The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-01-09
EDUCATED TO DEATH.
The Evils of Over-Cranmming in Public
Schools Illustrated.

The Evils of Over-Cranmming i'm Public
Schools Illustrated.
Ten million children are educated in
the public schools OF the United States
at an annual expense of nearly one
hundred M lion dollars.
In every respect these figures are as
tonishing. They show how literally
the palladium of our liberties" as the
Fourth of July orator always calls the
school system. is supported. and also
that it includes nearly one-tifth of our
total population.
These figures may well attract atten-
ton, and especially that of parents. 1t
is the most natural thing in the world
that in such a vast system there should
be constant emulation and rivalry not
only between scholars, but scholars
and teachers, to surpass every o.!iel
school.
In this lies great danger. that of ed
ucating the children to death. The re-
cent exposition by the York Pa.) Daily
of the amount crammed by rote into the
children in that town is one instance
out of thousands, and no one can doubt
that the dry facts given to the York
scholars would produce mental indi-
gestion in granimar-schoOl children
and tax their abilities too far. in the
daily papers OF this very week in which
the York story is printed appears an
account of bri ght young girl OF
Brooklyn, who was ambitious to be the
head of her school. Encouraged by
fond but silly parents, she worked con-
stantly, gained her aim and has Just
become an intellectual and physical
wreck. The other case is that of a hoy
who succeeded in all of his studies but
One-Latin; for failing in which both
his teachers and father reproved him.
To save further hum;l.ations to him.
self, and any repetition of his fathers
action, he was accustomed to steal OFT
of bed in the dead of night. and apply
himself to his Latin until the gray
streaks of dawn warned him of the
danger of being discovered in his un-
dertaking. As a consequence the lads
nervous system gave way under the
strain, and though he succeeded in his
Object. it is serious question with his
UOCIOES "HcbilcE Ht Will ever Dc IT,
stored to even tolerable health.
Are not these instances enough to IL
lustra.e the evil OF over examining in
the public schools; or if they are not
enough can they not be supplemented
in the experience OF any reader?
Fathers who think first of their
money-making and mothers who think
first Of social duties too often neglect
the first of all duties-tha. TO the chill
dren-and in this neglect comes the
strain of the schools. Every father
and mother should see that their chill
dren are not forced to study too hard.
Above all they should use their infiu-
ence to do away with the pernicious
habit OF study at home. OverwOrk is
the great complaint of Americans.
When it comes to having over-worked
children the prospect is terrible for the
future. We have too many diseases
incidental to modSrn life, and Of these
MANY are traceabfe directly To the pub
lie school. They educate the chill
dren to death. and instead of demand.
ing more studies Or more time for study
every man and woman who has a child
at school should try to see that the sys-
tenn can be SO modified that the poor
children shall only need to study not
much more than half the time they dc
now, and that will be almost too much
for the little ones.-Philade'piiG NeUs