The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-02-21
SCHOOL CHILDREN.
VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS TO PARENTS
AND TEACHERS.


1t is the time Of the ringing Of tho
school bells. If they could all be
heard together, it would be, in its
meaning, the greatest chime of the
age. Thousands and tens Of thous.
sands of coming citizens. are to be
summoned to the public and private
schools, there to be fitted, or untitled
for the work Of mature life. The
dramatists did not miss it when he
made the first school satchel day one
of the seven events of "the ages"
To all intents, it is partial trans
ssfc.> of the child to a new parental
roof. The teacher, to no small de-
gree, comes in not only as assistant
to the home, but, for the time heing,
as a principal. + rfs
So much Of destiny centres around
these school building, that we cannot
too much feel the greatness Of the
interests involved. All the more be-
cause it is not always very manifest
destiny.
Nowadays there are so many sec
tions left ont of what is called COM
mon school education. Grandfather
worked on the farm when he was a
boy; went to winter school, and to
night school besides; made good
merchant up to forty; then SUCCESS
s. full farmer; and, though not very
largely booked, was fitted for and filed
his sphere in life. He was fitted to
earn livelihood by industry, as we'll
as to parse. We cannot but start
the question whether the education of
the present is well-balanced for the
attainment of this object. Just now
we confine ourselves to the point
whether there is proper care for the
body in education. If the design is
to fis, one for life, that means the
work Of life; that means vigor, en-
durance, maintainenance of the
right adjustment between q boys or
girls physical, intellectual and moral
self. 1t is the wholencss of the
thing that is sent to school. Unless
this fact is comprehended and attend
sIto-not casually, but essentially
thee is training for unfitness.
Great risks and great exposure to
.ue body are involved in sending a
child to school. 1t may mean mere
ly such mind work as is too much Of
a tax upon the brain and nervous
system. 1t often means indigestion,
from hurried lunch at noon or
fast until o'clock. 1t often in
wolves sitting in constrained positions
too long, too close confinement in ILL.,
ventilated or ill-heated ROOMS, and
other experiences inimical to vigorous
growth. A recent book says the first
right of child at school is to feel
happy. One element in this is left
out if the conditions are not such as
favor his good health. Indisposition
is word of double meaning. That
of the mind and temper is affected by
that Of the body.
There are most cogent reasons why
children at school should be so pro-
vided for as that all their surround
ings tend to a comfortable physical
condition. Simon, speaking Of arti-
zsns, says "that it is their right that
whatever work their employer assem-
bles them to do, should, as far is as in
his power,b diyested of all unhealthy
circumstances. !" 1t is a.poor charity
and q poor economy, too, for the
State to present to all it's children a
free school system, if the perils of the
school-room are excessive.
No school should commence with
out thorough knowledge on the
part Of its trustees as to the adequacy
of the buildings, its desks, its heat
ing and other apparatus, its general
fitness, for the conduct Of the work
purposed to be done on it. We wish
the parents OF the children would
just now form themselves into COM
mittee of the whole, and wait upon
each board and find out just what
they know as to sanitary inspection.
All the more, because so lately our
New York boards have certified their
competency to suRerintend all this
matter. We happen to know some
thing about school infections, school
temperature, school air, and school