Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-11-04
SCHOOL HOUSE IMPRISONMENT.
S. J. G..

School house imprisonment, decidedly the
worst known species of incarceration, mate
rally relards the development of children.
luertnrss and degeneracy of feeling are the
natural effects of,he cramping of the young
powers, and the slnling Of youthful expert
ence, winch too generally characterzes the
discipline of both the nursery and the COM
mon school. Nothing is more easy than to
qnrll the susceptible spirit of childhood by
inducing morbidncss of the animal nature, or
to Supply it by senselcss routine and monot-
onous tuition. Look at the wtaricd and
llackncycd victims of premature lessons and
ever recurring tasks, in whom the freshness
of the soul is worn out in childhood. Life
is thus rendered stale at the very outset. 1t
is not cultivation, but systematic destruction.
The early training which prepared the
mind for those matchless examples of eX-
preston, to which we ever revert with in
creasing admiration, was VIVID, penetrating,
various, invigorating, in its influence. 1t
was liberal in exposure and hardship, in sun
shine and recreation, in contact with nature
under all its aspects. Ii cherished young en-
thusinsm, as well as cxactcd severe disci-
pinr and rigorous restraint. The tone of
feeling was raised 10 it's highest capability.
No wonder that an instrument thus created,
thus finished, thus cherished should give forth
sounds that never cease to vibra,e on the ear
of man. Chanee, vici,si,udr, penetrating
and arnuSing sensations are AN Indispensable
part nt hc discipline of human spirit
wIirh i +, us inip"llrd To AL its higher forms
of,,'i,n Tho charm of freshness and vicis-
siuIn should he infused int the conscious
ness Il He. The tendcncirs and rcqnisi-
tons "f the human constitution, must be
faithfully observed. The mind must be on.
ronr,grd tn sympathise with the stirring
world of rcally-rvrr alive and active, anc
productive, sustaining and renewing iisrl
forever.
The annexed report of recent speech b,
Horace Mann, of Massachusetts, in a Boston
paper, concerning the crirplng of children
in our country schools, is to the purpose:
"Mr. Mann then spoke of the pernciou
consequences of this confinement, beth in rr
gard to the health and mind of children. liz
considered IT one among the many causes .
impaired health, now so observable in tin
rising generation, aud among the young mel
aud women of our community. If there
were any thing which came near to rcaliz
inc the idea OF perpetual motion, it was
young and healthy child. Persuasion, no
rewards, could keep young child STILL
Nothing but the OverpOwerIng force of tra
could accomplish such an object. Na,ur
warred against it, and therefore resort mus
be had to such terrors as made nature qnai
Childhood is naturally the season of til
,.,.,,,.t hath ho1iI,, and mani A
and vet, at that period of life, il WAS tn
practice To enforce such degree "linaclio
as aye itself could not submit to. Ohedienc
TO the regulations of most schools for youn
children, would cause absolute sagna,iui
both of body and mind. 1t Imprdrd all til
vital fi,nclors. IL the limbs and body we,
m,,ionlrss, the blood would almost cease I
flow, the heart to beat, and the lungs to pla
This necessarily destroyed all the vivaci
of childhood. 1t pucked the roses fro
their cheek. 1t annihated the boundir
elasticity Of their muscles. Ii turned 1
their steel springs into old iron.
All these evils were aggravated hundre
foil, bv the stools of TORTURE where this
l-nce was attempted to be enforced. Tho
sands of our children we're compelled TO
on seats where they could not touch the 90
with their feet. He had found, on aclu
measurement, that many seats, for childr'
under eight years of age, were eighteen tire
ty, and sometimes twenty one or two inch
from the floor. OF what shape mus, chi
be, whose whole hight Is hot three feet,
three feet and half, and eighteen or tive
" inches of that below his kneesl A
yet such should be the structure of children,
be accommodated by such seats. In vi,
of,hese facts, II had bee,i suggested by sor
one that there should be an extra joint
tween the thigh and the knee. so that enou
of the leg could hang over to reach the ilo'
Que thing was cerlain-if children were 4
to be constructed on different plan, in {
der to fit the seats, then the seats should
altered to fit the children. "--Newark Sc,