The Portland daily press., 1881-04-01
LIGHT ENOUGH IN THE SCHOOLS.
More Light Needed at Home.

Mr. EDToR:-It interested me exceedingly
to see by the PRESS Of March 30, that the
School Committee had declined (although by
no means on the evidence of an authority on
this subiecD to allow pupil to change from
one school to another on account of the sup
posed bad light in school room
Portland people with good memories will
recall that in 1876 made a thorough examin-
alton of the eye-sight of the school children,
as we'll as of the lighting Of the schools in the
city. In 1880, made thorough and repeated
examinations of the lighting of the Butler and
North schools. The suggestions then made,
based on careful study and supported by au-
thorities in orr own country as we'll as in Eu-
rope, were wisely and carefully carried out by
the committee. In my opinion the light in al
most all of our schools is all that can be de-
sired by the most captious reformer.
But what 1 desired chiefly to emphasize
is the fact that in spite of improved light in
our schools, defective vision is still on the in
crease in young people. Not only have I no
ticed this particular point myself, but other
observers, and latest DR.. Just of Zittaw
in Saxony, have confirmed it. IN 1866, the
Germans began to build their model school
houses, with perfect lighting for one thing.
In 1871 one was built in Zittaw, and every one
hoped that now defective vision would begin
to diminish proportionally. Instead of this,
DR.. Just's examinations in 1879 showed just
the same percentage of short sight, ETC.,
amongst the model-school children, as had
been discovered fifteen years before amongst
those attending poorly lighted schools.
Here will call attention to my report of
1876 transactions Maine Medical Soci ety.
wherein said that we must not expect too
much from improved light in the schools, but
that the parents were to see that improved
light was also given to the children during the
long winter evenings, when study had to be
doLe at home.
We all know how hard it is to get reform;
how hard to drive the truth into the minds of
people. The oculist is blamed if he cannot
cure defective vision, while the fault finders
quite forget that they have done their very
best to increase the defect in vision by poor
light at home. A few evenings ago had oc-
casion to call at the house of friend, an ex-
ceedingly we'll read and thoughtful man. To
my amazement saw his two children porting
over very closely printed books, while the only
light in the room was a Pickering gas flame, at
least ten feet away from the books, most of the
light being reflected to the ceiling by ground
glass shade. This is by no means rare case
probably one half our school children read by
Odooiy pun iiSu0
Our eyes are not so delicate as people gener-
ally suppose. On the contrary they are naturally
strong, as is proved by the abuse which they
withstand. 1t is VIGOROUSLY the greatest stu
dents, who use good light and rest their eyes
for brief moment every half hour or so, who
hold their books we'll into the light, who have
the light from over their shoulders, who shade
their eyes when the light happens to be in
front of them-it is these men who enjoy the
best of sight to an old age. But with bad light,
or too constant use, or if hereditary influences
are at work, the eyes will deteriorate and often
times irredeemably.
Hence we should supplement the improved
lighting in our school houses, so we'll carrie
out by the committee, by improved lights at
home. Drive the children to the centre
table on which shall stand the light or lights.
And above all don't abuse the schools or the
committee, but recollect that light for the eyes
as well as for the mind, should be looked out
for by the heads of the household.
In a subsequent paper hope to show what
L mean by good bad or Indifferent type for
books. JAMES A. SPALDING, NJ. d.