St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-10
ADVICE FROM PHYSICIANS.
Reports to the Chamber of Com
merco ON The school system.

Reports to the Chamber of Com
mercc on the school system.
The meeting of the board Of directors of
the chamber of commerce was held yester-
day morning. but nothing of special in
tereSt occurred. AT Capt. Berkey's request
the committee on legislation was directed to
examine into the matter and report to the
next meeting the status of the law in regard
to the comptroller making his annual re-
ports. the captain complained that the
comptroller was behind, and that he ought
to be made to report.
REPORT ON OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Mr.. McClung, from the committee on
schools, made report in regard to the same.
i'll which he embodied letters from Drs.
Leasure and Hand. Mr.. Cochran moved to
submit the report without reading. Mr..
McClung replied that when the first part of
the report was made a couple of weeks ago
only one paper in the city published it en-
tire and that was the Democratic paper.
The result was that all the Republican
members of the chamber did not have a
chance to read it, Mr.. II. p. Hall thought
it better be read. as there might be some
thing in it improper to publish. which
caused some laughter. The report
was finally read. After the reading
Mr.. Moves made some remarks about the
improperly of publishing such report, as
there was a good deal in it, especially in
the letter of Dr.. LeaSure, that ought not to
go into the families of our citizens to be
read by their daughters. Mr.. McCIung and
Mr. Smally both thought best to publish
the ret)rt part of it at any rate. Mr.. Nc
Chung said that Mr.. Noyes was altogether
too sensitive. If that gentleman takes that
view lie ought to keep all the papers out of
his family. All of them are daily publish
ing matter that is quite as Objectionable as
anything in the report. The papers are
loaded with scandals and all sorts of such
stuff. While this discussion was going on,
it was suggested that the committee take
the matter in hand and select such parts of
the report for publication as should meet
the views of the committee and be deemed
proper. Mr.. II. P. Hall objected to this on
the ground that he had some question in
his mind as to the effect upon the commit
tee, which remark was received with some
merriment. Finally. after little further
chatting, Mr.. NOyes' motion prevailed, and
1t was decided not to publish in full. Be
low will be found the statement of DR.. Hand
in full, and extracts from DR.. Leasure's
communication:
DIR. HAND
says: " think each school house should be
surrounded by large yard and the children
encouraged to play there, not only during
recess but before and after school. A few
gymnastic appliances may be provided them,
but the bulk of the children will get no good
from them" He says he has noticed in his
practice that the children have been in
jured by taking cold from an open window.
or from headache because window was not
opened also by over-eXcitement in prepar-
ing for examination or a school exhibition.
Great caution should be eXer cised he saws,
in melting highly nervous children TIC pro-
longed study.
DR.. Routh says he has had number of
cases of severe sickness among children
caused by over-excitement and nervous ap-
prehensions in view of the frequent exami-
nations.
DR.. Haskell reports the same, also DR..
Pearce.
MIR. Hermann Trott says his children have
suffered from too close confinement, defec-
tive ventilation and the excitement attendant
on examinations. He says the standing
OF the scholars during the whole term should
determine whether they pass or not, and
not an examination at the end of the term,
as now in use. y good scholor is generally
OF nervous disposition, and the excitement
ana fear OF not passing causes them to fail
when interior ones pass and in many cases
enects their health and causes complete nery-
Gus prostration. He suggests closing the
schools earlier in the summer to avoid the
Jui0 uSa'' anu more dttenliOn 10 exercise on
the play grounds which should be provided
for every school.
In addition to these testimonies several
members of this committee are aware of a
number of severe cases of nervous prostra-
ton and sickness caused by the long and Sc
we're strain on the minds of the children, the
fle1uent and exciting examinations and the
want of sufficient exercise and recreation
There is a very general and uniform con-
currence of opinion in all the answers re-
ceived that the present methods of examina-
ton are the most potent causes of sickness,
and should be changed and some other method
adopted.
DIR. LEAsURE.
DR.. Daniel Ieasure writes:
II am not suffi ,icn,ly acquainted with the
methods adopted in our schools to form an
opinion, but presume they are the same high