| OCR Text |
Show EXPERIMENT WITH THE CHILDREN AFTER SCHOOL. The Standard has presented all sides of the school question in order that the greatest possible light may bo thrown on the subject and tho people thereby be aldod in reaching a decision In conformity with the facts. But of the many arguments presented in favor of the half-day side, the following from the Logan Journal is, from our point of view, tho most untenable. The Journal says: "Ogden's educational circles have been convulsed with a controversy over the half-day school. The city superintendent, finding that the schools were crowded to such an ex tent as to render any Individual attention at-tention out of the question in the lower and more crowded grades, advocated ad-vocated the half-day school. As a I matter of necessity it Is unlikely that serious objection would have been made; the half-day plan having been found almost compulsory in other cities; cit-ies; but at the same time he advanced the theory that by sending the child to school for three hours a day, and finding some useful or productive occupation oc-cupation to occupy its attention during dur-ing another three hours, would be productive of even better results in the all-around development that constitutes con-stitutes general or complete educa tion; and this attitude aroused n storm of indignant protest, with many expressions as to child slavery, the slaughter of the innocents, etc. "There are two sides to every question. It is unfortunate when schools are so crowded that there can be no attention given to individual indi-vidual idiosyncrasies and needs, and we think there can be no question but that it is best to divide the number num-ber and the time in such a case half attending In the morning, the remainder re-mainder in the afternoon. The controversy con-troversy was upon the proposed policy of the division of time between school and work, and here there is room for a difference of opinion. "The staid, the conservative, always al-ways oppose any innovation upon established es-tablished custom, and in school matters mat-ters that has been to send the child to school six hours a day for flvo days in the week and nine months in the year, and to remove the educa-, educa-, tional bridle and allow him to run loose during the remainder of the time, except in the farming districts where his services might be made available during the summer season and at odd times. This system has the approval of established custom and therefore, from the standpoint of the conservatives, must bo right; but before determining that It la, it would bo best to look at it in the light of results. "While sentiment would suggest that the period of childhood Is all too brief at best, and that the life of toll lying beyond is sufficiently long and hard, therofore the child should, like a young colt, be allowed to romp and play during the hours it is not in school, it is well to view the effect of such treatment before declaring too emphatically that this is best. "From all of which It would appear that If the onSy thing a child has to do is to go to school, better the full, than the half-day; but if the other hair day, or rather three hours, could be devoted to useful, productive service, serv-ice, that would be much the better plan. It would be a fine thing, also, as regards city children, to dispense with the long summer vacation, during dur-ing which they retrograde and lose the habit and desire of study, so that they have scarcely fallen once more into school routine, than the Christmas Christ-mas holidays create another hiatus." Tho Journal's comments are con fusing, to say tho least. That paper begins its article on wrong premises, The parents of Ogden were not given to understand that the half-day plan was a necessity growing out of insufficient insuf-ficient school accommodations. The Journal ondeavors to prove that school children would do bettor, if they were taught responsibility and mado to work, instead of devoting all j their time before and after Gchool to i play. None will take issue with the ' Logan editor on that proposition, but If children today cannot be held In i restraint during the hours out ot ' school, what would be conditions, if they were to have those hours of i leisure doubled? ' If someone with a special gift in training youngsters will accept tne task of taking our children after tho present school hours and will prove to us that our boys and girls during those hours can be held to useful tasks and that openings can be ere ated for them in healthful work and with inspiring environment, then we shall be In favor of a longer and a greater step In that direction. The first experiment should be made, not by Invading the schools but by training the students after school. -oo - |
