote SUCH time
as the children have in school TO the funua-
mental and essential studies. Even if a child
can spend the whole day at school, 1t is doubt
full If all of the fads which some call "the
new education should be imposed upon him.
When he can be in school only half the day
such requirement seems Indeed an imposition i'll
the worst sense OF the term. The notion that
dabbling in higher culture can be satisfac-
tory substitute for thorough grounding in the
traditional three RS" is mischievous. Ciyics,
ethics, literary analysis, and what not, are
estimable studies. But It is n strange perver-
sion Of pedagogy to prefer them, In a common
school (where both, under present restrictions Of
time, cannot DO had1 TO reading and writing,
and to the multiplication table.
From some points Of view some OF the new
methods pursued in teaching certain studies are
estimabe enough. The university student in
philOlOgy, for example, may find profit and
delight in speaking of Julius Cesar as "Eoolius
Kaiser" and in reading that commanders
| most famous campaign dispatch as "Waynee,
weedee, weekee." But the average boy or girl
in grammar school, whose study of Latin Is
chiefly to serve US an aid to the more perfect
| understanding and use Of the vernacuIar, would
surely be more benefited in the use Of pro-
nunciatiOn that would leave some indication of
relationship between the two languages. 1t
scarcely seems reasonable to expect child to
recognize, for example, the derivation Of CON
vene' from ICON" and "wayneo." or of vital"
from "weetah."
These things might do if the object Of COM
mon school education were 10 enable it's re-
cipients to uxurlate in the cultivation Of fine
theories and 10 split hairs the definition of
ultimate truth. That. however, is not its object
but rather, in the majority Of cases. to enable
them to earn their livings and make credita-
bic way III the world and in the minority of
cases 20 enable them TO go on successfully to
higher grades OF academic and professional
study. 1t cannot be too confidently declared or
too strongly emphasized that the needs Of both
the majority and the minority will be best
served by thorough instruction first in the SIM
pie and fundamental branches of reading writ
ing, arithmetic and the like This is always true
and always pertinent. It Is doubly pertinent
and urgent at time when school room is in
adequate and the hours Of teaching are cut
short