Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-03-02
The Educational Column.
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THE PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE
LAW I'm PA.

nfSt experience under the new law
of instruction in physiology and hy.
giene, with special reference to the
effects Of drinking and smoking up
on the human system. The law
there requires such instruction in
every grade. The difficulty is with
the lower grades, want OF text books,
and really want of time and training.
The Superintendent at Philadelphia
gives bis experience
az recognize the good purport of
the law and the good intention that
inspired it, but unfortunately it is
hard to comply strictly and fully
with its provisions. We are doing
the best we can, however. Now, if
the law required US to give instruc-
ton between the ages of ten and
twelve, or twelve and fourteen,
something effective might be done.
We could then condense the subject
in such way as TO show tangible re-
suits. AS it is, the time tables make
provisions in every school, according
as the committee arranges it, for
talks by the teachers. The School
graduates look at it from moral
standpoint. Some are especially
Jealous, and others know very little
about the subject. They have had
excellent training in hygiene and
physiology. but often their pupils
can tell them more of the evil effects
of rum in the family than the teach.
ers can portray"
The law says nothing about how
often this instruction shall be given
or how it shall be graded. In some
of the schools the sectional board isl
of such a character that teacher
who might talk too lointedly on al
cohol and stimulants would lose her
place. In the primary grades Mr..
McAllister said that the instruction
was confined chiefly to talks on bod
lily cleanliness. In the next grades,
the ninth, tenth, eleventh and
twelfth, the subject of physiology.
was brought up, and the effect of
alcohol upon the muscles and nerves
was taken up IN connection with the
subject of foods and drinks. Mr..
McAlister also said that instructions
in narcotics was confined chiefly to
opium and tobacco.
Now it is pretty bard" he went
on, for some of our male principles
to talk to their boys on the harmful
effects OF tobacco when many Of
them use it themselves. Fortunate
~, | never contracted the habit when
a boy and so when | talk to the boys
say to them: Boys, great many
good men, Christian men, use tobac-
co. / don't; | am no better than
they for all that, but | ara better off.
In the first place, my pocket-book is
larger at the end OF the year and my
brain, / think does better work.
Then | point to the fact that at An
napolis and West Point no young
man with the tobacco habit is now
accepted, and also to the fact that
we know that the effect of tobacco
on the brain capacity is deleterious.
wOUNDING CHILDREN'S FEELINGS.
Let me give you another instance
of the difficulty in giving instructions
on this subject. A short time ago
one our teachers came to me and
said she had under her four girls
whose homes were tayerns. She
said she could not talk on the evils
OF alcohol without hurting them and
asthey were not responsible for their
parents occupation, she was in a
Quandary to know what to do about
it. saw the point and could only
tell her to do the best she could and
avoid hurting the girls feelings or
drawing attention to their parents
occupation in any pointed way.
q ra,., 7 hove bnJ eo,,,a +oooIa,,
come to me and say that as the law
required instruction on the effects of
stimulants, how about tea and cof-
feeg | have simply told them to
drop that sida of the matter. They
may be stimulants but the law scarce
ly requires, think, that children
should be warned against them.
Opium and tobacco is about as far
as We can go. Each committee ar
ranges it's own time table and all
this Office has to do with the subject
is to issue the examination papers.
For the smaller children, of course,
they are very simple. It's hard to
give 6-year-old child instructions
in physiology and hygiene with
special reference to the effects of al
coholic drinks. stimulants and mar.
cotics. Slx-year-olds know very lit.
tie about narcotics
QUESTIONS AT EXAMINATIONS.
These are some of the questions
that were asked in the last examina.
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