Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-02-13
Too Much Home Study.

The subject of home study is cropping
UP on all sides at the present time and
shows signs Of passing beyond the stage
of mere discussion in which it has hither-
to rested. Many clubwomen are anxious
that the city federation should take II up,
and an officer of that organization said
last week that she thought it would be
an appropriate subject for the child labor
committee,
Il don't know any worse kind OF child
labor" she said, chan that which goes
on in many of our public schools, and
think it is time we tried to find out where
the trouble lies and how it can be
righted"
The Brooklyn Health Protective assoc
citation has already taken measures to
arouse public opinion regarding this and
other matters connected with the public
schools. and the Sociological club of
Mount Vernon has asked the New York
City Teachers association 20 send some
one to talk to it on the subject of home
study. One of the members of the SOcio-
logical club has written the following lsets
ter TO the chairman of the committee NJ
children's interests of the city teachers
association regarding the experiences of
her own children:
''Two years ago my eldest child boy
Of at that time, left the private school
in which he had been since he was u
years old, for the public school, having
gone as far as the private school would
take him. He graded high in the ward
school, and | had to use considerable
firmness 10 prevent his skipping n grade
during the two years he spent there. His
reports were uniformly good, and he bore
the best of regulations as a student. Bnt
the family life in the evenings was almost
upset with the tremendous amount OF
licme work imposed upon him, aud the
nervous strain he was under to accom-
plish the tasks given him, As far as |
could, without arousing the animosity of
his different teachers. / protested and
begged that less home work be given. but
IN spite of all | could do and apparently
all the teachers could do, the work con-
tinued to be very trying to eyesight. brain
and nerves, SO much so that when he fin
ished his course he was on the verge Of
nervous breakdown. Last September
ut the age of 1872. he entered the high
school. When his midwinter report came
In it was bad. Doesn't seem to compre-
bend the work. was the burden of each
report, supplemented by assurances that
It was not apparently through lack Of eff
fort. He was greatly mortified, aud
struggled still harder until Christmas. Il
little huoyed up by the fact that most of
the other boys did as badly, if not worse.
When Christmas came the reports were ii
tIife better. but prophesied failure to pass
III certain subjects, notably those which
demand reasoning power rather than
memory. | went at once to one of his
teachers. whom / knew quite well. to
have leart-to-heart talk, and found that
the only fault the teachers had with him
was immature thinking, which simply
meant that the work was beyond him.
The teacher said that by next year my
son would be one Of their very best stu
dents, but this only made the defects Of
the system more glaring.
This conversation revealed state Of
! affairs that is heartbreaking, and. as
/ have three girls, one of them launched
already into the miseries of the ward
school and two more to follow, | felt
/ that something must he done. ! had
/ been thinking for some time of writing
/ 10 the regents to tell them of The meth
I DDS employed in preparing children for
I the regents examinations, which subject
/ them to so much unnecessary strain. but
/ had hesitated TO do so for fear of doing
some unexpected harm to individual
teachers. with all of whom | am on the
best of terms. But when these new reve-
lations came to me | felt that | must at
least take some step toward making a
/ protest. ! realize fully how the teacher,
/ accountable to the regents. his own
board Of education, the taxpayers lindi-
I fectiy though this latter may bel and
to the parents is, indeed. between the
devil and the deep sea twice over, and is
practically DoweTless. II is the parents,
vino have all to gain and nothing % lose,
who should take steps 10 bring about a
change. My feelings are shared by Sc
many others that ii only needs Intelligent
direction to take shape in vigorous ac-
ton. II you can advise me what steps
IL would be best to take and whether II
would be possible for us to cooperate
with you in your work. | shall be yefy
grateful New York Tribune.