Evening star., 1926-06-18
Ex.Teacher Opposes
Longer School Hours
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
would like TO express apprecia
tion of the very fair editorial in The
Star paper Of June 10 relating TO
the proposed lengthening OF school
hours.
would like also. In n perfectly
friendly spirit. to express my dis
Fries article pertaining thereto In
your paper Of the 18th.
"To ask the Board Of Educa tion
and the teaching corps to keep the
child under proper supervision and
teach 1t patriotism and love OF
country, as well as the A B Cs.
until such time when the parents
get home might foster bolshevism.
rather than love of country and
patriotism among the school chill
drep. And wouldn't this be equiva-
lent to saving to the teachers. through
the board. Keep our children in
school until they have prepared their
lessons for the next day--you will
be doing something we cannot do.
and we cordially thank you'"?
l have been teacher In the Dis
trict schools. And after having
taught a number Of years and had
the struggle that teschers have al
some pupils to get them to apply
themselves and acquire an educa-
ton, l resigned from the day schools
to do Government work and for q
time did night work In the schools
in the foreign class work. Standing,
doing monitors duty as the lines
came in and departed, 1t was no in
frequent thing to recognize in these
lines many of the pupils who had
needed urging in the past. They had
been out into the world. had found
for themselves how little they could
do without the despised education
and were back in the night schools
where their teachers told me they
were pathetically willing and anxious
10 absorb all they could. SO. per-
haps IL these students who are not
interested to prepare their home
work were to be Withdrawn from
school by their parents and put to
work to hnd out for themselves how
important that education IL. 1t would
not be necessary to lengthen school
hours and take away the Saturday
freedom for the studious. interested
pupil as well as those not sum-
ciently interested.
When teaching in the primary
schools, which were half day schools
for lack OF space and room. / fire.
quently wished that these schools
might have a full session SO that
/ would not have to cram the chill
dren with q very full course of study.
Then we teachers would say among
ourselves, But what would be the
use Of that! IL that day ever comes
the course OF study will be added
to and there would be no more time"
And since becoming q home maker
and a mother I have sometimes
sighed and said. Oh. II I just had
two pairs of hands!-only to have
given two pairs of hands there
would be work for two instead of
for one
1 have something of that feeling
when I contemplate the possible
lengthening of school hours. VIII
1T not be natural with the increased
hours for the course Of study to be
added to and no more time be left
for home study than now? Teachers
have said to me since / have been
out of the schools, IF they would
only let us teach! But it's hand over
the school to q teacher of musical
appreciation hand over the class to
to a special nature study teacher,
hand over the school to special in
telligence tests. excuse pupils for a
nutrition clinic" all perfectly splen-
did things to have, but how they do
encroach upon the time that mighs
be devoted to teaching the elemen-
tary things. at least in the primary
grades. Couldn't the pruning knife
be used on the course of study and
some time be saved from the pres
ent hours for the preparation Of
homework
ELSIE VANSANT GARFIELD.