Evening star., 1936-07-11
Let Child
DropStudy
In Summer
Complete ChangeBes
for Backward
Pupil.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

."CHARLES has failed in two sub
jects. The teacher suggested
that he study all Summer and take
examinations when he returns to
school in the Fall. The boy does not
seem to be well. He eats little. sleeps
restlessly, doesn't seem interested in
anything much We thought that a
vacation on the farm where he likes
to be might help him Should he stay
in town and study? Or what?"
Summer study is a matter that must
be settled for each pupil. Some chill
dren certainly benefit by it. Some do
not. 1t all depends upon the child
and his situation in relation to school
work. If the child is an adolescent
who has slowed down because of the
stress of his growth. then drop school,
forget 1t. and let the child go free.
He will return in good shape, and in
q better attitude toward work.
The slow child who has been prod
ded and nagged and pushed along to
keep up with his class, needs to rest
I know that the teacher was anxious
about his being promoted. know that
she said, IF he works hard, if he does
not slip back during vacation, maybe
he can keep up. But he must work
hard" But how does the child feel?
II you have a certain failing, one
that handicaps you, how would you
like to be kept at it and at it day in
and day out, in spite of daily failures
and hourly tears? How would you like
to be told, "Of course. you must dc
as well as John. He works hard and
never misses" when you know that
you work harder than John and are
forever missing. That is the way the
slow child feels about being driven to
keep up. He must have rest or rebel
Let TIE slow child rest.
Rest does not mean idleness here
There are things that children like to
do, each according to his nature
Usually the slow child Of the school
room likes to work with some mate
rials. Likes to be active. Encourage
him to be active, to take up some work
and see it through to its end. Praise
him and encourage him for this and
say nothing about school work. Lei
that rest until school opens again and
you will find that he does as well, OF
better than if he had been working
daily with his books. Doing sell
elected work stimulates the intelli-
gence.
The quick pupil wants to make an
extra grade. If his school life is linn
tied, If his time is curtailed, let him
do as he wishes. These days there is
less hurry than ever for children tc
get out of school. But If there are
exceptional children, and there are
they should be allowed to go to Sum-
mer school and take the subjects they
need. For many such children Sum-
mer school work Is necessary and
helpful, but they should have GER
tain time for play, too. Play is as
much needed as study because health
and growth are the first necessities OF
childhood.
The best Summer school for all chill
dren is the woods and the shore and
the open road. A child does not stop
learning, growing. developing because
he skips his books for brief space
What he needs Is change of work,
change Of environment, change Of
teachers. hope that the day is near
when it viii be possible for every child
of school age to 60 to Summer school
in the open and learn at their
mothers knee"
(Ccpyright. 1850