The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-10-02
Ovcriaxing Childrcn's Brains.

Overa1.ing Childrcn's Brains.
We find, in the Boston .Io;.r;:al, some IL.
marks most v:,luphlc AMI timely, "n this sub
irct. Mr.. Bradshaw. one of the Charlcst"wn
School Committee. delivered II lecture upon his
experience and observations, {" the citizens Of
the town. He sail:
'.IIc Ind lately been chosen one of the School
Committee. Soon after entering. ON his duties
he called "n the teachers Of three Schools and
made inquiry concerning the ability of their
pupils. One said she hul had six bright chill
drrn under her charge, but three "f them hal
recently ded-onc of CONSUMPTION, one of scar
LATINA, an'l "u, OF brain fever. The >c;sun was
80 cod that the speaker had soon t" leave the
school in question but not until he hal seen
children sfivcrinc with c"ll aud in condition
very inconsistent with the preservation of their
proper Ecaith. There wL> among III, children
some wh"'e appearance denoted great intel
lcc'ual capacity. bnt whose minds were ,atni-
irsilv ovcrwrou"ht This ovcrw"rkn,: Was Il
common thing III schools, especially Among
smart chl!drei', wh" became 5" overtaNei hv
the tasks Imposed upon them ,ha. fchrilc dis.
eases. am.l others of Il less fatal but vet nnrc
laincntnh!c cl'aractcr-!nrrginy into >cin.I'l!"ry
We're very Frequently produced. Various
instances We're related in which the ea lth and
hvcs ol chi;'irch were sacri!crl I" the ambition
ni teachers {" make 4 fine show at "Nhii'l'i"ns.
consumption Was common result Of THIS over
working Of the mind. nj ons. with the conc''r-
rcit neglect of physical exercises. These ihstan-
res weictrm.r"us and startling and the effects
They cXc:mpl.f"l were described 1" he SO insldI-
""S that parents :. i not know what was the
cause and We're, generally, in Ignorance of the
abuses Of The system having anything I" do
WIKI their debility. OF sixteen VIII" catered II
certain high school, only nine gralatcd--thc
others lial To leave, to saw" themselves from
being educated to drath.-"E Early yip", carly
rutt"n, WAS Il fact too little known I" parents.
"'lu";nt:"ns were read from n work lv DR..
Bri.liain Of New York. shown" the peculiar
construction and consistency "f the brain in
children, and the tendency which the most tri-
fling strength of lis functions had t." generate
diseases Of tie ncrrous elcxcriJt;"n: that pre-.
mature mc"tai capacity in children was, very
commonly. n sym p:om of physical disorder; and
that the intellectual faculties which were over
strained We're shortlivr.l in activity and rare.
~ resulted i'll the c"nsi tuition of solid, think
ing man. \ child that understood too many
things, rs II man generally had II" more than IL
very superficial description Of intelligence.
Biographical instances were pointrl out in
proof Of this fact.
"A little girl at school in that ncigIbnr.
hood ten Years Of age. was studying Frcncli.
Latin and Greek, nnI hal three hours cxer-
else on the piano Per diem She was made sick,
and when she recovered, was so ,Iurrul"us md
unhappy, and 90 unchill Ike, that it was pitt
ful 10 see her.
a boy similarly ovcrworkcl had grown
none since, he WAS ten years Of ngc, and now
was over twelve; AMI this solely ON account Of
the neglect of Dr. Jnrksnn's rule that onc-ihfi
IF n chi1ars tiMr $houM bc sprn IN the plny.
gro"nd. Sheridan, Sir Isaac Newton, Coll
smith, Gibbon, David, Dryden, Milton, Swift.
and Sir Waller Scott besides many other cmi.
ncnt men. nll were dull scholars and the leo
turcr profcsscd that he was partial to hoy
who was somewhat to blame in this particular.
''In the ease of pupils of high schools, the
demands made on their memory, in the slnpe
of study, were such as TO entirely preclude cx-
crcisc. Al"ng with this demanded study,
other accomplishments had TO he studied hv
young girls, aud to these they had to devote
themselves in the moments which accident
might present for n little exercise The doc.
tor is called in. ansl recommends fresh air and
n removal to the s,n beach takes place, where
the maiden of seventeen partially rccovers her
health, to enter upon her matrimonial DESTINY
a Hing all brain and no rhysigne PrcmG
Nervous herself, aud giving brit, 10 weekly
constituted progeny, her strained education La.
| made itself the grave other health, pleasures
and affections
| "a strong appeal was made to parents to sci
their faces against 1mJfng the brain, and siqrv
| '"g The physical system :; for no fact could bt
more plain than this onc-tlat DEATH and dis
case mud sorrow, and guilt were involved in the
system of management of the public schools
! Eve years more Of such acknowledgement. and
scio"l-honscs might be called slhug ghtcr- houses
ard the skuliand cross bones placed ov or thei,
| doors. 49,. @.s! --
I SIT should be the duty of every one te Geek
| fewer studics shorter lessons, more exercise
, and more thorough knowledge Of what cll
dren ought to be taught. Teachers should moi
be urged, as they now were to push ,cl,iI,lrsr
through the primary schools, but to cultivat,
the physical, as veil as the mental qualities 0
of their pupils. Until this wns done. Mr.. Brad
! shaw said, the greatest and most fearful .soeiu
! evils would continue" - ss-
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