" THE SCHOOL IN THE FOREST " AND " THE
SCHOOL BY THE SEA " f To the Editor of the. SPECTATOR.]
Sue,—In connexion with the excellent article on " Open-Air Schools," in the Spectator for April 28th, your readers may be interested to have some account of a Spanish experiment which I had an opportunity to investigate recently in Barcelona.
Barcelona possesses two open-air schools, established ten years ago and known, respectively, as the School in the Forest and the School by the Sea. Both schools are municipal concerns, and fees are based upon the wages of parents, many pupils being admitted without charge.
Great opposition was raised by the Church to the innovation of mixed classes, and especially to the installation of shower baths, which boys and girls take on alternate days. A promi- nent lawyer won the day for the experiment ; whereupon the Municipal Council granted two sites—one upon the lovely Hill of Montjuich and the other on the seashore.
Celebrated artists painted frescoes on the walls and designed the simple furniture, which is painted in bright colours. Class desks and stools are made easily portable, so that, when- ever possible, lessons may be given out of doors. In the Forest School each child has a garden and is taught by methods of personal observation rather than with the aid of books. Birds nest in the School trees and often enter the classrooms. Flowers arc everywhere. The children have to keep the paint clean and the classrooms dusted ; and, after ten years, they are ea fresh and spotless as- on the day when they were first, painted. During the day, each child receives two meals, which are served in a cheerful dining-room upon white table linen. Next to the dining-room is a " tooth brush room"
where the children are put through a " teeth drill " before and after meals.
The School of the Sea resembles a ship in design, and, in stormy weather, the sea rushes beneath the raised building to the street behind it. In warm weather the children wear bathing dresses at lessons, and each child hai a deck-chair in which to rest after meals.
• Careful charts are kept of the physical and mental condition of every pupil, and the result -of the experiment shows that not only does the excellent influence of the Schools penetrate into some of the poorest families, but alio that weakly children are made healthy during the critical years of their lives; the State thus being saved pounds by the prevention of unfit citizens.—I am, Sir, &c.,
- 1 ,
Sarah's Well, Sennen, Cornniall. '
IRIS YGLESIAS.
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