“SCHOOL-HOURS.
“To the Editor of the ‘Times.’
“Sir,—Having had the opportunity recently of becoming acquainted with the system pursued in the Primary Schools of Sweden and Denmark, it has occurred to me that we may learn something from our Scandinavian neighbours with regard to the very important question: hours of attendance.
“One great difficulty we have to face is so to arrange the hours of school that the children shall be able to attend school and yet find time for work.
“Throughout Denmark education is compulsory, the parents being liable to fine and imprisonment for neglecting to send their children to school; but the difficulty of combining school attendance with freedom for work is met by the simple plan of holding school twice a day for different sets of children. Five hours being the required school attendance, one set of children attend from 8 o’clock to 1, with an interval for recreation at 11, and another set from 1 to 6 o’clock, also with a short interval.
“The parents are free to choose between the morning and afternoon school, according to the work the children have to do. In the first case, the children can work after 1 o’clock; in the second, until that hour.
“This plan has also another advantage—it enables 2000 children to be taught in a school-house built and fitted for 1000, and this without in the least interfering with evening teaching. This is an important economical question.
“One superintendent is sufficient for both schools, as he is not expected to teach more than 18 hours a week. He has a staff of assistants, some of whom are visiting teachers only, for special subjects, such as gymnastics, singing, etc. Elementary teachers are compelled to teach 36 hours a week, and may, if they wish, earn extra payment by extra teaching to the extent of 42 hours. The time-tables of the schools are so arranged that three sets of teachers can thoroughly manage four schools.
“Would not the adoption of some such plan, modified to suit local cases, clear away some of our difficulties? A maximum attendance of four hours daily, from 8.30 to 12.30, and from 1 to 5 o’clock, would, perhaps, be better suited to London, with one day’s holiday in a fortnight.
“The system appears to work well in Denmark, and to produce the desired results. The children attend school 30 hours a week. A diminution of the school-hours would still secure 24 hours a week for each school; but questions of detail must, of course, depend on local conditions. I merely wish to call attention to the possible solution of one, at least, of our difficulties.