HOME LESSONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 26, 29 January 1913, Page 4

HOME LESSONS.

In America strong protest is being made against the home lessons imposed on children nowadays, and the opinions of several child specialists, both medical and educational, have been obtained. These specialists almost unanimously confirm the views of the anti home-lesson league that such study, as now demanded, is excessive and harmful rather than healthy, and further, save in exceptional instances, does not really assist the young student striving for honours. Discussing what evening study does for the body, the “Ladies’ Home Journal” points out that when the body has been quiet in deep sleep for several hours then the temperature is lowest; usually this occurs between the hours of 3 and 6 a.m. When the body awakes, the normal fatigue of the previous day has, or should have, disappeared. Movement brings heat production, and vitality goes on rising until noon, when a drop takes place, and until that time the mind is most alert and the muscles most capable of doing strenuous toil. Then there is another rise which goes on usually till about 6 p.m, and from then on it is a fight with fatigue. Now the relation to night study is clear. The young, plastic body urgently needs sound, restful sleep To recoup it from the brain and physical activity of the day. What brings sound sleep ? The proper food, properly digested, and then a short rest or play. But, if the child is to undertake hard study, the result is activity of the brain, which causes congestion. This congestion brings a rush of blood to the head, which should be engaged in the digestion of the |ood, but instead of this it has been diverted, with the result that the food is lying inert in the stomach or the intestines. Fermentation follows and sleep when it does come, is for hours shallow and easily disturbed and has a sluggist awakening, which means a heavy-head-ed scholar next day. So much for the medical view. An associate superintendent of the Board of Education of the three largest cities in the United States tried the experiment of pi hibiting all home work, or even the taking home of 'text books between the first and fifth forms inclusive; and in spite of opposition on the part of some parents, a careful register failed to find any falling off in the general standard of progression. The same experiment was tried, with excellent results in another very important school, the children being encouraged to read interesting books upon the subjects which formed the lessons. The result was famous and the teacher in question now advises parents to apply to the educational board for a reform action which will do away for ever with a system which makes a child do just that “overtime work” for which trades unions demand a time and a half pay to make up for its strain upon the general health.