Newark post., 1915-09-08

ginning-so the song runs in the
school world. Children who Jagged
behind their class last term, come
braced with resolutions to study
hard" this year; teachers refresh
ed by weeks of rest and study, re-
turn to their work with a happier
outlook and broader ideals; par
ents work, hope, and plan, to help
everyone concerned.
The following paper on Home
Study, written and read by Miss
E. Frances Medill, teacher of
Seventh Grade, at the April meet
ing of the Newark Parent-Teach-
ers' Association, seems especially
pertinent at this the opening Of
the school year.
HOME STUDY
To prepare paper on home
study, | had thought to quote ex-
tensively from the ideas of great
educators upon the subject and
then to state, briefly, my own
views, but, upon consulting the
works of those who are considered
leaders of modern educational
thought, l found the subject evad-
ed, in fact, almost entirely ig-
nOred.
Much, very much, is said about
school study, the duties of the
teachers with respect thereto but
very little about home study and
the dities of parents. Yet we know
that when the heart of the home,
is in league with the school, it is
we'll with the child.
In these days when ardent re-
formers would Danish books from
the schools, teach all subjects or
ally, introduce all the arts and
trades, and teach children to make
things, it is we'll to remember that
written language preserved in
parchments and books and scat
tered abroad by means of pen and
printing press, is still the greatest
force in our civilization and the
most precious product of mans
thought.
It is a tremendous fact, and a
fact that may justly cause appre-
hension, that 40 per cent of the
children in this country, where
education is such a universal pas
sion, never get beyond the fourth
grade of our schools and go out
into life with almost no training
in the use of books, deprived OF
the means of selfculture and capa
BILE of reading only the sensational
newspapers and the trashiest kline
of literature.
AS a result of this fact, the
Board of superintendent of New
York City, recommends that pri
mary children be required to study
one hour out of school. Poor lit
tie children of New York City
whether of middle class families
or "Children of the Slums"!
| do not feel that can speal
with authority upon primar,
teaching as my experience is con
fined to ungraded schools.
In Delaware rural schools o
seven or eight grades, the "littl
folks" are the pathetic victims o
a defective school system. TIL
teacher has only few minutes o
each day to give to their training
no apparatus is provided excep
what she may buy from out he
meager salary, the hours are long
the benches are hard, and tn
ventilation is bad. | fear if yo
were to inquire of the parents o
myprimary pupils as to my quail
fcations, the answer would b
something like the following: "Ol
she didn't teach them anything
They were out in the yard playin
all the time except when it raine
and then she let them draw pit
lures and scribble on the blacl
board" 1t is true, but, at lea'
they were as happy as | coul
make them, in spite of an ant
quated school system.
By all means, let us respect TT
happiness of little childre
Cheerfulness-joyousness-the a
mosphere of love and well-ordere
liberty; these things make tt
heaven in which little child live
and in which all that is graciol
and beautiful in his charact'
thrives the best.
There is scarcely great dinn
where the most prominent men
our country gather, that some OF
does not refer, either by word
allusion, to the "little red schoc
house,; and the successful bus
ness man, or the great politicia
or the railroad president who h