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Show MritkfinBjii DEFENSE OF HALF-DAY HALF-DAY SCHOOL Half day sessions in the public schools of Ogden mean more ample building accommodations, a reduc- j tlon in the present teaching force, increased work and pay for the teach ! era, who are retained, and the elim-1 Ination of all or a part of the. chll-! dren for at least half the school 1 day It will provide the means for a social center and a gymnasium; and last but not least there .will be B saving of from $25,000 to $45,000 j annually, besides large 6umB of building money. I ask who pays for this change and so-called economy. One group of children attend school during the I morning session, in the afternoon they work for pay, or to have a small hank account, and, incidentally, incidental-ly, to get' a smattering of industrial education Under the most favorable I opportunities there will not be I enough jobs to accommodate all; be sides, boy and girl labor of this age Is usually crude and inefficient. It is cheap labor, too, and is not in harmony with our modern ideas of social justice. Is this the beginning of economic slavery in Utah? We hear and read a great deal of child labor In the great Industrial centers of the east and south Are we of this city to foster a scheme that will in time become a menace to our children's health and intellectual development? Why this general apprenticing of our youth at so tender an age to anyone regardless of character or fitness to teach? We all know that the busy employer em-ployer Is usually engrossed with his own affairs and cannot be expected to be especially interested in the welfare of a child, whom he has employed em-ployed for economic reasons only The child needs sympathy and kind ly direction If this is denied, trip temptation to do as he pleases makes or mars his career. The lure of the street is strong; but yielding to its temptations makes the material ma-terial from which our army of human hu-man derelicts are recruited by thousands thou-sands each year. The people pay taxes to maintain the public schools for the benefit of all the children of certain age. Into the hands of the board of education is placed this great trust. Are they doing their full duty when they throw half or even a part of the ed ueatlon of the children back onto the parents and the public0 Is not this shirking responsibility on the part of those in authority0 If the change Is inaugurated intelligent intelli-gent and well to do parents may circumvent cir-cumvent the plan by employing special spe-cial instruction for their children; while the zealous in religious matters, mat-ters, no doubt, will patronize sectarl-' an institutions I believe In work and responsibil-Ity responsibil-Ity for evory child but both must be given tactfulls and indlclously. If Industrial training is really what the ! board of education, through the superintendent su-perintendent is trying to give the children, why not enlarge the nucleus already established for that purpose? Surely, vocational education may be given preference over some fadfl that now obtain. Necessarily, Indue trial Instruction given by the public school must be very limited, at best when compared with the vast activities activi-ties of the actual world of labor Elementary as it may bf, there are pupils to whom It will appeal strong ly; and a few can learn in no other way than through industrial methods. meth-ods. But after all. is not fundamental and cultural education the very foundation of all that is big and of worth while In the world? I once heard William Jennings Bryan say there were two reasons why an education ed-ucation helped the man who hail to dig ditches, first, because of his learning, he would dig a better ditch, and the second reason was. that when his dally task was done, he could enjoy good books in preference to seeking relaxation among exll companions and in low resorts Instead of experimenting with new i and untried educational scheme in our schools, let us lend our hearts and minds to the work of inspiring our children's minds and memories with the best that has been done and said in the world. Give them a liberal education, creating a real love for good and noble purpose, the power of mental possibility, rather than early attainment, and they will find their vocation in life,, and be a credit to the community in which they live. To accomplish this, wp need all day sessions, night schools, and spc clal classes as well. We must secure se-cure the most efficient teachers, whose chief joy is in their work. They must not be overworked nor underpaid The overworked teachers teach-ers often become irritable impatient, and weak through mental and nervous nerv-ous exhaustion. We would recognize the tremendous inspiration they give our youth and treat them most liberally, lib-erally, and be kindly considerate. No mean economy Is to be placed in the balance with so vital B subject as the welfare of our children. They must be our chief concern In the building of the state. (Signed) MRS. E JOSEPHINE HIRST, 857 23rd St., Ogden, Utah. |
