The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-04

The omen air classes sn Richmond
Public schools are strong factors In
support of The statement made at this
opening OF the present school session
thar Richmond has the finest cubic
school system y the South a visit
To any one @. he open air classes.
There fifteen Ia all, eleven white and
four colored. Is 10 give oneself an edu-
cstionai treat We visited the open
air classes this past week TO fiud
out what they really were. what they
accom- plished, ard how they we're CON
ducted. In short. we had seen IL
lustretions 81 suc-0 classes IN Nothern
schools and Ne wanted TO ffnG ont II
our schools we're really Ike these
pictures
We started in ignorace, but ws re
turned. net only well informed but
delighted with the opcr air clSsses and
ready TO play "posslm' and be taken
in 10 one OF them ourselves and we
were ready to echo The statement of
the school board that Richmond
schools are the finest in the South
II you don't know about these schools
follow os for the next few m.ntaes anu
We will tell Won what we saw.
Sleeping On Open Roof.
!. We took the classes Unawares and
a. the first school, Springfield, we
caught them mapping Forty little
folks. we coaidn't tell whether they
were boys or girls they were SO tightly
wrapped IA blankets and stocking caps,
lay fast asleep On cots on the open
roof. II WIS rest hour This period
of sleep follows a hot dinner served
by the ,eacnAs with the pupi,s' as
sistsnce. After dinner the dishes are
all sterilized by monitors" and the
cots ere taken from their lockers,
unfalcsd. and the little folks curl Up
for an hour OF dreams. II was cold
day. While they slept we examined
the two rooms built on the roof with
three sides entirely OF open windows.
Here the pupils USE broad armed
chairs with he0'e bags Red to the
sides for class work Those can %
moved out of the way when the cots
are In use. During classes the chii-
dren sit in group about the teacher
instead Of exact rows rs in other
schools. At Springfield school there
rsre two Cfass@s, one Offering 5-t, 8 Y
and Az work, and the other Ga and
6B work. Last year, pupils were sent
from Springfield open air class to the
John Marshall High school
While examining thu little Kitchen
where dinners are cooked we received
RBG bJlApWBDE interesting lI}DTfH&ElDE
from two teachers who. with the open
air tea cheers In other schools have been
chosen for the work because they are
the most competent
The attendance in open air classes
is far better than in any other classes
in the city. In most instances the at
tendance shows 90 per cent FOR weeks
in succession. The per cent OF promo
ftons always equals and generally Is
higher than In classes in other schools
In many instances children In the open
air classes have nude TWO grades in
a term teehanHa 4 be teacher has the
douhle grades and the chlldtn have
beef founf ~ DO better and more eff
dcient work under open air conditions.
Individual Attention Given.
There are only twenty children al
lowed TO class and this gives each
child more individual attention. Two
or more classes. conducted In the Same
room, throws the ehild upon his own
resources for ii time and he learns 10
take the initiative
The children live more like real
people DO, here. said one OF the
teachers. They are more AT ease and
II ~ are not held 20 strict rputines -
The teachers report that The conduct
of the pupils is excellent 80 ques-
ton of discipline ever coIfronts the
teacher because the children enjoy
the work and appreciate their liberties.
This Is not because the children are
different but because they live I'M
der The better conditions.
The samG- Courses- Of Htndy arc
pursued in the open air classes as in
he regular schools bat drawlns
manual training and must. arc omit
ea and this time is given 10 the care
~ the health. In several respects the
open air classes are similar to the
old fashioned one-ropm school house
oniy a story TO the present generation.
Why ara there open all classes
Children whose health will not permit
Indoor study and children who are re-
ported IN "a weak condition By the
fea hers, are examined by "a visiting
nurse. Miss ENafeth Ryiand, who &C.
votes al OF her time TO these Glasses.
and D.. Ennet. the general medical
director OF the schools. and II the
sanitation shows the child physically
0nat for regular classroom work he
" sent TO the nearest open air class
feschinE his grade. All grades in the
Jr the other Of the open air schools
The chiid's record is carefully kept
he entire time by the teacher. His
temperature and blood pressure is
taken each morning al each week he
is weighed. Children have frequently
gained two pounds a week IN weight
and since the beginning of the preasnt
term leArg number have been =
ported four pounds heavier than when
they entered. only In exceptional
eases hRve children failed to gain
in weight and usually after one SEES
sion in an open air class chNd Is
ready TO return 10 the regular school.
Cleanliness II emphasized In these
children, some in coats and hats,
others using their blankets and heavy
weight. stocking cap, and a pair
OF heavy felt sleeping boots