West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1877-12-01
How Eyes OF the Young are Damaged.
Iropular scisnec Month, for Nescmnerl

lf"rulSr Sccucc Monthly for NoNcmbcr.l
Resuming now the consideration of
ncar-Sight we proceed To suggest some
OF Its principal causes, rs follows:
l. Too early use 10y school children of
books, states and writing-papcr. or COPY.
books, when blackboards and models
would bc better. Typeand script letters
and figures, and their primary combina-
tonsat least, should never he taught from
books, but from large and perfectly
formed models, printed on cards and
hung ON the wall. When the eve and
the memory are sufficiently trained Ia
easily recognize and name each figure
and letter at sight, and when some knowl-
edge has been gained of the power of
letters and figures in combination, then
the same forms i'm books will be nj once
familiar MS old acquaintance, and may
he studied without straining the sight.
To train the hand without straining the
sight presents greater practical diff
Guilty. In the large schools, of course,
all the children can not go To the black
board. But considerable practice i'm
drawing large lines and simple objects on
good sized states, in II sort of free
hand style, should preccde the for
nation of letters and figures, and, when
these are begun, they should bc made of
generous size. a correct position, mean
while, should bc AN imperative require
mcnt; and until il becomes habitual and
easy, good work should bc held To be of
secondary Importance. Hard slatc-pcn-
ellis and greasy slate-surfaccs should not
the permitted; both should be subiec
TO systematic inspection
=. Ignorance or laXity on the part of
parents and primary teachers, in per
mlttlng faulty positions of the head,
body, and book, during reading, study,
and writing, and i'm not seeking early to
secure the intelligent cooperation of
the pupil by simple and appropriate
physiological instruction.
3. A prolonged and steady looking nj
an object or at objects near the eve,
though III proper distance, without rest or
frequent change of the visual focus, as
in long and absorbed novel-reading, in
tense study, or persistent diligence in
ncedlcwork.
4. The practice of reading or other
wise using the sight at too short range
lhls results in part from insufficient
light; or from its faulty direction, so
that the hand or body throws shadow
on the page; or 80 that the direct rays
traction of the puril, while the page is
III shadow. ltrcsults, also, from improp-
crly graded desks, from small and poor
type and inferior printing ink, and from
| pale writing ink--pale when used-and
from the substitution of the lcad-pcncil
Tor the pen, especially i'm the evening.
D. A prone or forward position OF the
head too long maintained, or frequently
FpnpninI 81 VI. :
results from reading or studying with
the book in the lap, and from the use of
desks not graded to the height of the
pupil. DIR. Howe reports pupils VARYING
eighteen inches in height seated at the
same grade of desks. The distanc.
of the eye from the page should
not be less than twelve nor more than
| eighteen inches. Having the desk set
too far from the seats also induces this
faulty position. The front of the desk
should overlap the seat one or two
inches.
Donders says: " In the hygiene of
myopia the very first point is to guard
against working in a stopped position"
He iavors high, sloping desks, and ndi-
Gates rectilinear drawing on n fiat sur
face ;" as class of work which is espe-
cially Objectionable.
6. Since a vitiated atmosphere is
frequent feature of the schoOl-rO0m, it,
may not be amiss to add here that the
effect of bad air is indirectly TO iniure,
| if not TO destroy the sight.
z. Allowing asun-glare on the page
while reading; also, transitions from
! cloud-shadow 10 sunshine.
g. Reading and studying i'm railroad
cars is known TO be a fruitful source of
injury.
Q. But insufficient light, perhaps more
than any other cause, produces disease of
the eye and arrangement Of tie vision.
This is not confined 10 the schools.
Sadly frequent as il is found To be there,
IL is believed TO be yet oftener illustrated
at home, both by daylight. and i'm the
evening in preparation for the school
and otherwise. Artificial illumination
Is faulty at best, but even in the most
favored homes, the elder group is apt to
mOnopoize the shaded drOp-light or
student-lamp, while the schoOi-bOy with
his textbooks is found somewhere in the
outer circle.