Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-31
TOO MUCH WORK.
Claim That 1ysis Il g. in the Public
Schools-Direful Hesults

Claim That Ihis Is g. in the Public
scAools-Darenul Results.
Let any one take the trouble, as we have
done, to fad out what effect the present
fashion Of ''cramnmg" the children of the
public schools Is having, and he will come to
the conclusion, as we have also DONE that it
Is time for somebody to call halt. We sin
cerely believe that the board of education Is
oyerta1ing both the mental and the physical
strength of the pupils, and that reconsider
alton of the prescribed course Of study and a
reduction Of the number Of text books wocld
result in better health for the children,
better lessons and more material progress
This is not the first time we have had some
thing to say on this subject, and it will not
be the last More than that, nobody has
better right to say it. Whyf For very good
reasons; no one person meets and talks with
moro children than we do; noone understand
them better, and no one is a better friend to
them. We earnestly desire their advance.
ment in everything that will make them
strong in body and vigorous in mind, aad
every day of cur life is given up to work in
their behalf.
Therefore, we say, we have right to speak
for them in this matter OF their school duties
If you, madam, or sir, have q son or .
daughter who complains of multiplicity Of
books and burdensome lessons, do not deceive
yourself by thinking it an individual case and
attributing it to some particular disinclina-
ton Of the child to study Il you, as tho
mother, will take a little tine from your
household and social duties, ane your church
and sewing societies. and you, as the father,
from your business and, perhaps, your club,
q very brief examination OF your child's
school bag will open both your physical and
your mental eyes Did they cram" you that
way when you were young1 Did they give
you SO many lessons that you had to begin
porting over your books the minute you came
back from the school room, with barely lit
tie time intervening in which to snatch bite
of luncheons
And when evening came, and the lamps
were lighted in the sitting room, did you
have to take up those inevitable books again,
and study, study. study, until your eyes
burned and your brain was all worn out with
the interminable straing
No, you did not Our fathers were wiser
than we are. They had in view the needs
of the body as well as those of the mind, and
no boy OF girl was required to perform school
tasks that deprived them of all physical
recreation.
We know of scores of instances where
children's eyes have been seriously affected
by night study. And when the question was
asked, Why study at night9 the answer
came: We cannot possibly get our lessons
without 1t, and not only that, but we have to
study in the afternoon, too. In many cases
children have been taken from school alto
gether because their general health was CIV
ing way under the severe tax to which they
were subjected
We are not Haunting red flag of alarm
we are telling what we know to be true. How
long is it to go ona
Of course it is all done with the best inten-
Gons; no one would question that But are
not those intentions defeated by the very
course that is designed to carry them outa
Does it need argument to prove that q
child will make more progress mentally with
fewer tasks, if it be given time to master
them thoroughly? Why have an imposing
array Of text books merely to give the pupil
a smattering Of eachs
1t seems to US that the remedy for this
great evil is very simple: Reduce the number
of text books; be satisfied with carrying the
young mind along at moderate but sure
gait; let the studying be done at school and
not at home, and thus permit the child to
give it's time ont of the class room to health
full recreation
Why can't this be donei- Philadelphia
Timex