Milford chronicle., 1905-11-03
Another Word to Parents.
FROM THE PRINCIPAL OF SCHOOLS.


Occasionally some parent who has
child in the primary department ap
proaches me, saying that his boy Of
girl has no home work. My answer is
= l a4n glad to hear it, for do not mean
:" that there shall be any. l have much
: respect and still more sympathy for the
: old fashioned parent who is never sat
= isfied unless his children. Old or young.
= spend all their evening hours ''figuling,'
over difficult arithmetic problems. If
/ they are robust, they frequently become
wise if not, they run a dangerous risk
OF becoming fools A young mind is
not virgin soil, yielding a better erop
IN proportion as it is plowed and har.
rowed severely. 1t is the seed, rather.
easily injured or destroyed, almost to.
tally incapable of development except
IN suitable environment, and having
no appreciable power Of assimilation
except that predetermined by nature in
furnishing the embryo man or woman
with certain appetences.
How often we read in the biographies
OF great men, "his early education was
neglected" l am no disciple of Rous. |
seau, but feel that we frequently try
TO teach children too much at an early
age. Very precious children are either
geniuses or freaks, and the chances are
million to one that you are not the
father or mother Of a genius Our ideal
should not be the spectaeled. spindle
shanked boy who looks like diminu.
tive college 'grind";he may stand first
In his grade but he has reached his
highest, and is ready to deteriorate. 8
We want, rather the hearty lad who {
can master today's task and still make /
us feel that he has abundant potent t
ality for future development. t
The child is the epitome of the race.
and in racial evolution the physical Il
preceded the mental. If there is to be a
any crowding in school, let it be post fl
poned, at least, until the critical period R
If adolescence is reached and passed. IL
hat tthe child may possess an abundance W
II physical capital for his educational fu
Investment. One year then is worth
wo before. If the parents of primary III
'uplls will give us their children four al
nd a half hours a day five days in the re
7eek, we shall be satisfied. AL
In the High School, however, we are Nj
ot satisfied. High schools that have Nj
ut one session require five or six hours tn,
ally study outside of school. [ am an
cry much afraid that some of our 1t
udents are given so much work TO do all
nome that II is impossible for them pre-
prepare lessons properly. Others are
lrposely, but foOlishly, as l believe.
ven an abundance of leisure for social
fairs a very few do not seem to be Z
iponsible to anyone. The High School aIte
lst furnish the equivalent of boarding ora
lool and college preparatory courses. 40
ere our students in residence at insti. p. Il
ions like those named, they would ing
We no employment except study. and ever
uld be allowed an occasional even III
only to spend out. From seven to NEE
/, at least, every secular night of the of G.
Elk except one, High Shcool students Sum
uld be found with their books free o'clc
n callers, music lessons, manual be D
or, social distractions, and every or b
lg else that initiates against the "An
ngest mental concentration. deav
-ome work, then, shonld gradually Bari
-ease from half hour or so in the
nth Grade, to three or four hours in
High School.
hese words are not written in a On
rulous or fault finding spirit. I Der
never had more appreciative or VIII
onsive pupils to deal with. 1 am insult
these same qualities must exist in Chur
parents also, and that the simple OF wv
ton of possible point of improve Fhiia
t will be sufficient to secure the de- WasL
end. event.
aDd y