Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-01-31
0vsr-Pressurs out Of Schools.
Journal OF Education.

children are being crowded and crammed
and worried and spurred on in the common
and high schools until they are becoming
nervous, irritable. and siekly. often dropping
into premature graves. Such was the
mournful wall which came to my ears as |
took up my abode, a few wears since. in a
beautiful town in Massachusetts How
dreadful | replied; and | wondered as,
from time to time, | met the intelligent.
warm hearted superintendent and teachers,
how it could be possible for them to carry
on their cruel system of slow torture and
death. Ii was a problem which interested
me, and lresolved to work it out if posi-
ble
This WAS mytpropostion Given nervous.
pale, over-worked, languid children: patient.
loving, cultivated instructors, how were the
latter responsible for the former / accept
ed the popular supposition that they ,cere re-
sponsible, and began the difficult task Of
discovering the sad process. visited each
school, and was ushered into bright, CHEEKY
well-yentilated rooms. furnished with easy
seats, and various helps IN teaching, as
books Of reference, globes. and maps. Then
| carefully studied the teachers earnest
and enthusiastic thev certainly were; in
their enthusiasm and earnestness did they
overestimate the mental abilities of the child
rem and thus assign too long lessons. That
must be il, and | felt that | had the kew to
the problem almost within my grasp. But
no; the lessons given we're short and well
explained. | confess | was mys,ifed and
still more 40 By observing that over two
thirds Of the pupils were strong rosy and
healthy. They were happy. too, and didn't
look at all aS though they were enduring
martyrdom. Blu, why should the rest of
that "noble six hundred look pale, listess,
and unhappy. or flushed, excited, and de-
spairIng? ! was more puzzled than had
ever been before in my life. Day By da,
thought il all over again and again
haunted the school-room, finding the teachers
uniformly wise and kind in their admins
usiion land still the wonder grew
Pretty soon, elements unheard Of began
TO enter into my problem surprise parties,
| dancing schools social dances from house to
house, balls. sOciables. sleigh-rides, late sup
I pers. and novel reading were some OF them
One or more Of them included children from
nine Years upward and one. two. and three
nights IN a week was ,h. drain Of physical
forces brought 10 bear upon the susceptible
constitution Of the children and youth.
r btsGu " bHfu NV 'NtN- 'dti u bpN VI
/ twelve wears to me LAST MONDAY night
/ ! vent TO a surprise party tonight am at
soeiabr and FRIDAY evening am ,oing
70 another party. think that j. pretty
| we'll for one week" | told him though,
/ !, was pretty bad and. might add. that
vas not sorry when heavy snowstoTm pre-
/ vented the FRIDAY evening party
! A school girl Of the same age recently ex-
. ,.I 4
/ tell how late get up in The morning"
''Why don't YOU rise earlier ," "Oh. I'm
sleep. Last night finished splendid story.
which took until twelve. and | didn't yet
home from the party the night before until
eleven" She furthermore informed me that
she rarcl, went to bed before ten. aud it,
formed her that If | controlled her bedtime
she would 20 al nine, or earlier, every night,
a. ever, child a, her age should. Yesterday
the following brief dialogue between two
bo,s took place ia front Of our house, in
reference 10 part, held the night before
"HnIloo did you have a good time last
night ," 40. ,tayer A No. didn't get
home ill three o'clock :" will slmpl, add
that the average age of fthose who didn't get
home I'LL three o'clock j. probably about
fifteen Years.
SAID one of tie above named murlcrous
teachers To me recently Il shall be thank
tul whre Tho dances over There !s
nothing else thought Of the da, before. and
nothing else talked Of the dav after each
one Of them What 'ench the pupils, and
what they read. for they do not ,tndy--
from their books goes through their minds
like water through sieve" Yet. more
likely than not, that teacher was under CON
demnation. both OF pupils and parents, for
o,er-aorklng her school. Now when sutn
di,sipations as | have named are allowed
+ children and youth, is 1t any wonder they
grow sickl, l,.-that they get up in the morn
/ ing cross and dyspeptc. and 60 10 school
+ spritles~ and thick headed In that con
\ dition, lessons appear hard and teachers un-
I just so does the sun appear to re,ol,e
/ about the earth. but this fallacy is no more
faIlac:ous than the other.
\ When all this unnatural, uuhe ealthful ex-
ci,emtnt and strain is added TO the legit-
mate school-woik, think twice before YOU
blame those long suffering, much abused
! public benefactors, known as teachers and
superin,endents. for poorly educated or brok-
en-down children. | cannot say concerning
city school children but know from per
sonal observation that the children, ~ mod
ern phraseolog, would term them Young
gentlemen and lades,-of our towns and
villages are injuring themselves, mentally
and physically, in just these WAYS I've men
toned. And my solution Of the problem is
that the evil lies at the door of the parents
and guardians rather than elsew here.
know our school system is not perfect. and !,
in view of the heterogeneous material to be
dealt with, it is difficult matter to make it
perfect. 1t might be improved, and, with
out doubt, will; meanwhile, make the
best Of present circumstances.
See to it that yonr children are snug and
warm in bed at eight or nine o'clock at
night. Give them good, nutritious food to
eat, little rOrk to do, and plenty Of exer-
else in the open air: then if they find school
duties too hard, diminish the number of
their studies, and be patient and hopeful un-
til the longed-for millennium shall come.
A. c. A.