ELEMENTARY TEACHERS AND SCHOOL GAMES. Si,—The new Education Act has
been almost universally praised, but it seems to me that it has one serious flaw in it, and I think Mr. Fisher has lost a very great opportunity of helping elementary school children. Assistant teachers in elementary schools have only twenty-five hours' work a week for some forty weeks or less in the year. Their duties are only connected with lessons and books, with a certain amount of drill in addition. There is no provision made for the formation of character out of school hours. The old scale of salaries was undoubtedly much too low, but that is now being altered, and teachers are getting much higher pay. But if higher pay is given, surely Mr. Fisher might have arranged for longer hours of service. Even one extra hour on school-days given to games would be a great help in the formation of character.
Inter ludendum mores puerorum se detergent. If a teacher wishes to get into proper touch with his pupils, and in sym- pathy with them, he must be with them in their games as well as during work hours. Mr. Fisher has paid attention to what I may term the top rooms of the educational building, but he has, I fear, disregarded the importance of a good foundation.
I know that many assistant teachers do take an interest in their pupils out of school hours, but a regular system is
wanted and not only isolated efforts. SENEX.
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