THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1913. HOME LESSONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 1 February 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1913. HOME LESSONS.

Itt New Zealand, the system of giving home-lessons to''children has been , almost abandoned. In America., it is still adopted. There is a movement, however, in the United States, to do away witih the objectionable practice. Specialists who have been approached on .the subject almost unanimously oonlirm the views of the anti-home-lesson league that .such study, as now demanded, is : .«xc£ssive and harmful rather than healthy, and further, save in exceptional instances, does not really assist the young student striving far honours. Discussing what evening study does for the body, the Ladies Home Journal point# out that when the body ha# been quiet in deep sleep for several hours then the temperature i«'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 rihould hftre, disappeared. Movement brings heat production, and vitality goes on rising until noon, when a drop takes place, arid until that time the: mind is most alart 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 nigiht 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 hand 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 fond, but instead of this it' has been divert:':!, with the result that the fond is Iving inert in the .stomach or the intestines. Fermentation follows am! *loe>i, when it dees come, is fnr hours slinllow and e:\silv disturbed and has a sluggish awakening, which means a heavyheaded scholar next day. So much for the medical view. An associate superintendent of the Board of Educa-

tion of the throe largest cities in the United States tried the experiment of prohibiting all home work, or oven the taking home of text hooks between iho first and fifth forms inclusive. in spite of opposition on the part of some parents, a van'fill 'register failed to find any .falling off in the general standard of progression. 'h::same experiment was tried, wit'i excellent result« in ■another vo>v important. school, the children herrg en. couragod to. read interesting books upon the subjects which formed the lessens. The result was famous, and t.lu> teacher in question now advises parents to apply to the Education Board for a reform action which will do away for ever with a system which make * 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.