Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-08-19

A circular of information of the Bureau of
Education for August, 1sI0," prepared under
the direction OF ohm Eaton, jr., Commissioner,
just issued by the Interior Department, contains
great deal of matter of general interest to all
friends of education. Several tables compiled
from the census o. 1860 are given, and ameng
other facts shown by them are the following:
IGNORANCE OF THE VOTING POPULATION.
The majority in the last general election being
309, .22, had less than one-hfth of the nliterate
voters combined, they could have determined
the election; the noB-reading and writing voters
outnumbered the majoritiesin seventeen States;
while a case on trial before a jury stands a
chance of having in the different States from
one TO eight, and on the average from one to
five jurors, who cannot read and write.
The circular says: "The friends of postal re-
form viii observe the fact that, should the in
tellgence OF the entire country be brought up
- the standard OF New England, which is toe
low, and the same use OF post-ofice facilities
result on the average throughout the country,
the five millions of annual deficit would no
longer occur, and there would mor cover, be a
surplus of seven millions OF income, ION the
basis of the census of 1850, here used } enabling
the Post ONCE Department to pay its way aud
reduce letter postage one-third. This done, the
great increase of letters would warrant further
reduction. The government is, in a sense, tax
ing the literate or reading and writing popula-
ton OF the entire country to furnish postal facii
ties TO those who are illiterate or cannot read
and write. Indeed. the tax falls doubly on the
New England and Middle States comparing BY
sections. There is in the New England States
26.1 cents per capita, in the Middle States per
capita excess OF 10 cents and in the Northwest
ern States per capita excess Of "a cents. while
the Coast Planting Stat = fall 90 cents below
the average per capita cost, and the Central
Slave States fall 359 cents below the average
per capita cost, and Texas falls 500 cents below
1t further appears that no State reimburses the
whose adult population contains more than
eight per cent of iliterate persons, while there is
6ut C1e State with less than eight per cent: of
lliterate adults that does not pay revenue to the
Post Office Department, and that one being
deficient buta small amount"
seventy ont Of eyery hundred Och Children in the
free States were attending schools, while in the
slave States but thirty-three out OF every hun
dred were at school.
PERCENTAGE OF 1LLITERAcY.
One of the tables shows that the percentage
of illiterate population to the whole adult popu-
lstion in the several States was, in 1860. As iol
5l6f; Arkansas, 39.i2, Cali
tornia, I.56; Connecticut, 3.29; Delaware, 20 80;
Florida, 52.53; Georgia. 5265; Illinois. 49,
Indians, lo.4l; Iowa, &c; Kansas, SIS; Ken
land, PHO; Massachusetts, 6.55; Mich gan, 4.89
Minnesota, 500; Mississippi, e0.s5; Missouri,
1876; New Hampshire, 2it; New Jersey. 6.5s;
5!4; oregon. 69S; Pennsylvania, SIS; Rhode
Island, so; South Carolina, CO.'S; Tennessee
2so9 Texas, Sa.S; Vermont, SOC; Virginia,
scHooL-RooM DISEASES.
Under this head the circular contains the
II translation of an article by Dr. Il. VischOn, OF
Berlin, Prussia, who says:
In the following a careful distinction will be
made between evils actually established by
facts, and such as have only been estimated.
a m0ng the former rank first IN importance
The first reliable facts, based on the most
thorough investigations, as to the in
or schsS s on the
OF Breslau, Prussia. He has examined
FIVE village schools in Langenbielan, IA
village Of Silesis,) and the following schools in
the city of Breslau: Twenty elementary schools,
two higher girls schools, two intermediate
schools two real schools, on-olssscal COLLEGES
and two eynlnasia, classical colleges.) OF the
10, eco scholars in these institutions, Ill per
cent. were not in the full normal possession of
their eyesight. The statistics given show that
near-sightedness steadily increases from the
only does the number OF shOrt-sighted cases in
crease from one class to the other, and from
one grade of school to the other, but also the
de gree of short-sightedness. Among the chief |
causes Of near sightedness DIR. Cohn considers |
The construction of the desks and chairs and
he manner in which schoOl-roOms are gene |
.om themselves to bend forward too closely over |
heir books This involves greater activity OF |
he muscles Of the eye, producing an
Increase of hydrostatic pressure. in the |
Aick part of the eye-ball, and a pro- /
oDgation OF the axis Of the eye, which /
BY IoDg continuance becomes pen ma uent con- |
luton. Un the other hand, the bending for
ward occasions a rush OF blood to the eye-baII |
,lso increasing the pressure in the back part OF |
he eye. These two causes combined, DIR. COIN |
sys, produce near sightedness.
wills resulting from congestion of blood in the |
red have recently been made the subject OF 1
esearches by Drs. Guillaume and I'll. Becker, |
'iz headache, bleeding of the nose, and goitre.
q. Observation-Disclosures found, among seven
hundred and thirty-one scholars of the COuegs
fUT opal IN Neufchatel, two hundred and
llnety. six, more than 40 per cent, who fire.
uently suffered from headache. Girls seemed
Q be Hhore subject to it than boys, for among
he former there were 81 per cent, and among
he latter q per cent. The younger scholars
Seeker examined J, 56i scholars Of all the pub
&c schools at Darmstadt and Besungen, and OF
hree private schools at Darmstadt. OF this
lumber g4, or N.3 per cent. suffered more or
ess of headache. 1t appeared that in the com
non city schools the number Of children af-
l1cted with headache Was particularly large in |
ne lower boys classes, while in schools Of a
ngher grade the number was larger in the mot |
dvanced classes. In the highest class OF the |
!, mnaslum eO.s per cent were sufferers from |
eadache Besides too close schOol-rooms, to
ThIeh Becker, in addition to too severe mental |
xerton, ascribes the frequent occurrence of |
c adaches, Deville and Troost, in the session of |
he French Academy of Sciences, on January |
;, io.s, mentioned as another cause the fact
hat inherent species OF gas, particularly car
ODlc OXIDE, will penetrate red hot iron which |
cay frequently occurs where there are iron
=. me nOHlous influence of this oas In
oyes. "dache and siddipess is well known.
ou O;a.ga o., pamphlet published on this |
hiect i'm s Ssss aees p hesitate to consider the
ironic poisoning Of schoc. children by car
,nic oxide as Of frequent occurrence.
D. Bleeding of me Noss.-Guilisume FOUND i55
mon" ,oys f92 per cent? than among '" ,2o
cent? Amons the f".. ...s, steady decrease
ould be noticed in the higher classes. mile
Inong tie latter il was less regular. Becker
ound Only l1.3 per cent. suffering from nose
bleeding, most cases in the higher classes Of the
gymnasium, the higher ghis' school, and pri-
ate school Of higher grade; in those schools, |
n fact, where the scholars had TO sit longest |
II the school.room, and had least exercise in the |
open air.
c. GOitrs.-Guillaume found Ala cases, (JG per |
cent? 100 boys, as per cent? and 2i5 girls, ga
per cent?
There is no doubt that congestion of blood in |
The head has O serious influence cn the mental |
capacities Of the scholars, even producing, II
they have become habitusl, dangerous diseases |
Of the brain. /
3. sptaal diseases.-The majority of those
ph ysicians who have devoted special attention
10 school hygiene, and large number of ortho-
ped!sts, maintain that the school Is in @ large
measure to blame for distortions of the spine,
especially for what is called soolosis. Fahrner,
IN his work, " The Child and the Sshool-desk,"
lax oil