New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-12
QUESTION OF "FADS" IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
EXPRESSIONS FROM PARENTS md
WHO DISAPPROVE THEM.


ing In an uptown public school building a few
evenings ago.
Ell viii be compelled to send my son Harry
TO a business college. that he can learn to
spell and figure properly said one mother I
do not think that Dr. Maxwell. Superintendent
of our Public Schools, IS doing right in forcing
the children 20 spend so much time on nature
study, hygiene, manual training and other sub
5ects Of that sort, when they can't be trusted
with money
1.-THE other day sent Harry. who is fourteen
years old and who has just been promoted into
the graduating class on a good percentage to
the grocery store TO buy some things. He
brought back 80 cents In change from a two
dollar bill. When the man came with the gro
ceries, found that the storekeeper had charged
Harry % cents too much. I said to the boy
!" Why didn't you go over the bill before you
paid the manT
"T did, he replied. made It out that
should get only % cents in change. When the
man gave me S5 cents. thought that 1 was
eight cents in
"As for spelling. why. he simply can't spell
anything. The other day I busy sewing
and thought that I would save time by debating
e letter for him to write He said that he was
used 70 taking notes from dictation, and 1t is
true that he always has half a dozen blank
books IN which he writes some Of his lessons, as
they are dictated by mis- teachers. I knew that
he wasn't very good at spelling, so had him
make a rough draught at first. When came
10 look over what he had written. there were so
many nispelled words in 1t that just made up
my mind that had better write my letter for
myself and the time Of correcting his scrib-
bling. don't think that use many long or
strange words. How IN the world can a child
who spells so wretchedly get any benefit from
q lesson that he has written down from dicta-
toni
Harry wants to leave school this spring and
go to work I did want him to go to High
School but his father and have decided that
the boy will never be able to hold good
place with his present knowledge of the rudi-
ments. Consequently we have determined to
send him to business college for few terms.
and give him an opportunity TO learn something
practical. It is rather hard upon folks in mod
crate circumstances"
'T quite agree with the philosopher who re-
marked that "a little learning is a dangerous
thing" began another. MY GIRL Annie. who
is twelve years old, and who is this term COM
plotting her seventh year, has so many theories
about sewing cooking and the economic, artis-
tic and sanitary arrangements Of rooms in the
home that she thinks that she already knows
more than her old fashioned mother.
when she's home on Saturdays and Sundays
she insists that the meals shall be prepared ac-
cording TO the ways that she had learned at
school To say nothing of the amount Of time
required to carry out her ideas the results that
she obtains don't justify the cost of her pro-
auctions.
"She has no more use for the plain things
that I taught her. II a thing isn't economic
artistic and sanitary she doesn't want anything
TO do with it. ike things artistic and scien-
tIhcaliy clean. too-when 1 can go to the time
and expense. Nowadays you can't even kiss
your baby without giving him microbes. Annie
is inclined to be clean and dainty. anyway, but
the amount of stress she lays the economic
Is laughabIe If I should let her carry out the
ideas she has learned in school we'd soon be-
bankrupt; and. besides. we'd have to spend our
entire lives cooking and scrubbing."
Il wish you could go with to come Of the
places that visit" said woman. who intro
duced herself as a Settlement worker, where
the babies are dying and home life is of the
most depressing character simply through the
lack of the very knowledge Of cooking, sewing,
nursing and hygiene that is given in public
schools, and which you denounce fads.' If
you could only compare the homes where the
beneacent influence Of these fads' is beginning
TO be felt with the homes that yet filled with
the ignorance and the slovenliness of the lowest
grade Of immigrants you would not be so severe
ln your opposition"
A public school teacher few days ago gave
the following opinion Of "fads." Her attitude.
abe says. is shared by many members Of her
profession:
THE children In the upper grades Of the public
schools are so piled with work that they have
no time to play" she said "All the school hours
are occupied by recitations IN numerous sub
sects. and nearly all the time after school must
be devoted to preparation for coming recita-
lions. If the fad subjects were curtailed or
cut out OF the elementary school course entirely,
30 that the children might spend all their time
on the 'thres RS and on history and geography,
they would develop better mentally and their
health would be improved.
''It Is folly to give the children a snattering
OF everything and thorough knowledge Of abb
solutely nothing. The girls will learn to cock
and 20 make dolls dresses and other articles OF
that sort at home IL they wish TO. Better to
leave nature study, hygiene, elementary science.
ETC. for the high schools, or else make those sub
sects optional than to prevent the boys and
girls from learning the essentials that they must
know In order to earn their living.
ut seems 70 me absurd to teach children Of
ken or twelve years TO discern the symptoms Of
tuberculosis, diphtheria typhoid fever. Why
give them the germ craze. make them mono
rnaniaes on the subject OF Illness breed IN
shem a sQueamishness that sees dirt, disease
hne unhappiness In everything?
'sThe present school management seems to
have no idea Of the real needs Of the children.
Their time is too precious to waste on basketry.
-rafia work music, and in mixing colors. VIII
learning childish fables prepare boy to be
good butchers clerk, or will knowledge Of the
manufacturing of dolls' clothes make girl
better typewriter and stenographer7 Will such