The sun., 1884-10-12

The subject Of ovcrprcssuro OF work In
public schools Ia now attracting much atten-
ton in England, and both medical men and
educators arc discussing it. 1t is of interest
to lis here in New York also. because OF lato
instances OF the breaking down of students
in the Normal School, or college for young
women. have excited alarm among the pa
rents Of girls especially.
The most important contribution to tho
discussion il made by Dr. CREIGHTON BROWNE,
who contends that our system OF public edu-
cation is fundamentally wrong, in that II ap-
plies n uniform pressure to Il vast multitude
OF brains, taking no account OF differences
OF strength md capacity. lie seems to hold
that it is as necessary to determine by
medical examination whether tho immature
cerebral organs arc equal to tho strain tho
public pedagogue puts on them as it Is to
submit recruits for the army and navy to an
examination to discover whether they are
physically sound. He insists that ply
sician could ut onco recognize the physical
defects which accompany mental weakness,
and thus interfere "to protect the children,
even against tho teachers, by preventing tho
scholars who, although quick witted and CO.
ger to learn, are certain to suffer in tho proc
css from being unduly pushed forward"
DR.. BROWNE supports his argument by
reference to medical experience "0mOng the
humber classes" where headaches, short
sightcGness, neuralgia, and slecplessncss arc
frequently found among children who are
pupils in the public schools. These troubles.
ho says, are not normal contingencies OF
youth. and yet they largely prevail, and are
the direct fruits of ovcrprcs5urc Of work. OF
too great mental strain. Tie conclusion
which he reaches, and 1t is supported by the
London Lancet, is that for the sake OF chill
drcn and teachers alike, tho schools ought to
be placed under medical supervision.
There Is, however, n remedy for the evil, as
it appears in New York, which should DO ap-
piled without waiting fov any Official express
sion OF medical opinion Our Normal College,
as it is now called. wa, established rs u
school FOR tho preparation of female teachers
for the public schools. Tho course OF instruc-
ton required TO this end did not need to go
so far as to put any undue strain on tho in
tci,cctual faculties of an ordinarily bright
aud Industrious girl Before entering the
Normal School shc was well grounded in tho
elementary branches in which she would bo
called upon to give instruction as n teacher
in primary or grammar school. Tho pre-
limlnary examination kept out those who
were insusllciently trained. In tho Normal
School what she specifically needed to learn
was tho art OF teaching. OF podagosics, In
cidnntally pursuing the further study of the
branches Of knowledge in which she would
have to give instruction.
That was n very simple object, and 1t was
proper and necessary To establish a school
for 50 important n purpose. But as our high
school for boys, or Free Academy, was
changed into Il college to crafty the vanity
Of its head master and other instructors, so
tho Normal School was transformed into n
girls college. in which the original and valu-
able purpose OF tho institution was sub
orlinhted to an ambitious attempt to carry
female education far beyond the necessities
Of the primary and grammar school teacher.
Instead OF n school for the preparation OF
teachers simply 1t became a vertable col
ege for furnishing an advanced education
for girls without reference to their proposed
occupation. As matter OF fact, OF the grad
yates OF the college only small part become
teachers OF go through tho course OF study
with any such purpose In view The major
ity are simply there to get q college educa-
ton at the public expense.
But the economical sido of the subject Is
not the most important one. Tho applicants
| for admission to the Normal College from
| the girls grammar schools have become so
numerous that tho entrance examinations
| have been made more and moro severe, until
now they put strain on the mental capacity
OF tho competitors which is too great for
| ordinary feminine endurance. Experience
shows that tho girls in our public schools
| who are industrious are much moro assdu-
Gus at their studies than boys. and much
more ambitious Of excellence. They spare
themselves less and are less disposed 10
| tako the robust exercises which serve as an
| offset for their intellectual strain.
Accordingly. the girls who go up to the
| Normal College examinations are more likely
! to suffer from the severity OF the tcst than