The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-02-07
TOO EARLY TO SCHOOL.

4
dismissed from education erclnsirely do
messic. They oughtnot, mean, to be
sent to school ut too early an age. a
practice the contrary to this threatens
to be preductice of serious, not to say
irremrahe mischief. Parents are Of
Ten too anxious that their children
should have a knoult tdge of, the alpha
bet, Of spelling, reading, geography.
and other branches of school learning
atavery early age. This is worse than
tempting theM to walk too early, be-
cause the organ likely to be injured by
It B much more important than the
nuscles and bones Of the lower extrem-
tiles. Itmay do irremediable mischief
to the brain. That yiscus is yet too'
immature aud feeble to sustain fatigue.
Until from the. sixth to- the eighth year
oflife. the seventh being perhaps the
proper medium, all its energies are ne
cessary for its own healthy deyelope-
fnent, and that of the other portions Of
the system. Nor ought they 10 be di-
verted, by serious study to any other
purpose. True, exercise rs as essential
10 the health and vigor Of the brain at
chat time Of life as at any other; but ii
should be the general and pleasurable
exercise Of observation and action. 1t
ought not to be the compulsory exer-
cise Of tasks. Early prodigies OF mind
rarely attain mature distinction. The
reason is plain: their brains are injured
by premature toll, and their general
health impaired. Were parents fully
sensible Of this, they would no longer
overload the brains Of their mere babes
with study, any mole than they would
their hall organized muscles and joints
with unmerciful burdens of brick and
mortar. They would even know that
The latterwould be the least destructive
yprac tiee of the two. instead of seeing
infants confined to ;naction in crowded
school.rooms with saddcned looks,
moist eyes, and aching heads, we should
then meet them in gardens and lawns,
groves and pleasure grounds, whole
some air, leaping, laughing, shouting.
cropping flo yers. pursuing butterflies,
collecting and looking at curious and
beautiful insects and stones, listening
o birds songs, sin 5ing themselves, ad.
1miring the bright blue arch of the heav-
ems, or gazing at the tliickening folds
of. the thunder cloud, and doing all 9th
,er things fitted to promote health,, de-
vclope and strengthen their frames,
and prepare them FOR the grarer bus-
ness of life. And instead Of pale faces
facid checks, and wasted bodies; We
should find them with ruddy flesh, firm
muscels, and full and vel rounded
limbs. Exercise and oastime such rs
these constitute the onl Infant School
that deserves to be encouraged; nor
will another sort receive encourage
ment when the business oI education
shall be thoroughly understood. The
brain Of infants will then lie 10 longer
neglected as a matter Of little impor-
tanre; skin, muscle aud bone being
thought preferable TO it.
On the contrary, it Will lie viewed
in lis true character, as the rulingnrsan
of tile body and the apparatus Of the
mind. and its training will receive the
attention itmerits. l.repeat--and the
,repetiiion shosld he perseyered in un.
til its truth is acknowledged and re-
,nuced to practice-,hat most of the e.
wills ofeducation under which the world
has SO long suffered. and is still suffer
ing arise from the mistaken belief, that
sinwhat is called mora! and intel ectual
education. it is the mind that is exercis.
ed, and not the Lrain. Nor will the
evils cease, and education be made per.
feet, until the error shall be explored.
Knowing nothing Of the nature of the
mind, and supposing it to he asa spirit,
somewhat .impassive; we are neither
apprised nor apprelensive that any de-
gree OF action will impair it. Indeed
we can form no conception Of any in.
jury done to it as separate essence.
Perhaps the most rational belief is, thai
it can suffer none. But the case is dii.
terent as it respects organised matter.
We witness daily injuries done to il by
einjudicious exercise. Nor is there pei:
haps any portion ofitso easily or ruin.
ousIy deranged by excessive action as
the brain, especially the half formed
and susceptible brain of infants. Lei
this truth be realized, and faithfully and
skillulIy acted on, and human suffering
from hydrocephalus, rickets. phreniiis
iJiocy, epilepsy, madness, and other
cerebral allections,owill be greatly di-
minished. Ii would be indefinitely
wiser and better TO employ suitable
persons 10 superintend the exercises
and amusements of children, under sew
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