The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-27
Greuina Telearaph
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 81, 1870.
MASSACRE OF TIE INNO CENrS.

MAJS,SA GRE OF THE INNOOEN rs.
VIZ have received a number of communica-
tions in relation to the article we published
few days ago in reference to the public
schools, which fully confirm our statement
that many pupils are sadly overtasked, and
that the city teens to-day with countless
little victims of false and fatal
educational policy. The attempt of the
Board of Control to break up the
deadly system of sentencing children to long
hours of wearying home study after they have
been closely confined in crowded school
rooms for as long period as they should de-
vote to any form of study, has been unsuc-
cessful. Through the combined opposition
of stupid sectional boards, lazy or incom-
petent teachers, and iniudicious parents,
the old plan of imprisoning the children
during a large part of the day, and examining
them during the remaining hours, has been
perpetusted in many of the schools and
thus the bad work of enfeebling young
frames, of stunting young bodies, of weaken
ing young minds, and of filling the ceme-
teries with little graves goes bravely on.
The President of the Philadelphia Board of
Controllers, in report made in January,
1863, called attention in the most pointed
terms to the evil on which we are now COM
menting. He said that he could not under
stand why parents should aid in unwise at
tempts to cram the minds of their children;
that fearful evils had arisen from too close
study; that in the opinion of good medical
authority "the hours devoted to brain work
should not exceed Sig hours for healthy men,
and three hours for children" and that when
exhaustive study was enforced, headaches,
constant weariness, and a destruction of
health were inevitable.
In the face of this, and other numerous
protests, the practical operation of our edu-
cational system in thousands of instances in
Philadelphia to-day is portrayed in the fol-
lowing letter.
''PHLADELPHIA, Oct %, 1sTO-ED. EVENING TELE-
GRAPH No. los South Third street, Philadelphia
SI;MIeere ,,l Is SO much truth IN your article on
excuse one who thinks as you do in thus telling his
experience. The little ones are so much overtaXed
with long aud, to them, difficult lessons that it is
scarcely possible for them to find one moment of
time to rest their Overtaxed brains. have three of
SIX nine and eleven Of age, aad to see the lessons
they compelled to learn at home is enough to
make Older heads be thankful that they not "a
boy again After spending all their time at home
at study, even arising at AZ and s O'Clock In the
morning. and keeping their books before their little
eyes until 81 O'Clock in the morning they will pack
up their books at the last moment with az hope
will be perfect to-day and Off they 90 with heart
noon till haf.past IL there they come at last, with
es SpT SsIania aaa heiy IVY SIR and
ae yo BEEN Kept D AZ w Wne P ne enG answer as
will come with tears IN their eyes, YES tried my
very best and, after all, failed in grammar, and was
try SO hard to overcome an iInpossl0ility
"Tnose who have spent fifteen or twenty years to
master these difficulties, aud now have only to be
hand at O'Clock to hear the little ones try, witl
fear, to recite what their little minds have been so
fD q phn nnl-
teaching hard task when, indeed it is not teaching
&C ALI. bat merely giving tue little ones their task or,
n0re properly, their oyertask; and If not done per-
feet TO punish them. II it requires the children to
spend every moments time, evening and morning
Gas it does, 10 learn at home what the teacher
chooses to oad them down with, of what use are our
schools: TENTH WARD"
On the other hand, we have received a let
ter from a teacher who evidently takes
pride in her profession, and who, in discuss
ing this subject, says
There are some children who cannot study in the
scht room, at least they say so; there are come
slow as to be unable to master a lesson in
bic time some so quick that the average tim al
frequently troublesome after they get thr5ugh.
These are the objections OF the teachers opposed to
school room study We do not beIiere there is sin
teoete|, aud there ought TO be other sort Of
teacher IN the public schools But there is. VINO is
81 am teacher, with fair share OF professional
enthusiasm, and, | think, with very fair know
ledge or what is best for school children. My eXpe
rienCe is this: VIII re lessons are faithfully ex-
planned oy the teacher, a1d iudciOus amount OF
time allotted for study in school, there is necessity
ni no Inclination FOR lessons at home II ceildren
are competed 10 tale books home, the teachers ast-
Sng IN open riOatjOn Of the rules of the Board of E
caitoN. This is matter lrhlch needs attention."
AS our main purpose now is to direct at
tention to an undoubted and dangerous
evil, we have not space at this moment to
publish some valuable suggestions from the
same correspondent in regard to the proper
method of remedying it. What is needed
above all other things is that correct public
sentiment on this important subject should
he created. Parents should be made to un-
derstand that in ninety nine cases out of a
hundred they are doing great deal more
harm than good when they urge
THEN children to study home lessons that
when they become willing participants in q
system that requires steady application to
books during all the hours that should be
devoted to exercise or recreation, they are
inAicting upon their offspring fearful physi.
cal and mental INJURIES and that all the bool
knowledge in the world will not compensate
the rising generation for impaired vitality
and enfeebled constitutions.
THE GAMER N POLITICAL HAIR
VEST.
Ok the Both of April, 1862, the popula
hraunb nf Ionoraca than uaorlu f,yO fhi al