The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-02-06
Physiology In Schools.
BY ID. c. HALL.

asesiiaiis, Whtn asked what things boys
should learn, replied Those which they
VIII practice when they become men," AS
health requires the observance of the laws
inherent To the different organs of the hui
man system, SO not only boys, but girls
should acquire a knowledge OF the laws OF
their organization. Ii sound morality de-
ponds upon the incubation of correct princi-
pies in youth, equally 20 does a sound
PHYSICAL system depend on correct physical
education during the same period of life.
III the teacher and parents who are deficient
In moral feelings and sentiments are unfit to
communicate TO children and youth those
nigh moral principles demanded by the ma
ture OF man, so are they equally incompetent
directors of physical training of the youthful
system, If ignorant of the organic laws and
the physiological conditions upon which
health and disease depend. For these rea-
sons, the study Of the structure of the
human system and the laws of the different
organs are subjects of interest to all the
young and old, the learned and the UNI
learned, the rich and poor.
AS the seeds of disease, that mature with
manhood and womanhoOd are in most cases
s0wn in youth, ii is imperative that every
boy and girl should he taught the structure
of the human system and the conditions
upon which health and disease depend, as
this knowledge will be required in practice
in after life.
Health and disease are physical conditions
| upon which pleasure and pain, success and
failure depend. Every individual gain in
creases public gain. Upon the health of its
people is based the prosperity of nation;
by 1t every value is increased, every joy en-
HANGED. Life is incomplete without the
enjoyment of healthy organs and faculties,
for these give rise to the delightful sensation
of existence. Health is essential to the &C
complishment of every purpose; while sick
ness thwarts the best intentions and loftiest
aims. We are continually deciding upon
those conditions which either tide us with
joy and happiness or occasion pain and dis
ease. Prudence requires that we should
meet the foes and obviate the dangers which
threaten us, by turning all our philosophy,
science and art into practical common sense.
We, as people, are becoming idle, living
in luxury and ease and in the qualification
of artificial wants. Some indulge in the use
of food, rendered unwh0esOme by bad
cookery, and think more of gratifying q
morbid appetite than of supplying the body
with proper nOurshment. Others devote
unnecessary attention to the display of dress
and genteel figure, yielding themselves COM
pletely to the sway of fashion. Such in
temperance in diet and dress manifests itself
in the general appearance of the transgress-
| or. and exposes his folly to the world. with
| little less precision than certain vices signify
their presence by beer blOated body, rum
| emblazOned nose and kindred manifesto
tions. They cOddle themselves instead of
practicing self-denial, and appear to think
that the chief end of life is qualification,
rather than useful endeavor 1t is some
| what unaccountable and not a little incon-
sistent, that while we direct the young sub
mitted to our charge as teachers. to look
abroad over the surface of the earth, and
survey its mountains, rivers, seas, and con-
| tinents, and guide their views to the regions
Of the armament, where they may contem-
| plate the moons of Jupiter and the rings OF
Saturn. and thousands of luminaries placed
| at unreasonable distances, that we do not
| devote more time to teaching them to look
| unto themselves; to consider their own cor
poral structures, the numerous parts of
which they are composed. the admirable
| functions they perform, the wisdom and
| goodness displayed IN their mechanism, and
the lessons Of practical instruction which
may be derived from such contemplation.
1t is therefore obvious to us that the edu-
cation of the boy or girl is far from COM
plete, IL the study of his own being has been
| of instruction as will present the subject In
| its most attractive and practical form to our
pupils. The teacher who is a constant
reader of educational journals and works,
| and who is always on the alert for better
methods of instruction i'm all branches than
| she now possesses, has doubtless found an
unlimited number of articles, treating upon
| the subjects of show to teach natural his
| tory to young folks, interesting geography
lesson and number lesson" but how often
| do we see anything about physiology for
| the little folks"
Teachers seem to regard this subject as
too difficult and uninteresting for any grade
| of primary pupils, and fit only for higher
| grades where of course good text books can
| be used. Many complain that the words
are so long and difficult, that their pupils
cannot learn to pronounce them, and with
out pronunciation how are they to learn the
meaning? This seems to be the greatest
| trouble, yet, cannot this be easily done away
with? Children like hard work; give q
spelling class spelling lesson containing
| six such words as are commonly given to
| children, then one long, hard word and call
| their attention to it. Do you suppose they
| are going to miss that? No; they would
rather miss the six easy ONES than this one
| long one; but they will want to know some
thing about it, what IL means and what it's
for, so If we have our physiology lesson first
and learn something interesting about one
| of these hard words, then put il in the SPELL
| ing lesson, this makes it easier.
But some one will say, "What can you
tell them that's interesting? My pupils
| found the whole subject dull and scarcely
| one in the class wanted to study it." How
| did you begin? Did you scare them the
| first day by saying, Children, ut this hour
tomorrow we will have physiology lesson,
We'll talk about our bodies" or IL they are
old enough to have small text books, having
had plenty of talks, did you say anything
| like this: For your physiology lesson take
| the first two pages in the book; you will re-
cite Immediately after recess" If this is
| you method no wonder they dislike the hard
words, and hate the study of physiology.
Probably more than half the pupils in the
class came next morning and said: 'Mother
said l needn't study physiology" If your
pupils are small and you have to begin the
talks, wait until you are acquainted with
| them and can get them to talk with you,
then have visit with them about anything
that will interest them, and can, in any way
| be turned into talk on physiology, and the