Morning journal and courier., 1881-11-23
Over-Study in Schools.
Views of a Prominent Physician of

Views of n Prominent Physician of To- rOntO on its Deleterious Effects. The Toronto Globe has lately interviewed Dr. Aikens, 8 leading practicing physician of that city, upon the effects of over study in the public schools. Following are extracts from it's report of the conversation: ''What are the effects of over-study as it exists in our schools ?''
 ''In the case of girls it leads, combined with lack of physical exercise, to hysteria among other things and units them in after life for their duties as wives and mothers
 In both sexes it sometimes produces paleness, cancellation and nervous debility. The heart is rendered unusually sensitive. and so is the nervous system generally. The nervous ex- haustion leads in after life to lack of self control in many respects, and drunkenness and other evil habits follow"
 'Do you mean to say that drunkenness can
 be traced to over study among children ?" "1 do. Even though they pursue their studies no further than the public school course, the seeds of drunkenness are sown Nervous exhaustion and excitability unques- tionably are caused even in early life by over-study and the rivalry which exists in the schools, and craving of the body for
 stimulants is created. I have, too, in my own practice attended to cases of inflamma- tion of the brain which had reason to sus-
 pect originated in, or were at least partly caused by, over-study. In the case of chil- dren of nervous temperament or delicate
 constitutions the effects are intensified in every respect. I am generally afraid when I see children, even comparatively vigorous ones, studying hard, that besides all the evils attending nervous excitability, that of short life will follow. The nervous fire is
 burned away, and the more study in youth,
 particularly when physical exercise is neg lected, the less is child likely to reach a good age."
 
 children 2''
 t'Mental enfeeblement is frequent result of it. do not look on the future of the most brilliant graduates of our common schools as hopeful Here and there bril- liant pupil will attain eminence in after life, but generally it is not so. The nervous ex- citability and nervous exhaustion in their early years lead to mental enfeeblement, and, even apart from the danger of falling into bad habits, they are not likely to be as useful members 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 prospects. The slower, more nat ural, and less forced methods of advancement promise the best ultimate results. A uni versity course increases the evil. I would like to see the result of an inquiry by com mission into the after life of brilliant grad uates of our universities, both in regard to long life, habits and usefulness to themselves and to society. I believe the inquiry would show that the able enough but less studious generally live longer and occupy better posi- tions than those who bore of the honors. This is also true regarding school children"
 ''What amount of home work do you think children should accomplish ?"
 ''I wouldn't give them any until after they II of should have absolutely none. In the upper classes an hour or two would do, but the standard should be fixed not for the average child, but for children below the average, in physical vigor and mental ability. I think very many of the children would turn out better men and women were they to have no home work and shorter hours at school. The confinement and restraints imposed on the very young children are altogether unnatural and injurious"