Show I ITO SHOUlD A CHIlD GOTO GO TO SCHOOL AT SIX Ella Efla Frances Frnnces Lynch tho the well wen known educator and Investigator In the first of ofa ofa a a. series senes of ot articles In the tho March Pictorial Pictorial Pic Plc- l Review asks tho the question Why send a child to school at 6 years years ears muc much less IBBS at 4 or 6 SD 61 Then eho sho ho goes on to say Theoretically a child chUd Is supposed to enter school at 6 because It la is supposed to take tako him eight eight years at five 8 hours a n. day to prepare fJ for high school which Is at present present present pres pres- ent the the tha end ond of the elementary schools Probably It will take toko him eight years ears If It he begins at 6 with seventy other chil chil- dren But It has been bean conclusively proved pro thata that i If classes ar arc small enough so 80 thata that a a. teacher can reach her Individual pupils four years of schooling begun at 10 years ears of age will result In pupils even better prepared for tor high school than those who begin at 6 This Is Js beC because luSe the tho year ten-year- old brings to his studies a more mature mind and can master in a tow few ew months' months work ork that would take tako a year ear beginning at C. C And bear In mind that the six six- year old spends 0 hours a da day in school not not In ln learning In nearly all the 8 schools tho the size of ot the tho 10 lower loner er grade makes It jt the t teacher to give giveout giveout giveout out an endless variety varlet of ot so 50 called caned busy busywork busywork bus work This m means ans spelling to be copied cople again and a again aln copies of ot number work to be bo followed until both sides of the slate are full In this wn way the tho teacher is In enabled to attend to the need of ot a small amaH at time the group a only a way she really real can teach anything to young oung children The Theother oth r children are arc In school but but not learning So the me p public school chool wastes not only time but the energy of the children In tt Its care turning their efforts Into mere mechanical repetition until the tho brain Is weary and antI Could anything be less educational F It Is a severe SoVere sovere arraignment that I maker maket that tho the public o school stupidly and wa want wan tonly wastes public funds human Initia tine the and human luman energy and stultifies stultifies' ln in stead of or stimulating efficiency But In this arraignment I do 10 not stand alone Dr PI loot says The practice of or England and America Is 15 literally literally- centuries behind tho tho- pre precept of the tho best thinkers thinker think era upon u On education Js Jg It not humiliating that an can American Is forced to make such an concerning concerning con can our most vital Jt l American Institution institution tion What can be bo done Iron How can this wasteful wasteful waste waste- ful school chool system be bo speedily remedied so that It H. fills Us its real reat function and sends out Into tho the world boys and girls devol- devol according to their Individual talents as aR far fal as those talents permit It Is a big bib question but In n my ne next t article I propose to outline a rational practical system of ot public education will 1 serve those ends ends Pictorial Review |