Dr. Otto Dornblueth, of Frankfort, a specialist in nervous diseases, writes against the practice of holding afternoon sessions in the public schools. In support of his position he points to the investigations instituted among 16,000 school children by the distinguished expert in school hygiene, Dr. Schmidt-Mon-nard of Halle, who found that the number of sick among the children attending morning and afternoon sessions was by one-half greater than among children who attended sessions in the forenoon only. The in vestigations by Prof. Koppman of Leipzig, led to the same conclusion.

Dr. Dornblueth favors a morning session of five hours, giving a resting pause of fifteen minutes at the end of each hour. He says that the afternoon sessions exhaust the vitality of the children, disturb their digestive organs, and tire their brains. From a medical standpoint afternoon sessions should be abolished. The afternoon hours should be given to play, outdoor exercise and physical training. The selfish motives of many parents in not wishing the children at home because they are bothersome and require supervision should not avail against a reform which is necessary and beneficial for the little ones. The doctor suggests the establishment of public retreats where the children who cannot be supervised at home may spend the afternoon hours in the care of one or more suitable adults. He suggests that these retreats be provided with implements and material and that children desiring instruction in light handicrafts may be accommodated. This may give the initiative for training clever women and good mechanics.

Under the present system of instruction the pupils of the upper school classes attend forty-two and some forty-four hours per week.