Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-05
The Slaughter of the Innoeents.


The title above has tragic sound, but the i'm
portance Of my theme demands a startling sub
ject.
The nnoccnts referred to are the hundreds of
children attending the schools of our city. Not
that we as a community are more cruel than
others, but if the people of each locality will re-
form its abuses evils will cease to exist. Murder
is murder. whether the victim is struck dead by
one violent blow, or the foundations OF life
dermined by slow poison, and we contend that
community is guilty If it allows children to be
poisoned by breathing air ireighted with disease.
As a rule, children are born with sound minds
in sound bodles-if otherwise, nature at once be-
gins contest with disease, and If assisted by lu
dicious management, comes OIL conqueror. With
little children after they have passed the bounds
of extreme infancy, health is the normal condi-
ton, while feebleness and disease are unnatural.
Seat young child in a chair, the back might
well be wanting for all the he will make of it.
Notice the same child after attending school for
few months. The erect posture is gone, and the
child has acquired habit of lolling and leaning,
whether at study or in play. No parents but would
shrink from sending their children to be confined
for several hours in a hovel whose inmates were
uncleanly, and whose atmosphere was rocking
with impurity; yet in such home there might be
from four to six persons only, while in school
room there would be at least six or eight times as
many pupils, some of them from homes like that
10 dDONc, VIII tHeI ptfsOus huu ClOlHiuS
charged with disease in many instances. Who
ever heard OF feeble burglar or ghway robbcr
This class is composed chiefly of uneducated men,
whose strength was never diminished by conine-
ment in the school room. Would we then abolish
our schools God forbid But we would have
them so improved, that an educated man need not
of necessity be also an invalid.
When arrived at college one of the important
duties before the student is that Of striving TO I'M
do the mischief which has been done by previous
ntnrxH obj
ty of gymnasa, boating clubs and the like. We
venture to say that no man or woman, not a
teacher can enter one OF the school rooms III the
city of Augusta with ury lew notable eNcep-
tOns) and remain half hour even, without eX-
penenciDg unpleasant sensations. severe head
ache viii be one sure penalty, yet we allow
children to be penned in this same atm sphere
for six hours each day.
1t is the height of cruelty well as folly to ex-
pose an evil unless at the same time, one can
suggest remedy. We contend that in this case
the remedy lies with the teacher There is al
ways plenty of cir out of doors, and the only
question Is, how shall we get the same within
doors' Expensive means Of ventilation are out
of the question entirely, ventilation is altogether
a matter of experiment as yet. All agree in d
general way to its necessity, but while the
world is deciding which of ali proposed meth
DDS is the most practicable, we cannot afford to
sacrifice scores and hundreds of the youth of Au-
gusta IN awaiting its decision.
Let "a Nl-llOT cUlcT sCuOOl TUOU anu alter
nearly suiocaiing in the unaccustomed atmos-
phere, let him suggest in the gentlest manner that
the ali is close or impure. The teachers indigDa-
ton is aroused at once. You are lmpugning, as
she thinks, her lack of judgment. Not SO, 50
much of the teachers HE Is passed in the school
room, that she becomes less sensitive to the
close air. Therein lies the danger. We are told
that the average length OF a school teachers life
less than that of almost any other class of socie-
y. This is not due to the tax upon the brain and
nervous system, as many suppose, else the teach
ers in the higher departments of learning would
suffer most severely. This is not the case, how
ever. 1t is among those teachers who spend
eral consecutive hours in the school room that the
worst eifees are manifest. The teacher should
have fixed rule for ventilating the room and adj
here strictly to that not trusting to her Judgment
which is liable to err.
Said a successful teacher in my hearing not long
since, 81 am satisfied that the catarlhs and dis
eases OF the throat which afilict so many people
are caused in large majority ofcases by the want
of proper ventilation in our school rooms; when
the air becomes utterly unfit for respiration
that all in the room are at the point Of iaInting,
the windows are opened and a draft of air blows
directly across the heads of the pupils We all
know what the result must be.
Several years ago, visited a Kindergarten"
which we understand to be school for very Young
children, first instituted by German, hence the
name. In this school were gathered thirty chill
die from three years of age upwards, aud so
hesty and happy hlilc family one seldom sees.
| was much Impressed by the absolute purity OF
the afr in the room. How was it obtained Gods
arr is always pure. There were no special contri-
vances for ventilation. There were only doors
and windows hut the air changed utterly
and entirely every fifteen minutes. This was done
at the expense OF three minutes of time for these
little people. Sometimes they were required to
go out of doors and run to a certain distance and
return; sometimes they merely lett the room
sometimes they marched about the room singing,
always the doors and windows were thrown open
and the air changed. But says one, "Would You
advise h, waste of time" Most assuredly. The
time thus wasted Is more than regaiued in the
increased ability and inclination Tor study. Yes
would have but two hours per day spent in study
rather than to have the foundation of disease and
death contracted in the school room. A. NJ. \.
Names fo m. ~ EhIlces.