The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-15
"a az TEAcnERs sPEAK.
Argument In Favar &C = shortened school
Day for Primary Claalrs.

To THB EDIToR or TIE sUN-Sir; The
teachers II the city are q unit IN support OF
your editorial Of Wednesday pTalsinR the
Board Of School superintendents for coming
70 the resolution TO ask the actual teachers 10
point out the defects and recommend inn
rrovements In the conduct Of the schools
Too long has the direction OF things been
entirely taken from the hands Of the actual
teachers; we are now apparently 20 have some
views expressed by those who bear the bur-
den Of the day and the heat thereof, and
not merely spin theories about H. For your
editorial our thanks are due.
Possibly some novel views on the bali day
question viii find a place IN your columns.
An energetic lady has presented 20 the Board
Of Education on behalf Of the Consumer
League report protesting against the short
ening Of the school day for the FIRST two yeara
10 three and one-han hours. The report
proves, with marvellous accuracy as TO hg-
ures, that COL Ss children from TO -, and
S.SS7 children Of the age Of O. are in the classes
Of those two years. The compiler OF the
report fears that large part Of those children,
and perhaps q majority Of them. would be
employed In tenement or other workshops
IN various enterprises. o. e., sewing button9
On cards, making paper boxes and ARTIFICIAL
howers, and other light labor which. she
the cutting down Of school hours Win de
pLlye them OF In schools are just such thinEs
uhQer the gui9e Of manual training, where
they do them poorly enough In most cases.
WITHOUT any pay at all.
II they performed these feats At home and
or some small amounts Of money, they would
90 them well enough under such stimulus;
90 perhaps the solution Of the half day classes
ls at hand. and comes 70 solve an apparently
lnsoluble riddle. Let children, then, get
their manual training In shops, or maybe IN
ther own homes. during half Of a day Of which
in school Let them be paid for il. 100.
4 recent school Of educational writers
holdA up 70 our admirinG gaze the country
boy, or girl doing chores about the house
or the farm before and after school, no doubt
waiting manual dexterlty and mental acute
ness In the most favoHng proportions. Uk
true one reads these romhnces with q bali
ieelng OF being imposed on by clever talker
the poor city boy ls contracted With his rural
rival. greatly 70 his dlscredit In these reapects
lie has no coal nor wood 70 carry upstairs In
these days Of steam heat and hot afr; the
baker and the milkmAn and the dumbwaiter
save him the trouble Of a hort trip for many
necessary articles. So our unhappy city
child gets manual training 70 make up for the
lost blessings OF long ago, which certainly
do brighten a. they fade away: The charm
Of years than while a sulky boy Il doing them,
and resolving to run away he lie kept at
them any longer,
The mere fact that children might be earn
expense OF Keeping them should not deter
US from this solution OF the half day problem.
The rustic boy OF girl. singing at his task, 10
At the same time earning his way and lay
Ing the foundations for life OF thrift and
children in the city,
NEW YORK. April IS. Public School 5.