The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-02-27
WHY NOT A DOUBLE SESSION DAY?


copy of which is soon to be mailed to the parents
of each child enrolled in the city schools, to deter
mine Just how the majority of the people affected
feel about the adoption of the double session day
in both the graded and high schools next session.
Such daily session is practically universal in
the Northern, Central and Western States already,
and is being rapidly introduced into the Southern
States. AS we see it the only possible argument
against the adoption of such session in the South
lis the climate, which is bit uncomfortably warm
the first six weeks of the session and probably the
last four. But as to that argument aren't most OF
the children in the practically all of the after
moons when the weather is warm?
-, Under the new plan, the schools will be in ses-
sion from to 1890 o'lcock. Then there will be
dinner hour given teacher and pupil from IL or
1890 to 1 or / 80 o'clock. There will then be an
afternoon session of the schools from or 80 to
or 4:30 o'clock. ..,i.
Some advantages of the plan are:
1. 1t will break the daily school session into
two shorter periods admitting of more intensive
work when the children are at school and elimi-
mating the long stretch between breakfast and din
ner of the present arrangement.
g. 1t will permit Of the introduction Of new sub
jects into the curriculum thus giving a more diver
sifed course.
g. It will permit of more thorough teaching of
the regular subjects now in the curriculum.
A. 1t will give the teacher opportunity to do
more teaching. At present her time in many cases
is largely taken up simply in hearing lessons. Lis
ten to what one poor overworked mother has to say
of the present system
"I have four little girls attending your schools.
am up at five o'clock in the morning to get them
off to school and to get myself off to work. 1t is
six o'clock in the evening when reach home again,
pretty well worn out and after we have had dinner
and have tidied up the house bit it is eight
o'clock. Then tired as I am, sit down and teach
the little girls the lessons your teachers will hear
them say over on the following day. Now, if it is
all the same to you, it would be great help and
favor to me if you will have your teachers teach the
lessons during the day, and then all would have
to do at night would be to hear them say them
over"
s. 1t will give the teachers an opportunity to
train the pupils how to study and to assist them in
studying Actual experiment has shown that prob
ably the majority of children have very little idea
how to attack their school tasks, and when left
without guidance waste great deal of time
6. 1t will eliminate to a considerable degree
home study and the task which so many parents
face in trying to teach their children at home. A
certain amount of home study, especially for the
older children is necessary and should be assigned
These children however, should be taught in school
how to study the work assigned for home study and
should not be obliged to call their parents for
help. pupil who is earnest but slow would be as
sisted, and lazy pupil would be obliged to do at
least a minimum amount of work in school,
7. The school buildings embracing a plant
valued at $4,000 used only four or
five hours per day for 1870 days in the year. Allow
ing the school plant to be idle and unoccupied for
so great majority of the hours and days of the
year is unbusinesslike and uneconomical.
Under the single session plan at present, prac-
ticaly every minute is given recitation. No teach
ing can be done as it should be done. 1t is fault
of the SYSTEM not of the teacher, pupil or parent.
We attempting the impossible when attempt
to do full days work between the hours of nine
and two longer day greatly increases the amount
of work done, and at the same time must meet with
the approval of every business in the
munity. The teachers task should not be to find
out how much pupil has learned from home study
but it should be to intellgently impart wisdom to
him whether by project teaching or otherwise.
Some people will Immediately say. 81 just can't
be giving dinner at all hours of the day. Mr.
doesn't come home for his dinner until two o'clock
and am sure he is going to have hot dinner You
school teachers always trying out fads just
to see how much trouble you give us mothers"
1t is no fad at all. great many of the faith