Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-02-22
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Tho Lighting Of SchOalh0uses,

At the last meeting Of the State Board
Of Health held in Portland in November
last, a paper was read by DR. James A.
Spalding of that city on the important
question of the proper lighting of school
houses from medical and hygienic
standpoint. The paper is published in
full in the Sanitary Inspector for No
vember, and although valuable contri-
button to school hygiene is quite too long
for our column. A few points, however
are noted here and there.
1t is best not to have any light from
north of the east and west line for the
reason of absence Of sun in that direC-
| ton for the greater part of the year, and
conse Iueltly of the absence Of light diff
fused through the. clouds on cloudy days
| which in our climate are more frequent
| than the clear days II there is no other
chance to light the room than from
the north, then the windows must
be larger proportionally. For these
reasons then, first, the less op-
portunity of utilizing diilused ligh. on
cloudy days; second the colder the room
and the greater the heating apparatus
needed; and thirdly, the greater the
expanse of glass demanded, it is better
from health standpoint and the stand
point Of the eyes and Of economy,t to light
the schoolroom from south of the east
and west line if possible.
Light should always come from the
left if possible, and especially is this a
necessity where there is much drawing
or writing. IL the light comes from he
hind it not only throws on the work a
shadow of the pupils body and head,
but it ddzzles the teachers eye so that
the faces and expressions Of the children
are indistinct. If a schoolroom has been
arranged so that the windows are on the
right hand. then the desks should be at
once reversed, lest the hand of the child
in drawing or writing throw shadow
on the very spot which is to be occupied
with mark from the pen or pencil.
This cannot be too much insisted upon.
IL the light comes from in front, as it
does occasionally in some school rooms,
it must be either insufficient to illuminate
the whole room, or else so dazzling
as to Ito harm TO the eyes of those who
face it, to say nothing of preventing
anyone seeing what IL written on the
blackboards, which are often built be
tween the windows, | trust that none
are so arranged except as a necessity. l
would here remark. also, that the black
light, are generally bull: too far down
towards the floor. The result is a waste
of space, because the examples cannot
be seen owing to the interference of the
scholars bodies.
In concluding his essay Dr.. Spalding
says "All short sighted school children
ought to be favored by being seated in
good light and not too far from the
blackboards. And more than that, il is
my opinion. after many years Of inves-
tigstion Of the subject, that short sighted
children canno. too early be furnished
with proper glasses. Parents ought to
see to this and have the glasses accurate
ly chosen. They should be fitted into eye
glasses so as to be easily removed, be-
cause where simple short sight exists
the glasses are to be worn only to see
distant objects, and not for reading or
study. But where short sight, both for
far and near exists, the glasses should
be chosen with extreme care and fitted
into spectacle frames in order to be of
the greatest benefit and of the least
harm to the wesrer."