The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-25

subjects taught and a more thorough and
scientific instruction in them. This Is
probably all right, but the learned com
mittee does not lay any stress upon the
need OF intensive study by the pupil or
the shortness of the school year. and yet
this to me IL the vital point.
THE American school year has about
goo to 1000 school hours. about 1876 to
zoo school days I'm the year and the
length OF the school day Is fve hours
The German school year IL 1.400 hours
600 hours morc), the school days are
21O and the school days per week are
five and one-half to six. The same Is
true In France and England. This short
school year in the elementary and pub
lie schools is still shorter In most
secondary schools. In these the school
year Is hardly more than $50 days and
the boys In the secondary schools. so far
as can ind. really study less than half
OF the 1896 DAYS
The European boy at the age of 10
liz taken and made to work steadily and
intensively. The American boy can do
1t II he chooses. but he is under no com
puision; hence retardation, lack of inter
est supertciality.
How has this been brought about 4?
| believe with Prof. Perkins that IL Is
largely because the American schoolboy
Is trained IA n very tender plant. He Is
not allowed to work more than Ave days
in the week and not over four or 1--WE
hours each day. He is not allowed UNI
less he IL behind to work during vacn-
tons and at the slightest indiposition he
is put to bed. There is sort OF sickly
sentlmentality toward the growing boy
on the part of the American parents
Good morning. mother SAYS the
grouchy youth. What | can do for you.
my darling says the mother. This at
ctude OF anxious caress IL kept up
toward the boy during all his growing
and educational years. The idea is
prevalent that study is dangerous thing
10 furnish to boy. that hard mental
work should he given to him only under
the most careful conditions and should be
taken from him at the least excuse.
II understand that there Is a town I'm
massachusetts where on rainy days the
school bell rings and the children are in
formed thereby that they need not go to
school
Now az matter OF fact this idea is
absolutely wrong mental work Is not only
healthful for a growing child but IL is
absolutely beneficial and there liz nothing
so important for him as to be imp, He'd 10
do hard work and To finish thoroughly "A
given task. II he works with the idea
that the minute the sensation of enuui
comes upon him he should stop his work
will never be thorough or effective or
course | assume he is working wisely
THE brain Is the best protected organ
OF the body. 1t is enclosed In "A solid
case which resists the ordinary raps
and bumps Of the world. This organ and
all Of it, tissues rest for one-third of the
day. while all OF the other organs. even
the muscles. are doing something every
hour. IL receives more blood per cubic
centimeter than any other organ. As
II Is protected anatom!cal.y 10y its hard
case 1t Is also protected physiologcally
by the sense 81 ennui and the feeling Of
fatigue and the absolute refusal to vorl,
when ii is tired. 1t is an organ which
more than any other responds to exercise
and training and has within IL more
potentiailties OF development than any
other tissue.
There pervades theory OF education
70 the effect that the child ~ must
not work more than two to two and d
hours. Of 10 perhaps I'VE hours and oi
10 never more than eight houts. This
view grew up, ! presume, through some
abuses Of overtraining the children. hu,
/ these abuses have been largely due t.
the fact that children are made to study
under bad hyglenlc conditions both in
school and AZ home.
Given a healthy child working and
| living In proper surroundings. there is
really no limit to the mental work which
can bc got from him Icy judcous peda
| goggles. NOntcSsori
The European idea is that after the