The evening world., 1912-02-15
SCHOOLS
GIGANTIC BLUNDER,
MAXWELL REPORTS
Tells Board OF
, EGication the Entire System
! Is A Failure.

Tho Board of Education is discussing
seo-dav the thirteenth annual report OF
superintendent william H. Maxwell In
which the superintendent states IN no
suce-,aln terms his belief IN the almost
ue4er ineficiency and u~selessness OF the
evening schools as conducted by the
saty.
The worst part OF the evening school
work, according 20 the report is the
Elementary schools. The whole system
- declares Is a gigantic blunder' IN
ehis subject supt. Maxwell says:
"Thc most unsatisfactory part OF the
evening work In the elementary schools.
The, are attended largely by boys u
Gsrls Who did not complete the course
m the day elementary schools. and who
went ~ work without adequate prcrara-
aion for IN, dniics OF life. as soon rs the
NV Permitted. They do not attend reg
uiarly and they do not derive 49, much
benefit a. they need from their studies
Srhc reasons are obvious. ON the on"
hand. they come e. evening school tired
out with a long. hard days work. They
heed 10 sleep or 10 play. rather than l"
Judy. On ,h. other hand. we give then
only a diluted form OF the day school
curriculum. They do not recognize tho
use OF the Lessons In reading. history
oad arithmetic.
what the teacher presents is without
special Interest for them. They APP
proach their studies without energy and
consequently without pront. Under
thcss conditions there need be little
wonder that the elementary evening
SCHOOLS are not more successful than
they are. The wond.rr In that the at
~laencance and interest are not worse.
After observing n studying
these schools for thirty years. I
an, now convinced that the A.
tempt to give Instruction in h Or
binary elementary branches In the
tyening to boys n girls from
fourteen 70 sixteen years OF 9
10 . gigantic hlundsr.
Those VINO are employed during th'
day need the evening for exercise and
recr. alton. Only those who Ore en-
eowoi with unusual physical strength
and unusual mental energy can. aftc'
HdIu way > WIN aAA'ii' ''h''' $500
evenings n week and benefit thereby
That they need instruction. for thei
Own rakes and for the sake ~ the com
munlty. goes without saying. How an
when arc they 10 get It? 1t has bee
demonstrated over and over again tina
they do not get II a~dvantagcously vine
the school time Is taken out Of thci
ame for rccrci,lon-the evening hours
u follows hat II they are to get II a
oil they must Sc! II out of their employ
ers' time.
IL recommend. thci cfore. that In lie
q the evening elementary schools. "A syi
tenn OF continuation schools from : To
A. VI. and from 1 70 6 4. VI, he orgai
he'd. that legislation be sought TO Z,
eulie employers to give Ia each en-
pioyee under nineteen years OF age H.,
or Xix hours n week for forty wecl
ss<h year. and TO coastrain young pee
pc between these ages TO attend suc
Qrh0ols regularly.
t"1hese schools would become true cor
pnuaiioa schools. that II. they wou
continue under favorable conditions 4
education. even while tae boy or SRI
NpNhs MN4hH NiN ulbN'U on ~ al
year below the nineteenth. An sno
should he made. too to adapt the wo
Of these schools to the Individual capa,
ties and needs of each pupil. To Oh
md the cooperation OF smpioys
should 70 sought not only to infor
tAs teachers az to the special needs
bach pupil. but 90 require the pupi.
ettsiGancs.
Money Is beng spent mos, liberal
on the education in splcndldly equ.pp
high schools OF those boys and 81
who are :, situated that they can ma
school going the chief business OF tn
yves until they are n least cighto
end often much longer.
Are tie State and the city Z,
take 60 little Interest In tie LEST
fortunate, who are the majority
thst all the education they can one