Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-12-10
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. DECEMBER 10. 1881.
Oyerstudy nm schools.

The Toronto Globe has lately inter-
viewed DR.. Aikens, a leading practicing
physician of that city, upon the effects of
Overstudy in the public schools. Fol-
lowing are extracts from its report of
the conversation:
"What are the effects Of Overstudy as
it exists in our schOOls?"
I'm the case of girls it leads, combined
with lack of physical exercise, to hyster-
ia among other things, and UNITS them
in after life for their duties as Wiyesand
mothers. In both sexes 1T sometimes
produces paleness, elnaciatiOn, and nerv-
Gus debility. The heart is rendered nn-
usually sensitive, and 50 Is the nervous
system generally. The nervous exhaus-
ton leads i'm after life to lack of self
control in-many respects, aud drunken
ness and other evil habits follow"
"DO you mean to say that drunkenness
can be traced to Oyerstudy among chill
dren" U.8I
II do. Even though they pursue their
studies no further than the public-schOOl
course the seeds of drunkenness are
sOwn. Nervous exhaustion and excit-
ability unQuestiOnably are caused even
in early life by Overstudy, and the
rivalry which exists in the school, and a
craving of the body for stimulants is
created. have, too, in my own practice
attended to cases of Inflammation of the
brain which had reason to suspect
originated in, or were al least partly
caused by, Overstudy. In the case Of
children of nervous temperament or Of
delicate constitutions the effects are in
tensified in every respect. l am generally
afraid when see children, even cOmpar-
atively vigorous ones, studying hard. that
besides all the evils attending nervous
excitability that of short life will follow.
The nervous fire is burning away, and
the more study in youth, particularly
when physical exercise is neglected, the
less is child likely to reach good
age"
"What mental effects has Overstudy
among children?"
Mental eAfeeblement is frequent re-
suit of it. l do not look on the future of
the most brilliant graduates of our
common schools as hopeful. Here and
there a brilliant pupil will attain emf
hence in after life, butIgenerally it is not
So. The nervous excitability and nery-
Gus exhaustion in their early years lead
to mental enfeeblement, and, even apart
from the danger of falling into bad hab-
its, they are not likely to be useful men,
bers of society, or as brilliant in man
hood, as ordinarily bright pupils who do
not make special exertiOns to win the
highest places. Both as to longevity
and brilliant manhood and wOmanhOOd,
the boys and girls below the pupils who
stand highest have the better prospect.
The slower, more natural, and less forced
methods of advancement promise the
best ultimate results. A university
course increases the evil. would like
to see the result of an inquiry by COM
mission into the after life Of brilliant
graduates of our universities, both in
regard to long life, habits, and useful
ness to themselves and to society. be-
li0ve the inquiry would show that the
able enough but less studiOus generally
live longer and occupy better positions
than those who bore off the hOnOrs. This
is also true regarding school Children
"What amount of home work do you
think children should accomplish"
II wouldn't give them any until after
they are 10 years of age; Second boOl
pupils should have absolutely none. I1
the upper classes an hour or two would
do, but the standard should be fixed no
for the average child, but for children
below the average, in physical vigOr an(
mental ability. think very many OF
the children would turn out better mel
and women were they to have no HON,
work and shorter hours at school. Tn,
confinement and restraints imposed OF
the very young children are altOgethe
unnatural and injurious"