The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
OUR ADVANTAGES.
The Climatic Conditions Are
Potent as Factor in
Advancing California'S
Educational Interests.
BY DAVID STARR JORDAN,
President OF the Leland Stanford Jr. University

In discussing what California can do for
the children, it is natural that one should
begin with the climate, for the open air
is one OF the most important elements in
health and training. The essential eli
matte virtue of California is that the open
air is at the service of its people.
The children can get it at all times of the
year. and in the condition best for their
purpose. 1t does not need to be baked or
chilled to make it disable. Other things be-
ing equal, the growth OF the child is pro-
portioned to the oxygen he receives. The
California child can take all there is.
Speaking broadly, it is never so cold that
a weil-kept child need suffer. So it is
possible for a child to be free from those
congestions of the nose and throat, which
are so destructive in the winters OF the
Northeastern States.
The "snuffles" in children means a flow
of blood to contested mucous membranes
which are very close to the brain itself,
into which the congestion is sure to ex
tend. Hot heads and cold feet are not
favorable to work or growth, and these
conditions beset very large proportion of
the school children of the East. Many
children are stupid for these reasons when
a gentler climate would let their minds re-
tain their natural activity. To remove
this congestion seems like lifting a veil
Cast over their minds.
Nor are the summer advantages of Cali
fornia less marked. Along the coast the
trade winds are cool and bracing. even if
sometimes harsh, and even in the hot in
terror the dryness of the air makes the
highest temperatures endurable. The
languid days and sleepless nights of the
heated term in the East are unknown in
California. This absence of extremes is
good for the children. The monotony of
the California climate is, according to
Professor Barnes, "like the monotony of
good health" 1t is a kind of monotony
that's in itself strengthening and inspiring.
To the idler it may bring excuses for
idleness to the active 1t is simply firm
basis for activity. We can count on our
days as all good days, as the healthy man
counts on his strength as adequate for
whatever he may do.
1.-THE glorious climate of California" has
been the subject of many eulogies, as well
as of many good -humored and ill-humored
gibes. But from the size of the children it
is open to no criticism. 1t is the best on
earth, and the best on earth is the best for
purposes of education. Some day children
will be sent to California for education as
naturally as men now go to the country
for exercise or rest. The measurements of
school children show much more vigor-
Gus growth in the children OF Oakland as
compared with those of Boston or Brook
lvn. There could be no better advertise
ment for California than could be made by
showing these facts in the form of statues
or casts.
There is, moreover, great educational
gain in picturesque surroundings. The
value of mountain, lake, forest and sea is
great in the development of him who can
see these things. To the man who Is blind
to nature there is nothing in natural
scenery. Its value is in the response
which the mind makes to it's presence.
The average California child is not unre.
sponsive to the beauties of nature. Walt
Whitman tells US: ''There was a child
went forth every day and the first object
he looked upon, that object he became"
for an hour or day, 'or for years or
changing cycles of years." When the
child goes forth in California he cannot
fail to see some noble prospect, and this is
part OF him "for changing cycles of
years." Swiss artist once said to me,
mot all the vulgar people who come to
Chamouni can ever make Chamouni vul-
gar" So not all the vulgar people, dirty
villages and disreputable saloons to be
found in California can ever make Cali
fornia vulgar.
Even the prosaic San Joaquin Valley
is prosaic only by comparison with other
parts of California. Whenever the smoke
lifts or the mists blow away one has in
view the great Sierras. He is in presence
OF the Goods still sitting around on their
thrones, they alone and he alone"
Then, too, freedom is good for the strong
and the California child is born to social
freedom. 1t is said in reproach that there
is mo public opinion in California" This
Is true as we measure public opinion in old
and crowded communities. Rascality and
fraud are not scorched by public sentiment
and they are as proud of themselves as
strength or virtue could be. In this con-
dition there are some grave disadvantages.
But there are also compensations. In
this free air there is no respect shown to
forms and conventionalities after the rea-
sons for their being have passed away.
People say what they mean, not what
society has prearranged that they should
say. This is good for the child on the
whole, because it teaches him to be frank
and truthful. Frank and truthful the
Californian is in his dealings with others,
whether his life be good or bad. And
there is no better company to be found in