Daily Republican., 1882-09-21
TnUDsDAY, SEPTEMBEE 2I. 's9.
Ouar.croMdad aIndles.

Amongst the great evils attending
our system of education, especially in
our common public schools, is that of
over. crOWding the children with study.
1t is true that with most families the
school term of life is short, and there Is
so much to be learned in that time that
there is Q general disposition to crowd
children with multiplicity of studies
that prove in the end greater injury
to the child than benefit. We by no
means underate the excellence and
high esteem in hich our public schools
are held, but it is really surprising
when we take into considers tion the
character, number and aggregate of the
studies child of ordinary ability has
to master each day. The curriculu m of
th school is placed at high grade for
all, but few and all pupils who come
anyways within reach of ths standard
laid down, are forced on like a hot
house plant to attain still higher point
beyond the ability of the scholar. This
10 all wrong. 1t is we'll enough to have
graded schools-indeed we think they
ought to be better graded and the as
cent made more easy and graduSlto the
end of the goal, which is and should be
. pupils ambition to reach, as well as
a tea Cher's ambition to lead on to
the highest point of perfection. But
this point cannot be reached by an
over. r.crowding of studies. There are
some giant intellects that may with
stand the pressure and like the strong,
2th letiC swimmer, stem the tide and
reach the shore, but where there is
one who can do this, there is score
of others who sink under the burtheus
imposed and become effeminate and
dwarfed in their intellectual attain
ments.
The evils of over.crowding are but
little noticed for want of a knowledge of
ply siology, and because some two or
three pupils of herculean frame and
bright intellectual attairments are able
to Withstand the forcing process with
out apparent irjuTy, the conclusion is
too readily reached that the large ma
j1rity of pupils can travel the same
road with ease, never taking thought
of the injury that might be inflicted
and which might he life long
Actual insanity may result from over
work of the brain. Sometimes the
bright precoCiOus child that is the
teachers delight, becomes almost idi-
OtiC from combined overwork of the
brain, excitement of feeling and ue-
gleCt of the body. More frequently the
mind becomes simply weakened and
no longer confines itself to hard study.
The brain needs rest as much as the
hCdy and when once injured it is un.
Ike the body N recoveringits lost pow
er. The brain itself is but part of the
body, though it is the organ of the
mind, and it's failure is the failure of
physical health.
But sometimes the mind seems clearer
and stronger as II uscular power failt'
A time of special peril 10 girls is be-
+ween the ages of twelve and fifteen.
Nature then especially asserts her
sway in rounding out aud developing
The woman trCm the child, ard over.
work Of mental and physical charac-
ter will tend to thwart her plans. Many
poor girl who started we'll in lite,
physically speaking, gees into de.
cline at this age, because of the inju-
diCiouS and we might say, foolish haste
Of her parents about her schooling.
Oh, but the child is not crow ied with
study, the parents and teachers say, it
learns easily and has plenty Of time to
play. Just such children break down.
These never need be urged to their les.
FUBs and scarcely ever express wish
TO play out of doors. Indeed one of the
first signs that the pupil sover, worked
is its reluctance 10 join in active, ply
seal sport. There is limit to the
amount Of vital energy each one pos
setses and If the most of this is ex,
pendt by the brain, the body is robbed
OF its due share, and in this way all the
bodily functions are i'm paired. When
This - the case tho crow ded and over
worked scholar is Inclined to seek rec.
Eeation in light leadiDg Father than in
aellVe out door Sports, ami this usually
makes matters worse.