Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-08-24
OyERWORK.
The Great Crime Of American
Colleges.

II il notorious and indisputable TACT
that American students are overworked.
This oyerwork 10 impairing the eyeslght
and sapping the mental and physical
constitutions of many OF the most prom
ising youth of the land. What are We
yo;ny ~ do about il? What hare We
done about it in the past, except to en-
courage the piling on OF more work in
our preparatory schools and in most OF
our colleges? We have laws protecting
overloaded beasts Of burden, but none
in this case to protect our children.
"Take them out Of school," cries one.
"Reouire them to drop some OF their
studies" exclaims another. Simple ad-
vice. but how difficult for any one to OBJ
serve who has an ambitious son or
daughter whs has been ground into
hiyh school or college class-grooves.
We know several instances in which
Young ladies, fairly installed In college
classes, emulous OF the best In those
classes, and standing with or leading
the iront rank OF them, have persevered
AGAINST health and reason to MAINTAIN
their places. Bloodshot eyes and blur
rel vision have worried them in vain to
abate somewhat OF their study. when,
i'm one case, the student had become so
weak thar il Was necessary Tor her to lie
down part OF every day, she still chung
to her books as il they were glued TO her
fingers and would not yield her proud
position Of first in her class, although
her life was i'm peril. In these instances.
when parents protested and threatened
10 take them out OF college, the over
worked students pleaded that to drop
out OF their classes seemed to them IN
sufierable, and, pleading with tears to
be allowed to persevere, they were SUI.
fered 10 do so. Music, art studies, all
plishments" were laid aside, to
satisfy this class ambition; and yet to
meet the requirements OF teachers so as
to stand properly upon the records de-
more strength than they had.
Nor were these the only ones in that IN
stitution who were overworked. In
these very classes young men were
10 drop out altogether because
OF shattered health.
In these cases there has been no death
as vet, but that in every instance there
has been injury inflicted that VIII last
all life through is more than probable
Within lew days the institution re-
ierred TO, and others just as culpaoie
in this regard, will reopen, and SUCH
students as we have described will re-
sumo their too heavy tasks--with the
same ambitions to lead or be in front at
any cost, and the inhexible marking sys-
tenn will be at work again recording the
progress of the contestants in their race
against vital energy-in which they are
striving to see how TAR they
can strain nerve and muscle, anu now
they can fast from what
health requires, for the sake OF crafty
ing the ambition Of themselves and their
"alma matters" Alma matters. Cher-
ishiny mothers, God save the marx.
We want no more OF such cherlshlng
mothers, or fathers either. What the
exiyency demands is some remedy-a
system Of instruction that shall put
on taking care of the health,
and heavy discount or demerit on over
study; some means whereby reason
shall prevail in the education OF the
mind, the kingdom OF reason, whose
throne is too often assailed in the very
temples reared and consecrated 10
knowledge and wisdom.