Evening star., 1936-04-01
Concerning
Hard School
Assignments
To Force Students
Progress Beyond
Years UnWise.
Prom q Washington Shop.
RY ANGELO PATRI.

ID h.NoGAo n
HIGH SCHOOLS are not blameless
in the matter Of homework.
There is often too much of it, and
there are teachers who thoughtlessly
assign more work than can possibly
be accomplished. Il think each stu
dent should put in at least one hour
on my subject" said one instructor.
Now, If there are four subjects for
that night, and often there are, this
would mean four hours Of work. II
the child began at 7 he must continue
to II without a break Impossible! !!
There is a way of limiting and CO.
ordinating lessons, and it ought to be
observed.
There are other factors involved in
his home study besides the heavy as
signments. During the past 10 years
We have been sending young chill
dren into high school. some as young
as IL years. Now. some 12-year- -olds
are ready for high school, but only
some. Not many. The average high
school student is nearer II and Is.
This little, undeveloped 12-year-old
child is in competition with husky,
well-developed boys and girls of wider
experience, greater strength, heavier
weight, more mature ideas. Unless
he is an extraordinary child he IS in
a bad place.
These children show up toward the
close of the first term. They are un-
happy. They have to struggle hard
to keep up. Their work is too heavy
for them because their minds and
bodies have not matured or developed
to the stage where high school can pe
taken easily and with the proper
| freShman's nonchalance. These chill
dren cannot stay up evenings to dc
hours of homework. Their condition
of growth demands long hours of rest
School becomes a place Of strain and
fear, health breaks down and another
failure is recorded.
1t would help great deal II chill
dren were not speeded through the
elementary and junior schools. This
is not as simple as it sounds. There
are parents whose pride is aroused
when a child is pointed out as the
youngest ever graduated. Their child
can 60 that child one better and not
half try; and so they bring pressure
upon teachers and principals to have
their child speeded through the
grades. They give him extra work at
night, they engage teachers for Sat-
urdays and holidays and vacations.
At last they reap their reward. Their
child, IL years and months old. en-
tiers high school, youngest in his class.
Hurrah!
But the high school group will have
none of this infant. He fits in no.
where. No team wants him, no So
ciety invites him to Join. He is q
"kid" among the bearded goats and
must stand aside while they proudly
sharpen their horns for him. o.
course he cannot carry the heavy pro-
gram. He cannot stay up late nights
to study. School is just place where
he is obliged to 60 every morning
and from which he is obliged to 60
every afternoon. He Is bewildered
and distressed, and his parents are
no longer proud. They are stunned
and bewildered.
Give the children time. If they
are bright enough to "eat up" the
course in less time than their COM
panions, instead Of rushing them
ahead broaden the course for them.
enrich it, and let them take in more
and grow gracefully, leisurely, in power
and culture. Age Is never important.
Experience Is all-important and that
requires much time.