The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-18
WANT COURSE
MADE SIMPLER
Teachers Tell Of Confusing
Effect on Young
Children.
SAY MINDS ARE sTuMTED
children Make Slow Progress,
and Are Eager TO Leave
School.
SAY MINDS ARE sTUMTED

Ihat II is the earnest view OF many
Df the primary teachers that the course
Srescribe6 III the primary grades Is too
hard was brought out before the spe-
clai committee on investigation OF the
public schools last night, the NEST con
S!hcihs evidence yet presented being
that OF Miss Cornelia s. Taylor u
1eacher OF thirtythrec years expert
ence. who expressed the opinl1n that
1he diversified course in the first few
years tended 10 stunt the ch.ldren's
powers of concentration, the result be-
Ing that the children make no visible
progress. become dissatisiied and leave
school at the earliest opportunity.
The session was long and at times
very tedious. nearly all of the testi-
Wony being cumulative and all hear
Ing on the first fonr years OF school
life.
Miss c"hn Trstincs.
Miss Hannah Cohn sister Of super
sntendent Of Street Cleaning Henry
Tohn, was the first witness She teach
YES IN the third year grades at Madsory
School. and was OF opinion that the
arithmetic course is too hard, tho chill
drsn being too small for that work.
They came to her from the lower
grades. che said. knowing practically
nothing osyond the simplest addition.
There was not sufficient time given
for writing. though tho time was suffi-
rient for spelling. reading, history and
geography. in her opinion She thought
all manual training should be omitted.
stnce 1t did not tend to aid children to
choose a vocation. She thought music
OF little value and would abolish the
physical exercises prescribed in the
course.
Mis-. corne,ia s. Taylor. teacher
OF the a and 70 grades a John
Smith School. followed reading from
prepared statement a. TO her eX-
perience. There was period pro-
vided for spelling. and the writing was
not properly supervised. The manual
training. she considered the great
est brain strain in her grade
The children being supposed to make
articles far beyond their capacity. and
as a result become discouraged ana
either depend on the teacher for sam
liar aid In all work or form n dislike
10 school work throughout Present
conditions. she said. were not OF re-
cent introduction. but ware the result,
or the gradual addition to the course
Inc powers Of concentration OF the
liu1il has been stunted and the work
- FAR bclow what It once was the
children being taught so many things
'hat their minds become confused ana
ihcy know nothing
Want. Course simpiihcd.
she would not favor elimination OF
manual training from the schools, but
It's snniiAca,lon and possible elImina
ton from the primary grades. she
did not object TO brisk physical cNcr-
ciscs at intervals, but did object to
games in tile school room as giving Il
frivolous idea to the child of it's auys
work in school
Miss cornelia Adair. a teacher in,
the third primary grade at Eibb
sahool speaking ior al! Of the teach
crs Of nvr grade who had held
me%ting recently. protested against,
tile Arithmetic course as having cx-
ampes too hard for children OF that
hgc The time devoted TO reading wa
sufficient, but the teachers attributed
the poor writing to the great amount
OF desk work unsuperviscd Inc
smelling course was also held to be
TOO long and TOO hard. The music
course, IL was commended should be
Eimpiiacd and given less tirnc. There
was no objection to simple physical
exercises, save that tho time allotment
is excessive Manual training was
held 10 be distinctly detrimental, con-
Ius!ng and discouragins TO the chm
dren. resulting in a reaction on all
other school work
The committee rose to meet next
"Wednesday night.