New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-19
REPLIES TO MAXWELL.
Stern Submits Minority Report
FaUoing Reduced Time.

Commissioner Abraham Stern, of the Board Of
Education has turned in minority report on the
question of cutting down from five TO three and q
half hours the daily school session in the first two
years OF the elementary schools. Mr.. stern pro-
posed the plan at the October meeting OF the board
A committee of five commissioners with Superin-
tendent Maxwell and his eight assistants, was
appointed to consider the plan. All the members
of the committee with the exception of Mr.. Stern
the chairman, favored the remarks made on tAe
advisability of the scheme by DR.. Maxwell in MS
annual report. His remarks were, accordingly
turned in to the board the majority report at
the February meeting. Action was deferred for
month, so that Mr. Stern would have an oppor-
tunity to present his case His report was mailed
Thursday to every commissioner ana actoh
VIII be taken on the whole question at the board
meeting March %. In his minority report MI
Stern says in part:
The City Superintendent says that the shorter
day plan merely changes the name from part
time schedule applicable to the entire city where
now IL is confined limited areas. one would
pupil on part time is deprived of benefit that
the child on full time receives Let us examine me
minutes week, and the part time pupils 400; IN
HES and The mart time rs: in mathematics the
full time pupil receives l20 and the part time pupil
% ySd 10 tbTee and half hours the chill
dren will have more time for play and exercise,
either within the Fairgrounds attached TO the
or that may be established. Under such condi-
tons a reduction of nifty minutes week in physl-
cal training, hygiene and organized games could
work no serious injury. Neither would the entire
elimination of sewing be OF any grave or serious
consequence Thirty minutes week, not allotted
to this subject. means six minutes day. OF
course Ii absurd to believe that sewing could be
given daily; IL that one lesson a week IS
given of thirty minutes duration. Whether this
period is thirty minutes, or, as in the whole time
schedule is forty-ive minutes, the results obtain
able must necessarily be unsatisfactory; 1t takes
fifteen minutes to distribute and collect material
leaving at most but very little time for actual IN
stTuctiOn.
Why not then eliminate this subject entirely? 1t
has been shown that in part time classes fty-hve
minutes are added to the official schedule in the
subject of mathematics and twenty-five minutes in
the subject of penmanship. II the time allotted TO
these subjects were made uniform. provided for
in the official schedule. and sewing eliminated, a
total reduction OF l6O minutes week, thirtytwO
minutes a day, would result-more than enough to
bring the time within three and one-half hours. All
of this is accomplished without the entire cmina-
ton any subject in the official course except
sewing. No statistics available as TO the num-
Der of part time pupils prior 10 1900. Since then.
Notwithstanding the large number of buildings
erected. the increase has been steadily growing.
immigration within the last six months has In
creased % per cent over last year, and the
statistics show that this year will exceed last
Much complaint is made by the City Superinten-
dent that the shortening OF the school day would
throw the children the streets in the lower East
Side and seriously interfere with the functions OF
the mother. We deny this. The method now pre-
Vafling. which, have seem is q permanent one,
entails no such consequences.