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Show WHY I AM AGAINST THE LONG SCHOOL TERM During that period of a child's life, from 6 to 10 years cf age, it is very necessary that we stimula' e a deisire for learning. To do this we must make it as interesting as possible. pos-sible. Can anything be interesting during dur-ing confinement through the hot summer months? It is also necessary that we exercise exer-cise great care to insure physical fitness. fit-ness. Continuous confinement will take the pep out of any child and has a tendency to lessen nerve power, and retard physical development. How can a mind remain alert and keen under such conditions? Would not any gTOwn-up resent ouch punishment? pun-ishment? Then why force it on a child who cannot help itself? For the past 'two years we have had half day sessions for the 1st and 2nd grades. The dBfference is readily readi-ly noticeable. The child doesn't get along nearly so fast as he should. As for the moral benefit, I can see none for the child in the farming community. While he is1 at school but a half day he is usually away from home the most of it. This trouble trou-ble would be greater IVirough the busy summer months, as no parent has time to be continually looking up his children. , When a child is at home on the farm through his vartion, he is the constant companion of his parents. More can De none nere ror its raurai education than can be done under any other eodStion. It was pointed out that a child forgot for-got much of what it learned through school term during the long vacation. Now through "this vacation the child takes his part of the responsibility of keeping the home. It is canstantly confronted with the things it has learned in school. But here, they are of a practical nature and are therefore there-fore more firmly impressed on the mind. No small part, and a very important import-ant part of child's education is received re-ceived af home during vacation. Mr. Day ays. we are crowding nine months of work into eieh months of school. Now. if we hav-a hav-a continuous school with linlf-d"-sessions (which would be erninl to six months of full day sessions'! we would be crowding nine months of work into six months of school Would this not increase the difference differ-ence in the rate of learning between the fast and slow pupil: rather thev decrease it. Economizing is ouite a ' factor, but should we economize at the ex-nense ex-nense of a child's welfare? Ts the savincr of a few cents to enrh tp.x-nnver tp.x-nnver as imnortnnt as the mentnl (Te-jvelopment (Te-jvelopment of those children who. to- morrow, take the responsibilities that we now hold? I have talked to over 1"0 parerr-. With 'he exception of one who h?d no children who were effected, they a", locked with extreme disfavor on the longer term. A. L. LOUIS Minersville, Utah. |