Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-11-19
Injurious Habits and Pastures of
Children.

AZ aiIAoIo VI coHSlIeraole length
entitled. The Arrangements for Seat,
ing Children in School aud at Home.
and their Influence upon the Health Of
the Young, and especially upon their
Growth and Carriage, which appeared
IN the No"tTy Sa"it,ry Jo"95aI, Of
brunswick. is well worthy of perusal.
and contains the following general
rules, which have the assent of differ.
ent physicians of high authority: /.
I The carrying of children on one side,
on the arm, by nurses, is improper, as
1t frequently oc casions defects in form
and growth. ,. Lying on the back is
the best position in the earlier years,
as it meets all the requirements of
health. 3. In raising itself up, and in
learning to walk, the child should be
LETT to Its own strength, or should at
most only &c assisted Us it may nave
need. Every premature attempt to
walk may occasion curvature of the
spine and of the bones of the feet, and
all artificial supports, as go.carts, belts.
etc, are Injurious. /. Carrying heavy
articles, such as school satchels. smaller
children, ETC., on one side, instead of
upon the back, should be avoided.
Neither should girls that are not full
grown sew with thread that is too
long, embroider on frames, nor engage
In similar occupations. ). All the
limbs of child should be uniformly
exercised. Neglect of the left arm, or
OF the left hand, or of the left side in
general, will render one side high
shouldered. 6. Improper positions,
as standing Oh one foot with the other
foot barely Ill contact with the floor.
by which the body is constrained into
a slovenly, inclined position. occasion
curvature of the spine. !. Goats, :.
jackets, and garments of all kindsA
should be wide enough across the
chest and in the armholes. The gar
ments of girls should not be cut so
low that the shoulder seam slips down
over the shoulder, thus producing q
feeling OF discomfort, and, as u conse-
quence, a continual unequal Working of
the shoulders back and forth, as well
as upward, which gives rise to bad
habits of carriage. Corsets are under
al circumstances attended with danger
to the development Of girls, as also
high heels on shoes. Both are termed
by DR.. Schreber 1.-The harmful gratiii-
ton OF the feminine taste for dress"
.. Bodily exercise, as skating, swim
ming, and above all, gymnastics,
neutralizes many evil influences upon
the body, and imparts beauty of form
as well as strength. Walking on stills,
for example, is peculiarly effective for
correcting defects of carriage resulting
from weakness of the upper dorsal
IN uscles, as STOPPING of the shoulders,
and turning of the toes inward.
The following suggestions relate
more particularly TO the position in
writing, ETC., at the desk in school, or
the work table at home. /. Tho verti-
cal distance OF the inner olge of the
table from the surface Of the bench or
chair should be adjusted to the dis
lance of the elbows of the individual
from the surface of the seat. Ii
chair must be made high enough to
meet this requirement by something
placed beneath, care should be takeC
that the seat does not slope. 2. Thie
edge of the bench or chair should pro-
ject about two inches beyond the front
or inner edge of the table or desk. 3.
The height of the seat must be deter
minH by the length of the lower part
of the leg of the individual. The feet
should rest entirely and comfortably
on the floor or footstool, and the thigh
should rest horizontally upon the seat.
1t is very injurious to allow the lower
part of the leg to hang unsupported.
1. The breadth or depth of the seat
should be such that nearly the whole
Of the thigh may be supported. and
the rear edge should be about three
quarters Of an inch lower than the
front edge. 3. Every seat should be
supplied with back, which, under all
circumstances, should support the
loins, and permit an inclination back
ward above. Straight backs, whether
perpendicular or inclined, are objec-
tionable. Backs should be universally
attached to benches in schools, churches,
and manufactures. &. The space be-
tween the back and the inner edge Of
the table, in writing or working, must,
as rule, be so narrow that the loins
need not be withdrawn from the back;
and the order to "sit back 10 one Of
the most important to the child whilst
writing, if the first and fifth require.
ing must have sufficient breadth, and
inclination of ! to 7, to afford the cor
rect angle OF sight. Round tables are
very objectionable. s. The correctpo-
sition in writing, according to tue pre-
ceding, is controlled by the following
rules (O The position of the upper
part of the body should be erect, with
its support in the spinal column, which
rests at the loins upon the back of the
seat, and in no case shou Id the body be 4
supported by the elbows resting UPON
the table; 90 the upper parf OF the
body should be placed square in front
of the table. so that line joining the
two shoulders may be parallel to the
edge; (c) both fore-arms should rest
upon the. table nearly to the elbows,
and should not be far from the body,
SO that the upper portion of the arms
may be nearly perpendicular; ii but
one elbow rests upon the table, and the
shoulders are not in line parallel to
the edge of the table, the position IS
a crooked one and may produce lateral
curvature of the spine; (d) the head
should not he bcnt down but the neck