The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-02
EVILS OF MODERN TEACHING
DR.. W. B. Fletcher Thinks the Present
Educational System Is at Fault.
knowledge That Is More Injurious than Ben
efcial to Children-Annulsl Commence
ment of Indiana Medical College.

Twentyfour young men and enc young woua-
an were last evening turned into the world full
nedged physicians by the Indiana Medical Col
lege 1t was the colleges eighteenth gradua-
ton, and the exercises. which were given IN
English's Opera house. were attended by very
large audience. On the stage were both faculty
and graduating class DIR. w. B. Fletcher pre-
sided over the exercises and also delivered
very interesting address after presenting diplo-
mas to the graduates Hc said that the cry Of
the educational enthusiast to make education
compulsory and free was a sad argument of ed
ucated ignorance Education" said he. sis
not knowledge and never can be. The popular
system Of school education, while praiseworthy
in its intent does not fs its subjects to battle
with life on q sound physical basis. A few chill
dren may start into our public schools at six or
seven with what you would scientifically call
sound bodies, but fewer come through the six or
seven years' course with more capital than dis
inclination to earn their bread by physical labor.
They have plentiful lack Of stomach for plain
and nutritious diet, but they have a goodly store
of headaches, nervousness, defective eyes, weak
hearts and bad lungs, certainly giving bat poor
foundation for strength of the coming race. It
is true that our ubliceducation system does
wonderful work; that great labor and expense is
put upon il, and that there are thousands of
amples of little girls and little boys who have
mastered many words and many books. and
know two three languages but / never see
them that do not think OF the days OF James
the Second and the Camprichicos. we'll de-
scribed by Victor Hugo. who had as honest
occupation the purchase and manning of chill
dren, making them hunchbacks, jointleSs
dwarfs and monstrosities of various kinds, which
were sold to the people for their amusement. A
child that is overeducated at from eight TO 81 K
teen years is just such mental deformity. The
only hope is that the mind may lose its detorm-
ity by experience and time. Among the various
means invented for expanding the enormous
school reveue, employing the largest num-
Der Of teachers. and aiding book publishers, is
the teaching OF various specalties, which
exceed the possibilities of childs mind to
prehend. Physiology and hygiene are among
them, and more injurious because incom-
potent men select the textbooks, which are
usually gotten up by ignorant collators. to the
order of publishing house; and the instruction
is given by teachers who know little or nothing
OF the science, and who too frequently imagine
themselves physicians. l have frequently
heard little children pirate of the asophagus, the
diaphragm, the mucous follicles. the peptic
glands and the liver, who should never have
known they had such organs within them, be-
cause their imaginative little heads were con-
stantly locating each pain, and tracing
its cause in a most unconfort-
able aud disgusting manner. The
trouble is largely our fault in permitting
the State to take charge of the children. almost
10 the exclusion of homo and home influences
during a period of child life when they are
most susceptible. II heard child correcting
her mother for having hot biscuit. bacon ana
eggs for her fathers supper. because the physi-
ology condemned it. Her father hard
working mechanic, who carried his meals in
tin pail, and worked from 6 to each day; but
the textbook and teacher had knowledge
that there could be a variation from the rule. 1t
requires no high degree of common
sense TO know that no man ever
labored on a. diet homeopathically
administered, and that faith cure wont sustain
q in health. It is absurd for the State
educational system to undertake to make every
body a doctor from childhood A little learn
ing is dangerous thing Is is undoubtedly
right that morals should be taught in public
schools, but not theological dogmas, and the
S ate has more right to teach the absurd be-
liefs and notions of various ignorant writers
physiology and hygiene than it has creeds and
doctrines Every one knows what he likes, and
what hc digest with comfort and benefit TO
himself. To a great degree, these notions of
food, raiment and living matters of belief,
and public school system should have moth
ing to do with beliefs. The old adage that
What is one mans meat is another mans
poison will hold good regardless of physiological
teaching.
health of the people. not only through teaching
in public schools, but by sanitary supervision
the establishments of health boards in State and
county-has tendency to rob the people OF
&heir reason Judgment and freedom. Herbert
Spencer says, Health depends upon the fulfill
ment of numerous conditiOns'-can only be pro
tected by insuring fulfllment; if, therefore it is
the duty of the State TO protect the health of its
subjects il is its duty to that all the condi-
tons Of health fulfilled by them. Shall this
duty be constantly discharged If SO, the
Legislature must enact national dietary.
prescribe many meals day for each
individual fix the quality and quantity of food
for both men and women: state the proportion of
fluid when to be taken, aud OF what kind;
specify the amount of exercise. and define its
character; describe the clothing to be employed;
determine the hoarS OF sleep allowing no differ
once for age sex. and with other partic-
uars, for the daily guidance og the Nation. The
sanitary supervision by tho State goes too far
when it says only certain persons shall be
doctors, and only certain ones compound and
prescribe medicines A doctor and medicine are
matters of faith with the people, aud when per-
sons are 80 ignorant that they do not know skill
from quackery they should be the sufferers
Our sanitary supervision to the practice
Of medicine In our State is very limited com
pared with Others but has one marked curtail-
nent of professional liberty and that is with
out paying 3 special tax physician may not
attend a patient in another county, although
living near the county line case recently oc-
Cured where a physician attended former
patient in the next county ON the plea OF old
friendship, but when hs presented his bill of
IT, but put the doctor to the expense of $25 for
violation of the law. The tax is unjust The
priest might honestly be prohibited from
marrying a couple over the line or baptiZing
child, or reading the burial rite.
Sanitary supervision presents another absurd
ity in the way of debating the quality OF food
person may sell or purchase. If q poor butcher
kills AN old bull. a broken-legged seer. and
sells it for cents pound-or sells old horse
or mule. as Is done in Germany and France he
IS doing good to the poor who cannot pay IL
cents for the same thing sold by rich butcher.
But the red-eyed minion Of the law-the meat
inspector-who is appointed for his politics and
not for his knowledge of animal flesh fit for
food, is down at once, wrests the cheap meat
from him and pretends to destroy it. compelling
the poor man to pay high price or go without
meat ia bis soup. The fact is that nearly all
the diseased meet sold that would harm
human being cannot be detected. except
by microseopical northumberland that meat
diseased could do no harm If cooked. The
world over presents thousands of human beings
who feed with impunity on the careasses of ami
mails that die from all sorts of diseases-the
mere matter of cooking rendering such food in
noxious. And in this connection, a law which
permits an ignorant health officer TO TO a
mans farm and order the slaughter of his
horses or cattle because some neighbor says
they have the CHAMBERS. murran pleuro-t
pneumonia is an absurd comment on science,
common sense and personal liberty: A curious