The Detroit times., 1911-12-13
STUDENTS ARE TOO IOtD
WHEN THEY GRADUATE
Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton Wright Would Keep
Schools Open II Months.

l4ANSlNNT, Dec, lZ.--Supttlnttuu-
ent or Public instruction l.. l.. Wright
outlined proposed new plan for
schools, plan working toward the
elimination of waste OF the power
OF pupils, IN an address before the
Sociology class OF First Baptist
church when he spoke on "ConserVa-
tion in Our Schools" lie advanced
and developed his belief that schools
should be kept open nearly II months
OF the year This he would do In
order 10 cultivate habit in the chill
Gren during the habit-forming age
He deplored the inclination OF the
schools to teach book knowledge 10
the neglect OF the development oil the
faculties and natural power OF the
child. the development OF which -
more useful In future life than actual
book knowledge.
There are three things which
school should do--give, a boy or
girl something which aids them IN
earning an honest living, give them
culture TO enjoy their ability anu
life and train them to be honest
clean citizens he said.
People are inclined 10 leave every
thing 10 the teachers. 70 suppose that
people outside of the school know
nothing OF what should be taught
children. About all the average per-
son does in work OF the schools Is 10
vote on money matters, paving no
attention 10 the really vital matters.
Teachers are only human and are IN
clined 10 follow customs set by their
predecessors. 10 get into ruts, with the
result that the schools have got into
a condition which few realize.
"A child starts in school at the age
NJ Ave years and goes through thir-
teen grades, counting the kindergar-
ton eight grammar grades and four
high school grades The average age
OF a high school graduate In the
I ansing high school is nineteen years,
that is II the student has nad no
failures, or has had no sickness 10
amount TO anything. The universities
have increased their courses unil
now a man cannot finish In medicine
law, or engineering in less than SIX
years. IT he continues to ave Hte
| failures or sickness, he can nnlsh In
the university at the age OF 70 years
/ Then he must serve for two or three
years as an inferno IN a hospital or
work In a lawyer Office or some oth-
err place before be can enter business
| for himself. This makes him 70 OF
80 years OF age before he can marry
and take on the responsibility OF
home and children. This brings
about an economic and social PROB
lem. II is economic because for near
llv 30 years the young men are Train
J ing TO live. II Is vital social mat
1 ter because that young man is unaole
! 10 marry until he is past his youth,
until his habits are hardened and ne
has less adaptability and unseinsn-
ness which are so necessary 10 sue
/ cessful married life. And thus are
divorce courts filled.
! cav INV proposed system / could
hnish students from the university az
the age of 81 or % years. would
run the schools IL months or IN
| fbrae terms OF IL weeks each. l
would save two years in the grades,
one in the high school, and one ana
| one-half in the university. Inen
when they graduated they would stlli
have the vigor and elasticity OF youth.
! I'VE cram young children with
hooks because we think they have no
reasoning, psychological ability. we
teach them arithmetic for eight years
! when actually few men have any use
for II In later life. Instead OF teach-
ing actual arithmetic we should De
teaching them things, by hgures'
1 which develop their senses, reasoning
powers. BY developing these powers
| instead OF spending so much Time on
details, they can master any PROB
! lens. Children are taught reading
for eight years-reading aloud, when
no one ever reads aloud but elocu-
tionists. I would have them read TO
themselves and then tell the meaning
OF what they had read. This power OF
perception, the power OF taking In
| the meaning OF a written matter Inn
mediately upon reading II Is OF great
importance. The customary way OF
teaching reading teaches the children
TO avoid this. the greatest value or
reading. Penmanship Is taught for
years and years and no one writes as
he was taught during his childhood.
No one was ever taught 10 speak cor
rect English by grammar. II is the
| conversation the child hears which
! influences and molds his language"
Mr. Wright emphasized the value
of teaching the process rather than
actual arithmetic, and in answer to a
question he denounced the custom or
making children take school books
home TO study as brutal and advised
| the use OF no books In the teaching
OF young children, but the develop
1 NJ al kaonnpge and Dar-