Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-02-16
eureka Dailp 9entinel.


LONG SCHOOL HOURS.
Parents and school officers sometimes
make the mistake Of keeping boys and
girls too long over their books. Proper
regard is not always had for the, true
welfare of the school children in this
respect. The best results are not OBJ
tanned from long continuous study.
The growth of the mind should be I'M
forced and entirely natural. As OF the
body so of the mental faculties. The
work Of development in either case
NAV be unwholesome. BY overtaxing
the child you are likely to accomplish
immediate and startling results, but IN
the end these unreasonable fruits OF
the hot-bed will shrink and decay.
Precocious and sickly flowers will have
been made to anticipate the natural
season of maturity, and when these
have had their day of novelty they APP
pear no more to crafty the ambitious
cultivator. Other plants. OF the same
kind. allowed to develop healthily and
without forcing, live their natural time
and bear wholesome fruits and put
forth fresh flowers as called for by the
appropriate season. By severe gym
nastics you may make an ungainiy
giant of your son; so you may crowd
his mind and make him an awkward
book fend, a literary fool. These are
the probable results if the child has
such natural parts as will endure the
strain and respond vigorously to the
unwholesome labors crowded on 1T.
But the ordinary pupil, who may dis
play q sort Of sprightliness that is
often mistaken for genius, will in lime
give way and lose his vitality OF body
and mind. He will not only cease to
grow physically or mentally, not only
be dwarfed in growth, but he will be
turned hopeIessly adrift in a sea OF
troubles. He will become a prey to
confusion, which is worse than total
ignorance, against which there is no
such things a successful struggle, which
can no more be withstood than an
earthquake. The overworked school
boy or school girl loses intellectual
self-respect, is startled for the lack OF
confidence destroyed at every call for
the exercise of the wits, and skulks
away disheartened whenever summoned
to such mental labor as is unavoidable
in the common walks Of life.
The proverb-never mind how old
that all work and no play makes Jack
q dull boy, is as full OF sense as its
Saxon is pure. Though the progress in
the art of teaching in modern times has
not been altogether symmetrical or
healthfnl, it has this to commend tit
has been human and practical in its
tendency. More recent pedagogy diff
fers from that Of two centuries ago in
its adherence of examining and stufing.
1t depends less upon certain prescribed
studies prescribed doses, it might be
said) to be taken down by every stu
dent and slowed away. in many in
stances without digestion. Its pro-
fesssd object is to teach to think by
whatever appliance Of study that may
be best adapted to the needs Of the iAdi-
vidual student. 1t exacts intense appli-
cation while the study hour is on, but
makes provision for ample healthful rest
before the trial comes again. The point
OF WEAKNESS in studying sharply marks
the time for rest and the closing Of
books. Beyond this. nothing, absolutely
nothing, is learned. What has been &C.
CURED from the text may be driven from
the brain by the tax that is too often i'm
posed upon urohins in whose minds dis
tress, confusion, and possibly disgust.
follow close upon the heels Of fatigue.