Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-03-08
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
THE RELATION OF THE TEACHER
TO THE PHYSICALsCULTUR
OF HER PUPILS.
Prepared for Regular Meeting of the
Teachers of the Moline, Hll.) Pub
lie Schools, Jan. IL, 1878.
VIM. ELDEN, Editor.

gle, the base bearing the inscription
Physical Culture; one side Mental Cul-
ture; the other Moral Culture: in the
center Culture Very closely are these
bound together in forming the grand
unity Culture, or, in other words, growth
or life.
We are to examine the base Of this
triangle. Like the foundation of a
building, 1t is not a single stone, but
multitude Of stones firmly cemented to-
gether. Prominent among these are
cleanliness, diet, exercise and rest. I
believe they are the corner stones in
the foundation of this woi.., ,'erful house.
And as in the laying of corner stones
many valuable articles are placed there
in, so in each of these is found enough
to demand lifetime for understanding.
and another for practice Some one has
said Our life is spent in learning how
to live
The teacher who is regardless of these
foundation stones builds upon the sand.
Many Of us have our eyes on the foun-
dation, and can say from the depths Of
our hearts, What can we do?"
Look within our primary schools. and
If one glance does not appal, stay long
enough to breathe three times. Hygien-
ist will exclaim miserable ventilation;"
Extremist, open your windows" Sen
sible teacher, throw open the windows
and let your pupils race around the
room, thus giving the room and the
children a thorough washing in pure
air Ventilation is vexed question,
particularly in our primary rooms. 1t
would be less vexing in all places if peo-
pie fully believed that cleanliness is
next to Goodness What church has
this in its creed? Alas, for pure wor-
ship in impure air
And now we are coming to subject
which admits Of no adorning, and we
must wade into it, leaving our sensitive
ness on the bank.
The teachers first work is to know
the physical condition of her pupils.
Why do we not have an examining COM
mittee, that shall require all candidates
for admission to our schools to present
a certificate from parents that. their
bodies and clothing have been thorough
ly cleanscd, and that this shall. be re-
pcated at least once a week The com
mittee, after careful investigation, shall
report neglected pupils and have them
removed from school Do you think
this will never be done? 1t will have
to be done for self-protection. Filth
breeds disease. Measures are taken to
remove nuisances from our streets,
where air is not enclosed by brick walls
and Mansard roof When | leave the
public school for the kindergarten. one
reason for so doing will be to save the
coroner from rendering the following
verdict Teacher came to her death by
inhallng poisonous air.
We are overwhelmed with our work,
for the field is large and full of weeds,
while, on the other hand. the teachers
relation to the physical culture of her
faithful teacher would like to care for
each neglected pupil as a true mother,
but this is impossible, for the teacher is
like that perplexed old lady who lived
in a shoe Here are some who need
clothes. In Brazil, where education is
compulsory, the needy are furnished
with books and clothing at the expense
of the government Other countries
maintain baths, free of charge How
much ugliness would be drowned? how
many sins washed away? if baths and
public schools, and persons were en-
ployed to attend to these special depart
ments. All this may seem grand air
castle to economical trustees, but one
generation so cultured would show the
economy Of this plan in the reduction,
OF the fund now necessary for the sup
port of almshouses, asylums, reform
schools, jails and prisons. What we
need is a sound mind in sound body,
or what is still better, pure soul in
pure body. Air and water, unadulturat-
ed, we must have, or perish. In the
good time coming visitors will not
have occasion to remark to the teacher,
after hearing her pupils sing Shall we
gather at the river" Il hope, if you are
there, you will see that some of them
have good washing"
We endeavor to keep the hands and
faces of our pupils clean, but what can
be done with the general neglect? We
have our practical lessons on the
human body, much of which is lost
through home influence. The spupil
quotes the teacher and provokes this re
sponse from his parents: Sausage and
coffee, not good for you! That teacher
don't know every thing. l had both
when I was child, and | am alive yet" ;"
Or if the child wishes to admit air by
opening window, the economical par
ent suggests that he cannot afford to
warm the outside Of the house.
Now let us go around the school room,
and examine each pupils tongue; very
few indicate good stomach. Horace
Mann has very truly said, " If lying lips
are an abomination unto the Lord, how
much more is foul stomach. And
herein lies one of the causes Of the stu
pidity, or lack of perception of our pu
pills, though stupid teacher will al
ways have stupid pupils. Ask your pu-
pills what they eat, and when you hear
their answers you will not be surprised
at headaches, ill-nature or stupidity.
Much of the teachers nerve force is ex-
pended ON children whose intellects are
sluggish and whose perceptions are
clouded because of improper diet.
And now we come to the third point,
exercise. Some pupils require more ex-
ercise than Others. Often the teacher
can avoid an outbreak of mischief by
quietly whispering to the mischief max
cr, You may go out and play for few
moments or, ''Will you take this note
to the Office for me- Away with that
strict diciplnarian who would have eee-
m little toe on the mark, who terrifes
her pupils into mere machines. How
many Of us more advanced in years, can
sit or stand perfectly still ten or even
five minutes? Any one knows how diff
ticult this is if he has ever sat before
the camera, and has heard these words
from the photographer: keep that
position for few moments and you
will have a good picture.
well remember little child saying
in her troubled dreamy sleep, : Position
O dear! | dropped my pencil and Ill
have a check, who, in the school room
was in constant fear lest she should
turn around or forget some of the many
rules given by her teacher. Such disci
pline is almost as bad as the practice o.
certain professionals of whom | have ,rea(
whose business it is to deform or mutt
late children, that they may be more