Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-19
A Plea for Shorter School Hours.

To the Editor of The Star:
On reading the argument for Long
School Hours" by A. I. Franklin, in The
Sunday Star, decided to offer the follow
ing to the discussion:
While naturally a student az my records
in the Franklin School and in the Central
High School would show, / cannot remem-
Der school day when l did not leave the
school atmosphere with a feeling of relief
and conviction that i could have done
better if 1 had not been kept indoors 80
long. At the noon recess l was always at
loss what to do, for there was no place
to play in, and we were not allowed in
the park nearby. l should regard it as q
calamity If a law were passed extending
the school hours. My school days are over,
system. but for my three children 1 am
hoping for even better things and above
all, for shorter, not longer, hours.
l wish every one who has the proper
and profit by the wise thoughts of Luther
Burbank, who has lately been so honored
by the Carnegie Institution. In the May
Century for 1906 he says on ''rhe Training
today to the race by keeping too young
children indoors at school is beyond the
power of any one to estimate. To develop
indoors, under glass, a race of men and
women of the type that l believe is coming
out of all this marvellous mingling Of races
in the United States is UNNECESSARILY abb
surd. There must be sunlight, but even
more is needed, fresh, pure air. The air
they breathe, even under the best sanitary
regula tons, is far too impure for their
lungs. Often it is positively poisonous
slow poison, which never makes itself fully
manifest until the child is wreck
and the atmosphere must be pure around
it in the other sense. 1t must be free from
every kind Of indelicacy or coarseness. The
most dangerous man in the community is
the one who would pollute the stream of
child's life. Whoever was responsible for
the saying that boys will be boys, and a
young man must SOW his wild oats, was,
perhaps, guilty of crime
In our city life we may, perhaps, not find
it possible to follow exactly the plan ad-
vsed by this wise man, but conditions can
be regulated so that the least harm Is
done under the circumstances. If any
change be made in the school hours let it
be for Improvement not to make matters
twice as bad for pupils. teachers and
parents 1t is a time to speak out the
truth and plain facts.
l have talked the matter over with one
in authority who has had long experience
in the public schools here. She says she
has worked out plan from the depth OF
her soul, and have every reason to believe
her wisdom is directed by noble spirit.
According to her way of thinking, which
agrees with mine, she would have half
hour for the noon recess, instead OF the
hour She would have supervision during
that time, and would then let the children
be dismissed at 2:3O, instead of O'Clock.
The high school arrangement, however,
might be left as 1t is now She says that
whatever naughtiness, foul talk, or vice
is Matched in the schools land there Is
shocking amount of iO, lis done at the
long noon recess" Some Of the dire re-
suits of this state of affairs are known to
me From feelings of delcacy, mothers
have long endured in silence what Is to
them an almost unbearable condition OF al
fairs in our schools. 80 . .
This might be done away with II suit
able law were made to shorten recesses,
but to insist on the proper supervision OF
them. AS for lengthening school hours, God
Forbid AMY Z. hANoOME'