ABOLITION OF HOMEWORK

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 78, 27 December 1926, Page 10

ABOLITION OF HOMEWORK

NELSON PUPILS’ ALTERED HABITS Dominion Special Nelson, December' 24. Arising out of the abolition of homework in the Central School, the headmaster (Mr. A. Douglas) addressed a questionnaire to the pupils, containing, among other requests, whether they had taken up a hobby, were they in favour of no homework, and did they take up music or painting Parents also were asked to express an opinion as to whether they approved of it, and to give their candid opinion. Among a number of replies from the point of view of the pupils it is unmistakably shown that they are almost unanimously against homework, while, at the same time, in almost every instance hobbies have been taken up, including gardening, cigarette-card collecting, stamps, engineering, collecting birds and beetles, making kites, and even "tying up tomato.” A large number of tlie boys have taken advantage of their release from homework to studv music and painting, and to take up reading. It is also shown • that the children do not patronise the pictures to a greater extent than wastlie case when they had homework; further, that they get to bed earlier than before; while, in reply to the query as to whether thev have beenmore away from home, it is made clear that in a great number of instances thev run messages for their parents after, school hours, and others play in the reserves, and. In a few instances, on the street. In the main it is obvious that the lads 'are not more away from home than was formerly the case.