ON STUDIES MOST SUITAHLK FOR ELElVlENTARY SCHOOI.S. 467 



ouly a smuU pi'oportioii of the population, much good work may Iju done iu 

 them. Nevertheless the foundations for such training must be laid in 

 the primary school. The main difficulty here, however, arises from the 

 fact that pupils leave at an age too early to have allowed them to obtain 

 an adequate training. 



(1) For the sake of convenience we may diflerentiate between the 

 character of the instruction which may be given to children of different 

 ages. Three suitable periods are (a) from six to eight years, (b) from 

 eight to twelve years, and (c) from twelve years upwards. In the case of 

 children from six to eight little can be done except by precept and 

 example to inculcate habits of personal cleaidiness, order, and industry ; 

 but these aims should never be lost sight of, and any lesson may serve as 

 the foundation on whjch to build up such habits. 



With children varying from eight to twelve years of age much more 

 may be done, but it is very doubtful whether any systematic instruction 

 in cookery is of much value during this period. Much may, however, be 

 done by means of simple talks and object lessons dealing with personal 

 hygiene and the cleanliness of the home : how to sweep and dust and to 

 wash cups and saucers ; how to lay the table ; how to knit, sew, and darn ; 

 how to prepare vegetables ; how to wash and dress younger brothers and 

 sisters — these should form the substance of the instruction given at this 

 stage, and every inducement should be offered to secure the practice in 

 the house of the principles taught in the school. Much useful work may 

 be done at this stage on simple hygiene. The necessity for fresh air and 

 ventilation, the danger of dust and dirt, the way to treat a cut or burn, 

 the avoidance of danger from fire — these and many similar things may be 

 taught and demonstrated. 



For the third period — children from twelve years of age and upwards — 

 systematic instruction may be given in domestic economy, and for such 

 teaching special provision is essential. The defect of such teaching liithei to 

 lias been that by a too rigid division of the subject into cookery, laundiy- 

 work, and needlework the teaching has in many cases become too specialised 

 — too far removed from the needs and home conditions of those receiving it. 

 Such a division is doubtless useful and suitable for older scholars, but for 

 those in attendance at the primary school it seems undesirable to teach 

 one of these branches to tl)e exclusion of others. The inculcation of 

 thrift calls for increased attention, and in this connection it is thought 

 that lessons in cooking might with advantage more generally concern 

 themselves with the preparation of a complete meal for a small family, 

 the cost to be strictly limited to an amount justified by the family earn- 

 ings. Indeed every such lesson may, and sliould be, made the occasion 

 for a discussion on the 'household budget' and the relation which the 

 expenditure on the meal bears to the income of tlie family. 



2. The question of the qualiQcation of teachers is all-iinportant. Tiie 

 instruction such as has been described as suitable for children under the 

 age of twelve should preferably be given by one of the regular members of 

 the school staff, and increased attention should be given to so important a 

 subject in the training colleges. 



For the more systematic and practical instruction possible for children 

 above the age of twelve a more specialised training — such as is provided in 

 the various' training schools of domestic economy — is required by the 

 teacher. Here, however, the same recognition of the importance of thrift 

 and the unity of the subject is necessary. 



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