Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-10-14
Education Of Boys and Girls In England.

| Inc LONDON O0turu0y heVteU says
Take the case Of o girl Of fifteen, con.
scientious and anxious to improve her.
self. She rises long before it is light in
tho morning, before perhaps even the
carly hour appointed. She struggles
with feeling Of oppression and Ian
guor, occasioned by sleeping in the same
room with several other girls, and
breathing all night vitiated atmos.
phere. The gas in the room does not
improve the state of the air, and there
are no ventilators perhaps even the
register OF the CRATE is shut. In all
probability there are not adequate tub
bing arrangements; certainly no hot wa
ter is allowed. The poor victim breaks
quantity Is possible Of the hard water.
II is not improbable she has infamed
chilblains which have kept her awake
half tho night. Hungry, sleepy and
languid, she begins her plano practice
in room without fire. At tho end OF
an hour she is stupid with cold, and has
a violent headache. There is no use in
complaining, for several of her compan-
ions are in q similer condition, and they
sit down to breakfast shivering in the
dreary gray dawn. After breakfast
comes the monotonous half hours walk,
which is supposed to be good for the
health, but seems only to have the re-
suit of fatiguing the children before
their days work has we'll begun. Then
comes long morning, in which class
succeeds class with scarcely any inter.
mission. Latin, French, German,
music, drawing, have all to be squeezed
in, as we'll as the other lessons which
belong to a good English education.
These of themselves would be enough
to fill up the whole time.
After an early dinner, if the day is
fine, there is another dreary stroll; but
every one rejoices if the weather is wet,
for then there is little time for idleness
or play. The classes begin again in the
afternoon and last until teaime; per-
haps even after that the preparation for
the next day must be got through. If
there is no hour before bedtime in which
relaxation is insisted on, the industrious
girls will work up to last moment, and
then dream half the night of unprepared
lessons or problems they cannot solve.
Their feverish restlessness is the natural
result of overstraining young brains, and
not giving the muscles vigorous, healthy
exercise. Not that much is accomplished
after all in the way of learning; far from
it; and, worst of all, they are never
taught how to learn. The time given
to lessons is too long to be advantage
ously employed. It is impossible that it
can be good for either the mind or
body of growing girl to spend nine or
ten hours day in head work, particular
ly when the greater part Of the time is
passed in an overcrQwded. stuffy school
room.
Boys have a great advantage over
girls in this respect. Their class-rooms
are much larger, more numerous and
better ventilated. They are not hung
with curtains or covered with carpets
which can scarcely be kept free from
dust. Then, too, boys have another adj
vantage over girls in the liberty they
enjoy during their play hours. They
are not constantly unner inspection.
Their games of cricket and football are
admirable tonics after morning of
hard work. The healthy glow of ex-
ercise sends fresh current through
the tired brain, and completely changes
the course of their thoughts. But Of
this invigorating sensation the properly
brought MP schoolgirl knows nothing.
She is not allowed to warm her feet by
q good run, or her hands by boxing
match. The nearest approach she ever
gets to healthy exertion is the weekly
lesson.