Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-03-09
Over Study.

How much intellectual training the
young should be subjected to, is ques-
ton which is very properly receiving con-
siderable attention on both sides of the
Atlantic. At the European Social Science
Congress, last year, Professor Maurice
argued at length that the system of cram
ming and crowding, SO prevalent in uni
versities and schools, was undermining the
physical life of the young The Prussian
Government, some time since commits
stoned an eminent medical gentleman to
investigate the cause of SO much sickness
in schools. After extensive examinations,
he reported that ovsr-study was one of
the most fruitful causes. The Philadel-
phia school authorities recently adopted
measures to prevent scholars from being
OverWorked, or compelled to study at
home evenings. Now, fifty three ply
sicians, sixty five clergymen, and two hun
dred and three parents and guardians of
Boston, have united in petition to have
the pupils of the public Latin School re-
leased from all studies on Saturdays, with
the exception of the one in each month
set apart for public exercises.
Manifestly, the old theory Of "cram-
ming is steadily coming into disrepute;
and this is as it should be. Large num-
bers of juveniles become weak and slckly
though being put to school at too early an
age. How many fond parents have been
promising children-victims to over
mental work? Some are not satisfied
unless their offspring are -tugging
away at the alphebet and the spelling book
soon after cutting loose from their moth
er's apron string. Others hold out vari-
GUS inducements to their children to push
forward in their studies beyond what their
years and strength will justify. They
take pride in seeing, them excel their
mates without stopping to consider
whether this mental maturity may not be
at the expense Of bodily health. Teach
ers often exercise little or no discretion in
laying out work for their pupils, assigning
them tasks wholly incommensurate with
their capacity. There are other instruc-
tors who crowd their scholars forward to
an unnatural degree, in, order that they
may improve their own standing with di
rectors and trustees.
This is all wrong, and cannot be too
strongly deprecated. Children should not
be permitted, much less compelled, to
take their books home for night study.
Seven school hours day is all the mental
confinement and discipline to which they
should be subjected Better that juve-
niles should grow up in ignorance, rather
than acquire book-lore at the expense of
health. There can be no hesitancy as to
the choice between much learning and good
health. The strong, robust boy, or romp-
ing girl, full of animal life and spirits,
possessing good appetite and light
heart, comes, in our estimation, very mucn
nearer to the ideal of what a child should
be, than the precocious juvenile who,
though bearing away school prizes, Is
puny, sickly, and constsptly complaining
Of some ailment
What we have said applies VIII equal
force to colleges and universities. better
that young men graduate at the foot o. the
class with a. good constitution, than az
the head with permanently impaired
health. There is something more in life
to attain to than Commencement prizes
To successfully fight the battle of life, to
accomplish great ends and purposes, one
must have physical stamina. The mental
training of the college curriculum will
avail him but little in graphing with life's
duties and responsibilities, if he be COM
PEELED to maintain constant side conflict
with disease. E
It is gratifying to observe that facul
ties and university instructors are coming
to take this view of the case, and are
combining phisical with mental training.
Inc cOHeSe gymnasium, Wuolofoi os'oD
Ished, has. been productive of great ben
efits In report, sometime since, Pro
fessor Allen, Of Amherst College, stated,
that since the introduction of athletic
snorts and pastimes, there has been de.
cided Improvement, in the health and
physique OF the students. They were
more Cheerful a.. ID buoyant, and sickness
had diminished H. one,tnlra among a
them. The boardfng.h>o oose Keepers ,,.h es also,
testified that they had tiuon thon nrou; n.ur!
healthy and regular appetite 'nan haa p,1r,- 1n
ously. What is true of Amherst nas a;.ms um
doubtedly been true OF Yale, Win an,s' .s
and other colleges, where the physical a.
well as the mental development of stu
dents is cared fol. Hearth and Home.