Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-07

PUBLIC sc aOOL .'LEARNING.'
The public schools Of the United States
form one of the most useful and praise
worthy of our American institutions. We
believe them to be very good-the best in
the world. in fact, and that those persons
who undertake to educate their children
abroad make a mistake A broader, more
wholesome and practical culture can be
acquired by the young people of the
country, at home, than can be acquired
elsewhere. Then, much is learned. abroad,
by young people, and older ones, too, that
ought never to be learned, aud that, when
once learned needs to be unlearned.
Still, our public schools are not perfect,
and ought not to be so considered. There
is room for improvement'-and enlarge
ment; certainly for reconstruction. No
one can complain that enough is not
taught, or attempted to be taught.
The range of branches is surely
large enough and broad enough;
but some things which young people most
need to know are scarcely taught at all, so
far as our observation goes. If we are
mistaken, we should be glad to know it.
One OF the essential things for a school
pupil is that he should have an atmosphere
in the school ruom which SHAH put III his
lungs and system an abundance OF pure,
fresh air, so that he shall be as strong,
physically, while at his mental work, as he
would be at home or on the street And
it is essential also, that, at the outset, he
should be taught as to the elements and
qualities Of the atmosphere and how to
utilize it. Then the welLknown methods
of preserving health and building up and
strengthening the body, by physical exer-
else Of the right sorts, should be among
the very first things taught, for the very
simple and good reason that, unless the
bodies are kept sound, or made SO, by
judicious physical culture, what is
taught cannot be properly utilized
Sound and well-flled minds in
sound bodies are of much use in
the world, but educated invalids usually
have a -ery limited influence, and very
little comfort-and scarcely any fun"
Children ought to be taught, in addition
to methods Of physical culture, the chem
ical qualities of foods; what to eat and
how to eat it; what dishes have nourishing
qualities; what foods have gluten to
build up muscular fibre; what starch and
sugar, to furnish animal heat; what foods
have both these; what dishes will make
hard flesh, and what will assist in the ac-
emulation of fatl These things should
certainly be taught in the primary schools,
and as soon as the children can read well; /;
for they can not be learned, usually, of pa
rents, for they are themselves-many Of
them, at least-grossly ignorant Of some
of the most vitality important facts
pertaining to daily life. But are these
essential things taught in the schools2 ?
We doubt whether they are taught in our
colleges even, or, to say the least, so taught
that they are remembered and applied.
1t is not ess initial in this English-speak-
ing country that children should be taught
the Latin Ian .uage; nor is it vitality ne
cessary that algebra should be taught. A
boy who has been taught the uses of oxy-
gen; how to develop his chest and to
strengthen his stomach, and arms, and legs;
and what is good for him to eat, and how
to eat it properly, is better off-to vast
xtent-than the big-heaied spindle
shanks who has exhausted the intricacies
OF geometry and at the same time his
vigor. And the girl who knows something
about foods and is properly advised of
their qualities of nourishment; VIII, knows
why bread is the "staff OF life"-and whose
mother has taught her how to so make it as
that it shall be a solace and source of
strength and supports better of, i'm
measurably, than the accomplished young
lady who can sling logarithms and pound
pianos to the astonishment of their un-
learned and unfortunate associates.
How many high school graduates know
why beans are made part OF army and
navy supplies, or when, and by whom, and
how they should be eaten? Or what, in
the aggregate, has come into the world,
in the way of physical and intellectual
achievements, as the result of bean diet2
Or why Boston is the capital Of American
culture, or why the Union army swept all
before it and conquered its rebellious foes2
And if learned people do not know beans"
What do they know that is really worth