The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-06-12
OYerr- King Sshoo!.Girls.

AASS
ago consulted by an anxious mother
whose daughters health was impaired
by overwork at school, 'sThere is just
one thing to do" he said. Reduce
her studies, and keep on reducing them
until she can easily master them. A
girl cannot learn everything before she
is eighteen years old.
This was sound advice. The ten
dency in nearly all of our schools for
girls and young women is to crowd
work enough for lifetime into few
years. Studies in languages, literature,
science, philosophy, as well as those in
the plain "thrce Rs are piled upon
the unfortunate student, until the days,
heightened far into the night, are too
short for acquiring even a superficial
acquaintance with any of them. In
the case of boys, such unreasonable re-
quirements are apt to find healthy
counterbalanee in the exuberant animal
| spirits of the sturdy lads, who will have
| physical exercise, whatever becomes of
their studies. With girls it is different
| Generally more conscientious in study
| than boys, they really try to master the
prescribed course. in spite of the warn
! ing of paling cheeks and decreasing
| strength. We have known school girls
to have no fewer than ten or dozen
studies in hand at once, in all of which
they were ambitious to excel. But the
effort left scarcely time for eating OF
necessary sleep. Nor is this unusual.
A similar state of things exists in hum
/ dreds OF schools for girls. In one OF
the leading colleges for young women
in New England the curriculum is said
to be more comprehensive and difficult
than in any college for young men IN
the country. Happily, many OF the
students do not attempt to swallow the
full prescription. But many do, to
their cost.
Two or three years ago one of these
ambitious young women graduated with
honors from seminary of repute. She
had maintained high standard of ex-
cellence through her entire course, and
was warmly commended for her
superior scholarship. But the moment
the unnatural strain was removed. she
sank into mental lethargy from which
for months nothing could arouse her.
Gradually perfecs rest and judieious
entertainment restored her exhausted
vitality, and she recovered. Other
girls have not been so fortunate. The
daughter of a poor clergyman, who was
assisted through the college above re
ferred to, graduated with credit, but
almost completely broken down il
health. She was sent TO watering
I place to recuperate, but soon heard 0
an opening as a teacher, and at thl
earnest solicitation of those who hat
: aided her felt constrained to take thl
2 place, in spite of physical unhtness
} But her constitution was so weakeae'
> by long and severe study that in thre
or four months she died, q victim t
$ conscientious oyerwork under q bai
system. These are but two out
e many instances; and the folly IS con
I stantly repeated, right in the face
: warnings and examples of its danger
y But hard study is not the only way
g which school girls are overworked.
8 teacher in welLknown school recentl
informed us that she had had frequer
: occasion to demonstrate with parent
r for allowing their daughters, while pul
suing their studies, to engage freely
Q various evening designations, such q
J, attending parties, dancing till lat
hour in the night, going TO the theatr
e and opera, etc. The 1ivid faces and III
', strung nerves of the girls Shove
d plainly the pernicious effect OF the;
g night pastimes; which untitled then
IS moreover, to carry on their studies wit
ls success.
% Against all this overworking
le schoolgirls, whether.by inordinate stuc
ie or inordinatc amusement, we enter OF
y hearty protest. The bodily yigor of Il
r, future wives and mothers of the Matte
'e is a subject of profound public intere;
Of Give the girls enough to do, but stc
O. there Don't over-tax their minds
n seuseless multiplication of studies, +
a membering always that "a girl cam
as learn everything before she is eighte,
is years old;h and do not let untime
I'd amusements sap the foundations
health, on which so much Of the
e. future happiness and usefulness depen
tie IN. 7. Examiner.
ne -s~