Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-23
End of Homework
By Children Favored

To the Editor Of The Star:
Assist. Supt. Stephen D. Kramer's
proposal to do away entirely with home
study by children of the public schools.
as in recent issue of The Star. was
avidly read by me-a product Of the
public schools here In looking back
through the long vista of years to nv
own school days ia long, long look. but
not too long to dim the horror of the
night lessons in those days. 1 heartily
agree with Mr.. Kramer in his proposal
to lift this burden from the children.
Realizing early in life my own limi-
tationS and that my place would. most
likely, forever remain among the also
rams (for to but few is given the mental
ability to start confiagration that will
set the Thames af1re), I decided to
take matters into my own hands, and
SO studied, or rather read, the subjects
in which I was most interested and
which came more easily to me.
Very we'll do I remember, and with
what childish envy, at that time the
children who could sit for hours of an
evening at home and memorize their
lessons to be SO glibly and parrotlike
ratified of the following day-but per-
hapS week later what different story!
1Nt q ICdIl. IdIlhy wy. Twice 700 large
for his chair and desk, whose recita-
ton card was so filled with dots signi-
flying total failures in recitations, at
last was given up by the teacher as
hopeless, and so he spent his time, In
moleSted, gazing out of the window or
perhaps into the future. On ole occa-
sion something came up in school about
cylinders and no one could answer but
Ed. and he knew aplenty. That day he
simply shone with glory. Later in life
Ed was employed in EdiSon's 1abOra-
tories and has far surpassed all of those
parrotlike youngsters who studied sc
we'll
Then. too, I well remember the shock
I sustained on reporting for work the
first day There I found two of our
schoolday prodigies just clerks like my
self. My chief asked me to take in
shorthand letter (which 1 after yard
learned was his test of fitness for the
work. and in this letter he used such
phrases as warming the cookies of my
heart; Napoleon meeting his Water
loo; picking up his LareS and PenateS'
and many others, all of which I took
and afterward typed.
When l returned the typed letter to
my chief he asked me il 1 understood
the letter, and upon my affirmative
reply he said, We'll, thought so from
the way you took it without batting
an eyelash. Do you know I have had
10 young women here before you who
did not know what I was talking about
and had to stop to ask over" Well,
got the job and held it for many years.
All Of which is merely to uphold Mr..
Kramer's opinion that we may obtain
working knowledge of life and its
duties by reading and without this
burdenSome night study By children
have several friends with children of
school age and have been present OH
the occasion Of many a battle between
the parents and children over the hight
study, the children being too weary to
do those lessons A day is long time
to child and is crowded every minute
with action. so no wonder i'll the eve
ming the brain closes down and refuses
to take up this task imposed upon it.
The earth produces coal, copper, salt,
iron and other minerals. but you can
not mine salt from a coal nine, nor
can we obtain blood from a turnip.
but we can get a perfectly delectable
dish of mashed turnips from turnipS
So with our brains. One can do this,
another that, but we cannon all dc
equally well in all studies, and thi:
should be taken more into consicera-
ton in dealing with the education OF
children
No one pattern for study will fit all
Some have receptive brains for this
some for that. and what IS the bette
noir to one Is honey to another and
we all know that no one is better of
nor happier than he who does the WORK
he loves-so help the school children
to find that work.
HARRIET B. PAGAN.