HOME LESSONS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
(TO TIRE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:I
S1R,—Can Miss Lupton and her friends seriously suppose that they are doing the poor a service by inviting parents to join in a crusade against home lessons P Such lessons are in universal and beneficial use in all secondary and higher schools in England, and prevail also throughout the primary schools of France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and the United States. The
practice has scarcely been prevalent to the same extent in the Elementary Schools of England, but it has long been common in the best of them ; it is increasing, and until now has never aroused any opposition. As one who has had a very large experience of public elementary-school work in England, I desire to testify that such lessons are generally very popular with parents, that they have a very useful effect in making the school work more real and more interesting, and that there is no evidence whatever of any evil results to the health, or to the popularity, or the usefulness of the schools in which the practice has been adopted.
No doubt, exceptional cases arise in the elementary schools, as in all places of instruction, from the Universities down- wards, in which teachers are rather too exacting, or in which -the scholar is weak or over-anxious. These cases, so far as elementary schools are concerned, are extremely rare, and have been giossly exaggerated. But the danger is to be met by reasonable watchfulness on the part of school managers, parents, and teachers; and by giving such relief in the par- ticular case as may seem to be required ; not by lowering the ata,ndard of education, which is already far from high; through- out the whole country. There is probably not a body of school managers in England who would not willingly remit the home -tasks, if any instance was properly brought before them of a ohild who was either out of health, or engaged in manual work .out of school, or otherwise unable to perform them. An appeal to the law for such a purpose is wholly unnecessary. More than this, it is likely to prove extremely mischievous, for it will encourage the less thoughtful and self-respecting parents in the belief that the legal minimum of instruction is all that their children ought to receive ; and it will seriously weaken the legitimate authority -of teachers and school managers.
Here is an extract from a recently published official letter addressed by the Education Department to the Secretary of the National Union of Elementary Teachers :—
"In regard to home lessons, my Lords see no reason to modify the view which has already been expressed in paragraph 32 of the Instructions to Inspectors (Circular of August 9th, 1882). For deli- ,cate or very young children, such lessons are plainly unsuitable ; and the special circumstances of some schools render it inexpedient to require home tasks in any form. Of such circumstances the local managers are the best judges. But in the upper classes of good :schools, in which the teachers exert a right influence, and take an interest in their work, the practice of giving short exercises to be performed at home is attended with no difficulty, and is open to co practical objection. The best teachers use such exercises rather to illustrate and to fix in the memory lessons which have already been explained in school, than to break new ground, or to call for -new mental effort. This purpose is served by lessons of a very simple anddefinite character,—a stun, a verse of poetry, a list of names -or dates a letter, an outline map, a short parsing exercise which may readily dates, prepared in half an hoar, and which admits Of very easy testing and correction on the following day. When these conditions are fulfilled, the home task is found to have a very valuable effect, mot only in helping the progress of the scholar and in encouraging the habit of application, but also in awakening, on the part of the parents, an interest in the school work."
And the Secretary of the National Union, in replying to this fetter on behalf of the Teachers, said :—
" With their Lordships' opinions on home lessons, teachers gener- ally may be expected to coincide, for they seem most fair and reasonable."
'Thus, it seems that the Department, and its Inspectors, and the teachers, all of whom, at least, know intimately the state of the schools and the sort of life the children actually lead, are agreed as to the considerate and proper use of home lessons. The more intelligent and respectable of the parents—a class happily in- -creasing in number every day—know their own interests too well to respond to any such appeal as is now made to them. They are no true friends of the poor who seek to represent home lessons as a grievance. I suspect that if some one in a higher social position were to invite Miss Lupton and Mr. Rhodes to limit the education of children of their own class to the humblest rudiments, and were to counsel them not to permit any reading or preparation out of school, the advice would certainly not be welcomed, and might even be resented.—I am, Sir, &c.,
ALPHA.
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