Evening star., 1926-06-14
Reason for Six Days of
Schooling Clearly Stated

| 10 the Editor of The star:
| saw n statement recently to the
effect that under the present school
| system all but the deficient children
| learned, or words to that effect. As
the Kentucky mountaineer replied to
! the preacher who asked In loud
I voice, "WhO Is 1t who called the plan
| player darned fOol?" the question
( Is not who called the piano player a
darned fool, but who called the dsrned
| fool a piano player?
1t is not a question Of whether or
! not the brightest or poorest children
learn Abrah ham Lincoln learned with
practically no teaching except that Of
! his mother and stepmother hut Goa
Almighty has made but one Lincoln
| in the $50 years Of our national ex-
| Isl stence
The funda mental basis Of our
schools is to give to every child. rich
or poor alike, equal opportunity for
an education such as can be given
il in the time available without injury
to it's health. II Is not question
of whether or not the children learn.
1t In "A question as to who is sofng
to do the teaching. the parents or the
| teachers. 1t Is u question OF whether
| Or not the children shall pore long
hours at night over books without ala
or instruction in candle light, gas
light or electric light, in poorly heat
ed and ventilated rooms, instead OF
studying in Gods own sunlight. in
fresh air in well lighted rooms under
able instruction. 1t is question OF
whether our children's eyesight is 10
be ruined by night work instead OF
day work.
If any one questions this statement
let him examine the records OF the
Boa rd Of Education for the year 1879.
There IL is shown that out OF 2.6l4
kinderga rten and rst.srsde pupils
examined, only Il2 per cent had de
t1cient eyeslght When 52.2lI puplis
Of all grades were examined Alb per
cent were found with defective vision.
In other words, Ia an average Of per
haps rve years In school, defective
-yesight has Increased nearly 500 per
cent. l have yet to find any doctor
who says that artificial light IL as
good as daylight for studying.
1t would be a sad commentary on
tea chers and methods OF teaching IT
the child can learn az fast alone AT
night under the intermittent super
vision of parents and older children
as II can in the daytime under the
able instruction of good teachers.
1t is a. question Of whether we are
going to build magnificent monuments
of stone and brick as examples OF the
Deserted Village. used less than .
hours out Of each "a, or whether we
are going to use them as bulldinss 10
inspire the youth Of our land Tor
learning character and other essen
tials Of modern civilization.
There is a moral side TO this. Ihe
high school children Of Washlngton
are turned out at $50 O'Clock in the
afternoon. whom the average parent Is
exceedingly busy ~ work and away
from home. During the afternoon
there is an invitation always stand
ing for groups to get into trouble. joy
riding, cheap moving pictures and the
like. A prominent member OF the
school boa rd said that he did not De.
lieve In wet nursing the children
and that character should be taught
at home. That is perfectly true
character IL taught at home or not
taught at all. The schools shouid De
an aid and not a detriment. however.
Why shouldn't the school keep the
child under proper supervision ana
teach 1t patriotism and love or coun-
try. as well as the A B C's. until such
time when the parent gets home! Inc
child leaving for home at 4:SO Will
arrive at approximately the same
time as the parent. and the parent
will have some chance for. super
vision over it, The old ada&e that
the devil will always find some work
for idle hands still holds GOOD. l 40
not recall reading Of any Leopoids or
I.oebs among poor boys VINO mao 10
work every day in the week. includlng
Saturdays, and perhaps part or sun
day.
have been a little misrepresented
in what | have said in regard TO Sat
urdav work What / have said IL
that. il necessary. to cut ont all night
work. I would be glad to see my
children go to school until noon sat
,,rdav. Now. L happen to know
little about Saturday study. The
United States Military Academy at
West Point has school six days
week from until l and from TO
every week day except SATURDAY. ana
on Saturday from s until !. Recita.
tions in mathematics and certain or
the more difYlcult subjects take up an
hour and a half. There are generally
only 10 to Is boys in each class. In
the hour and a half for study the
teacher has a char nee to find out what
each one doesn't know. There IS
much more supervision and lnstruc-
ton given to those quite mature
Young men than Is being given to our
immature high school boys and girls
Again. the West Point Cadet is re-
auired 10 be in bed at 10 o'clock.
He must be in his room for study at
s O'Clock. Since he must get ready for
bed before going, we can inquire the
West Point Cadet as limited to an
hour and three quarters for night
work. unless he steals some of his
playtime for that purpose. The West
Point Cadets. when they graduate. are
In an extremely heslthful condition.
If eight hours sleep is so necessary to
them and II long hours of study in
the day. including Saturdays. with so
little night work. is valuable to these
mature men, how much more valu-
able must It be to onr gra mmar and
high school children to preserve their
eyesight, their general health and
their nerves, besides giving them a
chance for supervised day study.
thereby learning faster and better
than they can in unsupervised night
study? AMOS A. FRIES,
Major General.