Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-23
HENRY J. GIDEON
On Daylight Saving

A PLEA for daylight saving and a wish
4 that it might be extended until later in
the year comes from Henry J. Gideon, di-
rector Of the Bureau Of Compulsory Educa-
ton. lie believes that the system is espe'
cialy beneficial to children.
1T gives the children an opportunity to
play one more hour while the sun is shining.
and every one will readily agree, he says,
"that daylight play is more desirable than
night play. Night play. you know. holds its
element of mischief Under cover of dark
ness there is more license. especially among
boys disturbances occur moro frequently at
night because escape is easier. Daylight acts
as a kind Of police. and the extra hour
diminishrs the hazard of mischief.
II am inclined to believe it would be
good thing t" extend the period The eve
nings are still light enough for us to hold
on to that extra hour Of sunlight or perhaps
| should say twilight. this month. ihcy ar"
attractive enough and warm enough for us
TO want 10 stay out of doors in our autos or
even on our own two feet.
Means Less Time Outdoors
''This week have that extra hour. but
quick as a VIM; next week the hour Is g"nr'
| must sit at my desk until it is really dark.
and then | no longer want to ride out INTO
the country or walk.
'"The change. the reaction comes with
sudden thud. have feeling that perhaps
IL might be better to hold on to our daylight
saving until it is too cold for US 10 want 10
get out
'Ccrtainly the children are in position
to react to the sudden change the same as
grownups do. 1t is rather sudden for them
This wecl-or last week, for school has
already bcgun--thcy have had two hours Or
So after dinner for play. Next week there
will likely as not be no hour for play after
dinnpr-cxcepting night play.
And the reaction is a little more sig
nifcant when you understand that next week
there is homework for the children to DO
'rhe fact that il is dark early may drive them
TO their books but they will miss the early
oycninr play u,It Of doors just MS adults will.
II think the reaction will not increase
willful truancy among school children Will
full truancy is negligible quantity anyway
hookey--wcrc the only problem attendance
officers have. We could greatly reduce our
forces.
"Thc work Of the attendance osiccr IS
largely devoted to enrolling children, who
have reached the age for school attendance
There are approximately 5000 children be-
tween the ages Of six and seven who have
never been in school that Is, Mt the begin
ming of each school year. They are children
whose mothers through procrastination
rather than anything else, fail to enroll them
when they nave T't'H'u 'Hclt SlH'H war
Two thousand Of these $4,000 must be put
in school because they have reached their
seventh year To enroll this vast number
keeps the large staff Of attendance officers
busy. am -.
visited each year in order to persuade per-
cnts to enroll them at some school rather
than let them waste one complete year. 1t is
certainly bctter for them to begin at six,
because then they will at least get seven
years required training, and they will have
tho opportunity 10 begin earning money
with complete elementary training and with
q saving Of on" full year.
There are only 5000 pupils each year
who over play truant. OF these only 500
nrcsent serious cases of habitual truancy.
When IL is considered that out of a com
nleto attendance of some 300, 900 but 800
nrc willful truants. il can be understood how
difficult it would be for attendance officers
to determine whether the reaction from day
LIGHT saving TO standard time increases trr-
onCy. The officers are mainly busy during
the month of September attempting to VISIT
100 900 pupils who for any number Of rea
sons including those concerning the $1,000
I mentioned before, are dilatOry about en- :
rolling for the opening of school.
Children Like School Work
"Dayight saving or not, schools do not
any longer offer hateful period to the
youngster. Schools are becoming so attrac
tive that it is only the unusual child who
hates to go. In other words. the drawing
power Of our public schools, with their