Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-03

J and Greek twhen they have studi,
Greek at alb and a like amount Of
French or German. If better advanced
+! in the languages. II is at cost OF
F. proportionatc loss elsewhere. 1t is of
| boys OF college age have done two
I years more work than Americans.
/ URGES NINE Full MONTHS
AND uNKEDGCf:D DAY
7 Al the arGumcn, dcducible from tho
/ facts presented being in favor OF a
: fun session aud 81 fun day. AN efficient
| school. having in charge the working;
| character and equipment of these boys.
must adhere to Il working year OF nine
fun months and an Introduced work
ing day.
With regard to physical health
(Which must be carefully Cuarded). it
seems enough TO say that the Army Of
Northern Virginia. with it's powers OF
endurance. it's will to charge home and
finish the work assigned il. came pour
ing on, Of tho hard worked ten months
schools.
return TO tn. cNp"dicuts which AL
low release from school after the last
recitation, or after school before de-
tention work is done. Many years of
experience have proved that, for us.
10 prepare a boy for college or for life
requiring now more education than
ever before), we must give him enough
lessons "a require FOR study and recita-
tjon all that We have called ~ day,
work.
The average school boy requires tho
stimulus az the presence of the teacher.
and often his help. one in twenty can.
to q certain extent dispense with these
aids; vet he needs all the time. At
whatever early hour his last recita-
rior" may release him. the time lost
no s',,,r.h . veil
he done in the afternoon: ofteuer at
night when il cannot bc without risk
10 health. For tho remaining nineteen.
/ some Of whom miss lessons and make
disorder" and yo; may go home at a
set hour after o'clock. leaving their
| a school VIII. in our Judgment. turn
| their thoughts from their work and
| its compilation. to the act and hour Of
release. For lessons missed. and there
| fore moro than others needing 10 be
tested. only the hlndest optimism can
! heliavc that idle boys. and there are
! such boys. will do more than tri1e with
the work and wait for the release bell
to RING. Who can hone that such boys
| will fail TO learn. and that for life.
, the ruinous lesson that 1t is not neces-
| sary 10 complete any work II is A
Erievous thing 20 idea and a
! practice so pregnant with evil intro
ducnd into tho school life Of the state
, VI Nirc mia.
| PLAN or .E0RMS''
I or "GRApES" SCORED
! am unwilling 10 close this paper
without some reference TO the harmful
system OF forms or grades in late
ears so generally adopted by private
/ preparatory schools in Virginia. This
/ system. one OF tho many unavoidable
/ 1efcCts Of tho too numerously attend
/ Cd public schools, seems destined 70
come into practically universal use.
! Formulac Of organization or etiuca
! tion are helpful in systcma tizinc
school work, hut they must always
.icld 70 the principles that ought to
q. at the foundation. II is not to be
| expected that pupils in preparatory
! :choo! can with fairness he made 20
! conform to any mechanical arrange
! ment Of studies. The schedule OF tho
! sessions work should not he an ar
! rangcmcnt OF forms into which boys
arc To he forced. but. at whatever cost
] If labor 10 principal and assistants
should he made M after, and only af-
f. Ter. each hoy has been examined and
mas been assigned his proper work in
each subject separately and indcpen-
dcutlv Of other subjects. TIL. just
method must be To make the school
from the Individual, not To TT the in.
/ dividuai To the Scnool
have been glad 10 he given this
F., opportunity 10 protest against plans
that, IN my Judgment care for the
| exceptional student. with risk in his
! case. but Cnorc the average, tho
/ idle boy, OF even the Ounce OF tho
I school" who needs more than any
I other that VIC shall and has come "a
/ us under contract that VIC will, by eN-
/ ample and prcceDt, teach him thr
: great lesson OF thoroughness--the no!
, whose whole future may depend upon
. our doing our duty faithfully. i, may
hc through hardness for us all, and sc
life