Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-29
LETTING IN SUNLIGHT
How We Can Have More
Daylight According to a
Writer in Chicago
Tribune.

Move the clock and get more sun
light, says a writer in the Chicago
Tribune. Too much daytime goes to
waste. The foolish system by which
standard time makes us sleep several
hours daily while the sun shines dur.
ing nalf the year should be changed.
We need daylight, sunlight for our
leisure hours of the evening. We
should withdraw some OF the hours
wasted sunlight from the beginning of
the day ard place them at the end.
We can have eighty minutes more
daylight after 6 p M. every day dur
ing May, June July and Auguset, and
an average of forty-live minutes more
each day during September.
The simple cXpedicnt by which this
is possible is to advance standard
time twenty minutes on each of four
Sunday mornings in April. and on
each of four Sundays in September
standard time shall rccedc twenty
minutes. Another means OF reaching
the same result would be to alter the
clock thirty minutes on each of six
Sundays. the last three in April ana
the first three in September. l,ie
cost of the scheme is the effort in
moving the hands OF the clock. We
lose nothing and gain much.
TO wind up watch requires more
effort than to move the hands twenty
or thirty minutes once a week. three
or four times in April, and three or
four times in September, yet no more
than that is needed TO secure during
nearly five months OF the year the
equivalent OF whole holiday every
week. Eighty minutes a day amount
i'm week to nine hours and twenty
minutes, which is about the average
time that can be sncnt III open ar
exercises on any holiday.
With nine hours and twenty nm
utes every week of additional oppor-
tunity for recreation we would add to
our strength of mind and body. AT
present the brief period OF daylight
at our disposal is insufficient for open
air recreation, but the addition of an
hour and twenty minutes daily will
supply the deficiency. The use OF
parks will be doubled.
Nor will we have to rob ourselves
of sleep. On the contrary we may
sleep better. For eighty minutes of
daylight added to our waking hours
we will have eighty minutes darkness
In which to sleep. BY those who do
not retire until early morning or
those who sleep with open windows
the advantage of not being awakened
by the sun will be appreciated Every
one. rich and poor alike, VIII find
their expenditures for light greatly
reduced in six months of every year
This consideration brings into view
the financial aspect of the scheme.
Assuming that the cost of artificial
light for each, unit of the population
averages onc-fifth of a cent per hour
and showing that 90 additional
hours of daylight can be gained year
ly it will be seen that SSS,000,000 per
year will be saved TO the people OF
the United States in light bills.
If the standard time is changed &C
cordng to this plan the man who now
leaves off work at . p. m, will take
with him the light that he now has At
$40. He who leaves off work ut 4
O'Clock will take the light now shin
ing at'4:40. Nest striking is the ad
vantage to be gained on Saturdays
Those whose half holidays begin ut l.
o'clock will have rs much daylight at
tutlI uiSlbSil as u 'litit NdNdAiNh'
had commenced at 1910 Those
whose hat holiday begins at ! Will
take with them the light now shining
at 11:40.
Consider what this gained time
means to posterityl At the age of IS
minus six years of childhood. a man
will have gained a whole year of day
light At 80 he will have gained tive
years, and at 81 he vii have added
three years TO the sum of sunny en-
ioyment.
Ony two objections so far have
been raised to this scheme. They are
significant One is that the same
end can be attained by early rising
the other is that the saving by users
of artificial light would be offset by
corresponding loss of producers.
To the first objection one might an
swer, nobody wants to rise early
Change the clock and they won't have
TO do so. As to the second objection
the light companies will find soms
other way TO get the money.