The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-09-30
WHAT TIE DOCTORS SAY.
TALKS ABOUT SCHOOL no UBS WITH
LEADING PHYSICIANS.
rhsx all Think that ,hSChsidren are KEEP,
~ their Work too Long-School
Hours In other Ctties.

Itie GNrtfIOn
in Richmond into two sessions ~ creating
much interest. and Is being endorsed by
the people on every SIDE. The tlIncs
presents to-day interviews with some OF
the leading physicians OF the CITY. mere
II what they say.
ooEoSfR TAyLog's OPINION.
81 think the hours in the public schools
are entirely too long II the schools
would open al $50 or O'Clock, and close
for the day about 30 o'clock re plan
would be n decided Improvement and the
results would. In my opinion. be equally
as fruitful The children are Kept in
school too long. think. They need more
fresh air and recreation"
DE. GEORGE A. TABEK
Dr. George 4. Taber said: II have
two children at Madison school, and ! can
already see the damaging effects upon
their health Of the present system OF
bali an hour recess In which 90 eat some
cold. indigestible food and secure lit
tie recreation before rcSuminB tnelr
duties Ina the school-room. The pupils
SHOULD have ample time In which TO eat
their dinner comfortably ana Deliberately
some time near the middle OF the DAY.
The present system is very undesirable.
i am heartily in favor ofsiving the pupils
one hour and half for dinner Such
plan. II Is true, might be source OF
Inconvenience to us at home. but that
should be a secondary consideration when
our children's health II az stake. ! SIN
cerely hope your plan will succeed. The
reform ~ Dh1ly heeued
Dy. BKANNOcK.
DR.. J. NJ Brannock said: I'VE all
know that warm meal deliberately
eaten Is much better from physical
point OF view than a cold meal hastily
swallowed | should think the matter
OF arranging the meal, and the IKE, Would
bcttsr be left to the parents Of the pupiiS
at the district schools, but the health
OF the children should by all means be
considered. My opinion IS that there Is
too great mental ana Physicai STRAIN STRAIN
on the younger pupils. ] think Il "onId
be better for them TO have longer
recess, even though they do not so nome
10 dinner. Three hours Is long enough
Tor a child TO be confined to the school
room at one time. The plan you suggest
would be decidedly an Improvement IRON
q hygienic point OF view
DR. N. l.. JAMES.
DIR. NJ. l.. James said: II think the
time given the pupils at present is too
short for them to secure any recIeauon.
If they had one hour and haIf the pro
cess of digestion and the process OF IN
telleCtual effort would both be greatly
helped. by such a plan the process OF
digestion would be well under way "heh
they re-cntered the schOOl-rOOm, Tor Inc
session, and would be a decided advan-
tage from a hygienic point Of view. no
one can do satisfactory intellectual work
Immediately after meal IL there could
be half an hour or more between the
time of eating and the time of resuminB
their duties IN the sChOOlroum. the emil
dren would be physically benefited.
bR. ,. g. MARKER.
Dr. F. S. Harker said Il think the
plan a decided Improvement upon the
present system. 1T seems to me that 1t
would he better for the houSekeepers as
well as for the children. Then the great
advantage from hygienic point # view
should certainly he considered. The long
hours with a brief recess damage the
lac
of the younger children. They need re-
taxation and open air They could 90
much better work II they mad an hour,
or an hour and "A half for dinner. The
proposed change seems 10 Inc desirable
one"
DH, GEORGE l.. sToSR.
DR.. George l.. Stone, when asked his
opinion as to the ACCESSIBILITY of dividing
the day session In the district schools,
so as 10 give the children an hour or
80 Of such a plan, and think from
mA {enIc point OF view decided adVan-
am would be derived from the plan
one OF the best things that can
~ adopted in the district schools ana
VIII he greatly beneficial 10 the physical
welfare Of the pupils Or. stone was
quite emphatic in his opinion, which he
did not hesitate for a moment TO eX-
press.
DIR. BABFP.
DR.. f. T. Baker: 81 have felt Convin-
ced for some time that we are saCriiic-
Ing the physical constitution To the men
tai In our children, and | consider the
present System Of education too forcing
We send our children To school when
they are entirely too young and before
the delicate nature of the brain has had
sufficient time to mature. The coming
generation will therefore be weak as the
present one, unless We go more into
system ! think we should be able TO
equalize the physical and mental ad-
Vancemcnt OF the children. For the
same reason ! think il very advisable
that children should hc given more time
for their meals and that the latter should
be given at regular times, The mere fact
of the children's going home during the
middle of the day should serve essen
tiaiiy to break the monotony and he
refreshing exercise for them. | am hear
tly In favor OF the movement OF giving
children "A hot meal during the middle
OF the day, provided II is not too heavy.
DIR. MAssIF.
DR.. j. + Massie con ,Iders the scheme
an advisable one provided the children
do not live too far from their schools.
lie only fears II might work injurious
In very bad weather in winter time, when
the children might return TO their class
rooms with wet feet
DIR. Massie is very outspoken in con-
deming the manner in which most Of the
business men IN this city live, who often
fhftdht OF a. HSht breakfast early III tHt
morning, rush To their places of business
where they remain until about o'clock
In the afternoon. They then return home
In half-sturved condition TO I'LL up on
"A heavy meal. which they swallow in
great haste To return To their business
as soon as possible. About three hours
later they partake of another meal, with
out having h2rdly an appetite. This
irregular manner of living In Or. Mas
sizes opinion very often brings on dys-
pepsia
DIR. ToMPKINs
DR.. Christopher Tompkins is OF the
opinion that the school hours 'nder the
present schedule are too long, and that
the children are too much crowded with
studies lie says this is the almost
unanimous opinion OF all the physicians
IN this city. and he thinks that the eX-
tension OF the recess in the middle Of
the day would be the means OF remedying
the evil. However, he does not want to
see the afternoon session extended I'm
order that the time lost by the extern
sion OF the recess be regalned in that
manner.
DIR. UPSHuR.
DIR. John n. Vpshur expressed him.
self as follows; II think il would be
"A good idea. from n sanitary point OF
view, to give the school children a hot
meal during the middle OF the day. Very
often they are hurried off to school too
early In the morning. and no opportunity
Is given them 10 tend 10 their ply steal
wants In many instances they are kept
In their class-rooms during recess as a
punishment because they did not know
their lessons Well enough The inter-
mission should be long enough To give
them ample time TO enjoy comfortable
dinner and they should not te rushed on
their way to and from home | think
they should be given at least an hours
time. allowing them half an hour for