In Defence of Homework

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 212, 8 September 1936, Page 6

In Defence of Homework

In the Section of Medical Sociology of the British Medical Association, Dr. William Brockbank, medical officer of the Manchester Grammar School, opened a discussion on homework. He said that his paper was based on seven years’ experience as medical officer at Manchester Grammar School, a school with a national reputation for hard work, and one probably accused more than most schools of overworking its boys.

The question of homework loomed large in the public eye at the moment and a great deal of nonsense had been talked and written about it in an endeavour to show that it was a useless and harmful tyranny. Yet the vast majority of parents and (this mignt seem strange) the vast majority of boys working for matriculation and the higher school examinations were in favour of it, regarding it as a rather regrettable necessity if they were to pass their examinations and acquire necessary scholarships.

Members of the teaching profession, and they should know, were emphatic that it was an essential part of education, and, although a lot of jibes had been hurled at them to the effect that they had not to do it, yet they had to spend many weary hours correcting it. It ought not to be forgotten that the quick and clever boy enjoyed exercising his powers; that often homework was interesting to do.

The great point was that it was work done by the boy himself with, or better still without, some slight unskilled help from his parents. The boy was thrown on his own resources, and the work was. therefore, individual as contrasted with the work done during the day in collaboration with the teacher. In doing homework, therefore, a boy found his limitations and—even more important—might discover his potentialities.