The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-08-21

.prescFibesea big dose Of free trade
70 set everything right that be
thinks Is the matter with the Ameri-
can people.
Is the School Day Too long?
Writing inione Of the lead .ng mag
azines. an eminent educator declares
that the long school day is not nee
easary tor the end desired and that
this had been shown both by ex-
pertinent and:;.by accidental circums
stances. AS an Interesting example
in the latter case, he cited the in
yestigatioH Of awell known author
ity in child hygiene in 1903 when it
happened that many thousands of
children in New YorR City had to be
restricted to half day attendance
because Of the overcrowded c6ndi-
tons of the schools. He made a
careful study of the progress made
by these pupils and was forced to
the conclusion that in. New York
under the conditions then existing,
a half day was productive of better
results than a whole day. \
Under the conditions that exist
in great many of our public
schools their pupils would doubtless
progress more rapidly were the
period Of study shortenea to half a
day; and in other instances more
satisfactory advancement could be
obtained II the .currlcula was short
ened and great deal Of unnecessary
work eliminated. i IN any event.
there is a growing popular suspics
ion that more time is taken up by
the average school pupTs tEan the
results of his continued attendance
justify. Much OF the time is wasted,
practically thrown away. because OF
too long continued study and recita-
tion in certain branches, which IA
t!gues the child, dulls his mind and
tends to make his work distasteful.
If this holds good in the ordinary,
school work day, how much more
senseless and well night criminal
is the practice, which obtains in a
large number of schools throughout
the. country most likely a majority,
of keeping the child in after the!
regular school hour because he has
not made an average progress Ia
some studies of the day or as pun
ishment for some iinfractlon of the
dicipllnary regulations. Discipline
must be maintained. OF course, but
there are more ways than this barz
barous one of imprisoning the child
and helping to crush his spirit. The.
trouble with many young folk is
that their spirits are hopeless
ly crushed before they have the
opportunity Of applying their tal4
ents or aptitudes. Children should
derive some, pleasure from their
work at school and not look upon,
the institution as sort of penttenti4
airy. which, alas, too many of them
do.
Another senseless custom that is
followed in many schools and one
that represents the opposite extreme
of what the eminent educator men
toned advocates in the half day
school, is the enforced. continuance
of school studies by the: pupil in the
evening at home. Every pupil who
is thus compelled to carry his school
studies with him during practically
all his waking hours is a. walking
exhibit of the inefticiency Of his
school. An honored maxim OF the
ages warns us that. all work and no
recreation makes Jack dun boy,
and modern scientists. .corroborate
the soundness of the proposition,
There is something wrong with the
school system that cannot properly
prepare the child In the too fong
school day that now generally OBJ
tains.
Such practices as these are caus-
ing a popular suspicion that public
schools as a rule are inefficient and
unless there is some noticeable Inn
provement in regard to them, public
sentiment will in the not distant fu-
ture bring about revolution OF the
system of public school teaching.
which may result in the adoption
of the half day period of school
work.