Evening star., 1937-09-12
Mental Condition of
School Pupils
BY FREDERIC J. HASKTN.

DetlcT tedCner tndn Any OF MS masters
and went to live alone on the Breton
seacoast, his whereabouts was discov-
cred and 500 students from the Sorbonne
sought him out, camped about his her
mit's cell, and insisted that he lecture to
them. This phenomenon occurred be-
cause Abelard had been able to capture
the interest of the students. Here was
no question of going like snails unwilling
to school. 1t proved impossible to keep
the pupils away.
While the Federal Government has no
jurisdiction over public schools, as they
are the concern of the States. counties
and municipalities, it does maintain the
Once of Education, an agency always
ready to give well considered advice to
educators. At this period of the year,
when School doors are opening through
out the country for the new term, vari-
Gus material Is made available to teach
ers and school authorities. An especially
interesting brochure recently has been
prepared devoted to the mental condition
of pupils minds. This does not refer to
their mental attainments as the result
of studies, to their standing In class rat
ings. 1t has reference to their general
mental health, and, more particularly,
their mental attitude toward school.
The principal criticism which has been
made of the modern school, especially
the big city school. is that it is too pom
derous to be anything but a machine
Pupils are brigaded in large numbers and
subjected to a course of instruction all
OF piece. The mass production prin-
c{nla has hAor anr1liAd The OfHcn IF
Education realizes that where millions
are attending public schools there cannot
be the individual attention which might
be regarded as desirable. Nevertheless
the Once thinks that 1t Is possible to
regulate public schooling In q manner
likely to hold the attention of pupils.
1t is realized that instruction is i'm
possible unless the interest of the pupil
is captured. The old system of applying
the ferrule may have the effect of a
temporary learning by rote, but where
interest is absent the lesson does not
stick.
In large schools there must be stand
ardization OF school hours, but the ONCE
of Education suggests that special at
tention should be paid to this subject
and hints that some degree of elasticity
should be introduced where possible. No
hard and fast rule can be laid down, 1t is
stated. The general mental effect of
school hours and the school program
upon pupils should be studied by teach
ers. The pupil with a fatigued mind is
unlikely to gain much from school in
struction. Lack of interest will be the
result.
A study of city schools made by the
ONCE has revealed that school hours are
by no means standardized throughout
the country. 1t was found that there is
a range Of from three to six hours for
the first grade. Third grade hours vary
from three and three-quarters to six
hours and other elementary grades show
class duration ranging from four to
f1ve and half hours. In the high schools
the shortest period is four and a half
hours and the longest five and three
quarter hours. These hours are ex-
elusive Of recesses. Some Judgment can
be used to f1t school hours to the
type Of pupils attending. In some
neighborhoods the pupil is better OH,
happier and more interested in school
than at home, while In others the re-
verse Is true
1t is stated by the ONCE that It is prac-
ticable to arrange and rearrange class
room hours so as to minimize fatigue.
The ofnce stresses the Importance OF
varying the succession Of studies to the
end that each class subject attacked win
seem fresh. This, in itself, is calculated
to arouse the interest of the pupil. Too
monotonous program win cause inter-
est to nag. 1t is important to sustain
interest as well as to capture It, Sub
Jects requiring concentration or abstract
thought should be introduced early in
the day or following periods Of physical
recreation.
The capacity for sustained effort In
creascs with the age of the pupil. Chill
dren in the early grades should not be
Kept upon the same subject for longer
than Is minutes at q time. While no
two children are precisely alike, still
the exigencies Of public school life are
such that q considerable amount of
Standardization must be accepted, but
some general rules are applicable. In
the seventh and eighth grades pupils
can well apply themselves for 30 minutes
at time to the same subject with sus-
tanned interest and as age progresses
the periods can be extended. Here and
there exceptions will be found, but these
rules OF mental hygiene have q fairly
wide application.
1t Is extremely important from the
mental health point of view to Danish
all atmosphere of hurry and tension.
From the beginning of scholarship, edu-
cation has been regarded as a leisurely
course. Perhaps the most famous of all
schools In the world was the Athenian
peripatetic academy. There the students
strolsed through the groves, gossiping
now and then with the masters. and
sitting down to think things over. The
atmosphere OF the Sorbonne, of Leyden,
OF Oxford and Cambridge, and of all
the other great institutions of learning
has been one of relaxation.
For youngsters, the recess periods are
regarded by the once of Education as
OF the first importance. They should
not be regarded as interruptions to the
acquisition OF knowledge but as further
ances. After these intervals the pupil
returns to the class room mentally re-
freshed, even though his knees NAV be
skinned In the play yard All stiffness
should be banished from class rooms.
This does not mean that unrestrained
throwing of spit balls and passing of
notes should be permitted but 1t does
mean that the school room should not
nave the atmosphere of q drill hall.
incidentally, the once of Education
recognizes that many a pupil has learned
more from the book he has road .uv