The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-08-24

I1duD6TS anu luOTdlS, duu lccllllS UudU
the help toward right doing and right
liUing, derived from instruction on
these lines should be given to our
school children also, | cOrreSponded
with various publishing firms, and
selecting that admirable little book
"Ethics for Young People" by Prof.
G. G. Everett of Harvard University
placed it in the hands of teachers
with instructions to them to use it.,
not as class bOok-aS thus only the
class would directly profit-but as a
guide and standard of reference in
giving oral lessons to the whole school
each day; for example, taking the
subject of obedience one day, or truth
fulness or industry, and another day
cleanliness, or pOliteness, or self-reli-
ance. Surely this is most important
part of the teachers work, and were
it carried on with regularity in all the
district schools who shall measure it's
influence in shaping young lives to-
ward greater goodness and usefulness?
and in this connection it should be
noted that at one of the meetings Of
the Southwestern Teachers ASsocia-
ton, held in Mankato something over
year ago, the introduction of ethics
into the common schools was discussed
and highly commended and a commit
tee appointed-Of which President
Soaring was member-tO further con-
slider the subject, perhaps select a
textbook to recommend for the
schools of the state, and report at the
next meeting of the Association.
This educational body was
principally composed of the teachers
of the Normal, High and graded
schools and happened not be aware of
the fact that the work was already
begun in the district schools of Blue
Earth county, and that a text book
was already in the hands of over
thirty Of the teachers. The action
of SO distinguished body of educa-
tors of high standing was certainly an
endorsement Of my work in this re-
gard, and had | remained in office
that work would have been given
greater impetus and greater extern
sion and would have been in progress
and working it's good results in more
of the schools in the county.
Another important work inaugur-
ated by me was to have some special
work done with reference to the care
Of the eyes of the children in our
schools. For many years past oculists
have been examining the eyes of
children in our large city schools in
order to determine to what extent
school life and hours of study are
responsible for the near sighted con-
ditiOn which has become so marked.
The really alarming conclusions at
which they have arrived have been
published in medical and educational
journals and by the bureau of educa-
tiOn at Washington, and preventive
and medical measures have been for
INFLATED and in some quarters adopt
ed. But the facts and conclusions
have never been sufficiently diSSem-
mated among those most interested.
little has been done or attempted to
stay or remedy the evil, and it still
remains lamentable fact that school
life tends to produce injury to the
eye-Sight of an increasingly large
percentage of our school children. In
Germany, one of the most wisely
practical countries in the world, this
subject has been prObed to the bot
tom, and the authorities, at least in
the cities, recognizing the Importance
OF the matter, require the condition
Of the eyes of each new pupil enter
ing school to be examined, and if any
defect is found he is referred to an
OcutliSt for more thorough eXamina-
tiOn and advice. With view to
lesSening this evil in our own schools
/ requested DR.. j. III. James, an ocu-
list of acknowledged ability, to write
practical directions for the use of
teachers, for their instruction and
direction in caring for their pupils in
this respect: and through his kind
ness l also secured eye-teSts for dis
tribution among teachers, for the res
pected examination at intervals of
the eyes of pupils, upon which re-
ports were to have been made. The
long continued direction of the eye to
the fine characters of the printed
page, always and necessarily at close
range, has at all times been liable to
injure the delicate organs of vision.
The humane instincts of physicians
have long since engaged that enlight-
ened profession in the investigation
of the phenomena and in deyising
means for lessening the evil; surely
the equally human instincts of par
ents and of the teachers of youth
should lead them, and eventually will
lNcbo OllCll. w piOhU ny UliC SuGScS-
tions of those who make the care of
the health Of the people an object of
professional and lifelong Solicitude.
Had / been continued in Office this
valuable work. would have been con-
tinued.
A work of great promise inaugural
ed by me was the holding of eXamin-
ations for the pupils in the country
not merely that some of them
should come in as formerly, and as
they continue to do, to the eXamina-
tions for teachers, to secure stand
ing-which is highly commendable:
but examinations held regularly, at
intervals, for the district
school pupils only, by which they
might be more thoroughly graded, |
their progress ascertained, noted,
and brought to the attention of their
parents and all whom it may concern.
We know that in the city schools
there is an opportunity for the pupil
to attain to a higher grade at the
close of each year by thorough work
the year and success at
the final examinations. We are all
aware that, with some exceptions, it
is far otherwise in country school. |
where that old system is still too
much in fashion in which the pupil |
starts in on his studies at the fall |