SCHOOL DESKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1191, 26 September 1874, Page 3

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 angle 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 Rbbson discusses the whole question with remarkable clearness. On the whole, he prefers the Dutch method. "It may be," he says, " that for higher schools, where a greater degree of concentration on work is required, the single system has advantages ; but for elementary Bchools, searing in pairs is to be preferred. " As regards the construction of desks, the great fault hitherto has been an incessant effort "to render what ought 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 Robson thinks it is not difficult to proportion a desk in all its parts to the anatomy of a child, and gives careful drawings in proof of the fact. Dutah 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. JMr Robson 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.