Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-12
DEFORMED BY DESKS.
EVIL RESULTS OF BADLY DESIGNED
SCHOOL FURNITURE.

Principals Explain the Necessity for I'm
proved seats--Frames of Growing Chill
dren Distorted for Life-The Strict Dis.
cipline of the Modern Public School.
The present style of school desk used is a
great Inconvenience to the pupils. and it
causes suffering as we'll. A child is often
cramped up under a desk that is two sizes
too small, and as a result is not only injured
for the time being, but it is often found that
it works permanent physical injury to them.
The DISPATCH tried to find some of the
principals to interview them on the ages
and sizes of the scholars in the different
grades of their schools and how far the
desks conformed to the sizes of the pupils.
Several were found who had seen the recent
DISPATCH article touching the danger to
pupils from badly constructed school desks.
Parents of many of the pupils in my school
have spoken to me quite often about the desks,
said one of the principals. Some of the pupils
grow so fast that one can almost see them
growing. A desk that would be of suitable
size for a boy or girl at the beginning of school,
is oftentimes too small for them six months
later. The children spring up like mushrooms.
Their physical frames are then weak and conse-
quently their bodies, when they are sitting at
desk for hours are very liable to suffer some
reformation. | have several boys and girls
of that kind in my school. When l first knew
them they were well formed children. Now 1
shoulders and seemingly inability to straighten
up their backs. Of course, as far as know, l
can only attribute this growing deformity
on these pupils to the fact of their
bending over their school desks. Young
children cannot look into the future as
grown people and see the evil consequences
in after life resulting from bad positions at
their desks in school. Their frames weakened
by their quick growth more readily take on a
crooked formation. Many of the desks in my
school cannot be said to be large enough for
their occupants because, as have said, of the
rapid growth of the pupils. Parents of pupils
have frequently called my attention to the fact
of this difference in the forms of their children
when they entered school and when they had
been there few years. l do not think that
sufficient foresight in this matter of a child's
growth is exercised by the school authorities
when the desks are being put in the schools. 1t
would be better, think. to have the desks
made trifle larger than to have them become
too small six months after they have been put
in. A boy OF girl is more apt to spread himself
all over a desk too small than he would over a
higher one"
Another principal who was seen had a school
building where most of the desks were old-fash-
ioned double seats with small, straight backs.
81 would like to see more improved and modern
school furniture in my rooms" he said. THE
present desks are too small for the ages and
sizes of half the pupils who sit in them. Then
again the desks are too far removed from the
seats to allow the pupils TO continue their
studies in healthy positions We have a great
many pupils, and to give each one sensible
single seat, we would have to have enlarged
quarters which could not be done without the
erection of now building But the present
seats and desks are not what young
growing children demand. They are de-
fective. Things might not be so bad if
the children were allowed the same
leeway during school hours as when I was
young. But now school discipline is more Sc
we're, and it is really trying as suppose you
know. on a boy or girl to sit with his arms
folded and his mouth shut all day long They
chafe and irritate under the strain, ard they
find a vent in trying to get into the easiest
positions their seats and desks will permit.
Most frequently those positions are the worst
they can assume. That is one of the reasons
outside of the pupils size. why think the
school desks for young pupils ought to be the
best and most comfortable that can be found"