SCHOOL DESKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3929, 19 September 1874, Page 6 (Supplement)

SCHOOL DESKS.

Managers of schools in'•' this country, says the Globe, have hitherto bestowed, too little attention on the character of the desks used by the scholars. The subject is apparently trivial, but in reality is of great importance. If the children are uncomfortable, the best teacher will fail to interest them, and their health'may he permanently injured. On the; other hand, the comfort of the teacher: himself must be consulted/ His anglei of vision should not be fatiguing; and he should be able to speak with ease, and to inspect at any moment the, work of. his-pupils.; In American schools each child is usually provided with a separate desk. This is an expensive plan, and not always suitable for very young pupils. The Germans and Swiss prefer a length for four children. A sort of compromise is effected in Holland, where scholars are grouped in pairs. In a work on "School Architecture," recently published,, Mr Robson discusses the whole question with remarkable clearness. On the, whole, he prefers the Dutch method. "It may be," hejsays,"that for higher schools, where a greater degree of concentration on work is'required, the single system has advantages; but for elementary schools, seating- iti' pairs is to be preferred." As regarda.the construction of desks, the great1 fault hitherto has been an incessant effort I"' ' to render what ougut to be one of' the , simplest articles of -school furniture a | species of harlequin, capable of assuming a new character at a moment's notice.'' School desks should be rigidly adapted to school purposes, and all other objects ignored. Mr Eobson thinks it is not difficult to j>roportion a desk in all its parts to the anatomy, of a child, and gives careful drawings in proof of the fact. Dutch desks are placed six,; or even seven, deep. It seems, however, .the. depth [ should never be greater than five, as the teacher cannot readily command, a larger number. M r Eobson urges the necessity of lighting the desks properly.:. Any mistake on this point may have a serious effect on the .eyesight; of. children. We hope these matters will receive;..adequate ! consideration from those who are, at present founding or improving elementary schools all over the country.