The Portland daily press., 1883-03-10
THE SCHOOLS.
Hygiene of Writing in schools.

To the Editor of the Press:
Not long since called attention flor the first
time in this country believe) to the interest
ing discussions now going on in Europe, con-
corning the proper position for children to as
sumo; when being taught to write. These
views are so important, and so much in sym
patty with those presented in my lecture OF
February I'd that cannot refrain from asking
space in your columns for portion Of an
editorial from the Philadelphia Medical News
of Feb. 18th.
IAN interesting paper has recently been pub
lished by DR.. Berlin, on the influence upon
the eyes and spine of school children, which SO
simple matter as the position of the copy
book in writing may exert. 1t is based upon
the report of commission appointed to in
vestigate the effect of slanting writing in the
schools of Wurtemberg.
1t was found that the attitude assumed by
the child in writing was determined by the
position of the book; and optical and physiolo-
gical reasons are given for this fact In writing
or drawing with straight lines, the eyes move
by preference in two general directions, verti-
cal and horizontal, because in looking upward
or downward, or to either side their paths are
straight, while in diagonal movements they
describe a curve.
Nearly nine hundred children were watched
while in the act Of writing and it was dis
covered that about SO per cent of them made
the down strokes in a direction nearly at right
angles with that of the base line, i. g., the line
connecting the centres of rotation OF the two
eyes, and forming triangle with the axes of
vision when the eyes are converged This is
done with least strain when the copy book is
tilted toward the left. When the child is
compelled to write with the book parallel to the
edge OF the desk, he brings the base line perA
pendicuiar to the down strokes by turning his
head toward the right and twisting his spine.
This contortion brings the eyes nearer to the
page, and the left eye nearer to it than the
right.
Another practical point to the hygiene of
the eyes is the material provided for children
to write upon. The common,slate has incur
red the disapDroval of ophthalmic surgeons,
some of whom advise that it should be Danish
ed from the schools. AS its surface is shiny
and presents an insufficient contrast with the
marks, it necessitates nearer approach OF the
eyes, which is followed by excessive accommo-
dation and conference.-the most important
factors in the Development of short sight.
Artificial white states and special pencils
have therefore been manufactured which offer
the conveniences which have given the old
article universal currency among former
generations of school children, without their
hygienic defects
This editorial brings out the identical points
which were emphasized in the lecture above
mentioned
First That in writing the copy book should
always be placed obliquely upon the desk lest
both eyes be strained by too close approach, or
one be forced to greater work than the other,
and lest the spine be injured by unnatural
contortion; second, that states and slate PEN
ellis be abolished, pen, ink and paper being sub.
Stltuted, and that experiments should be made
with white tablets and black or colored
crayons IN place OF greasy states and uncleans-
able dusty black boards as at present employed.
il. A. SPAIDING. M ID