The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-05-21
BYE AND EAR.
DIR. J. II. James Speaks of the Effect
of Their Defects Upon the Young.
Reads a Very Interesting and In
structive Paper Before the Social
Science Club.

The last meeting of the Social
Science club for the year last evening
was very largely attended and much
interest displayed. The committee
to arrange for tue banquet reported
that Monday, May oath, had been Sc
lected for the banquet, which will
take place at The Saulpaugh.
After considerable discussion the
club declined to amend the constitu
tion so as to open the club to the dis
cussion of literary subjects. 1t was
pointed out that there was nothing
in the constitution to prevent the
program committee from arranging
fol- papers OF a literary nature dealing
in the sociological aspect of literature.
The motion to hold at least tW
debates during the year was laid on
the table.
The election of officers for the next
year then took place and resulted as
follows:
President-G T. Barr.
e-President-Rev. Geo. II. Davis.
Secy. and Treas--C. NJ. Hobart.
Executive Committee-Geo.T. Barr,
J. A. Flittie, f. M. Currier.
DR.. J. II. James followed with an
interesting and able paper upon ",The
Influence of Abnormal Eyesight and
Deafness upon the Education and
Development Of the Child"
In part he said:
1.-THE eye and the ear are the prin'
cipal gates to the citadel of knowledge
In comparison with them the other
senses are but mere sally-ports in the
walls of the famous city of 'Mansoul,
described by John Bunyan in his his
tory of THE Holy War Anc
these are the gates through which
still pass the mighty cohorts that in
wade the temple of the mind.
1t is number of years since notice
oculists both here and abroad pub
lished the results of earnest labor II
the search for the cause of increasing
myopia among the young, and they
have been trying ever since to impress:
upon the attention of teachers in
schools and colleges, the necessity o.
recognizing the visual defects of pu
pills, and the causes which are botf
rapidly and surely tending to produce
a nation..of myopes." Because of these
defects many pupils were driven from
their chosen paths because of theil
inability to compete with those more
favored for an education, while other:
in order to accomplish the desired enc
have been obliged to resort to illegiti
mate means, thus sowing the seeds Of
deceit. The advent of the "ChilC
Study Association" promises a more
hopeful aspect for the unfortunate
Interest in these matters has become
apparent from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, and progressive educators are
finding out that the outcry has not
been one of pure selfishness and self
interest. Few people are aware Of
the extent of defective vision anG
hearing among the youth, and how
they are hampered thereby. Hereto
fore no encouragement, except in {
few instances, has been accorded in
vestigators in these matters by
teachers or school boards. To the ma
jority of those suffering from these
diseases no word has come as to thu
origin of their troubles. This &C
counts in part for the slow progress
made. The activity of the past yea
gives promise of marked advance il
educational matters. One reason TO
the lack of attention has been lack O
time on the part of teachers, and ig
norance of its Importance on the par
of school boards. The ignorant preju
dice of parents has also worked agains
it. They resented the suggestion tina
a possible abnormal condition of sigh
or hearing existed in their child
They look upon the wearing of glasse
, as fad. If they could be.taught tina
few of the present generation are Dor
with perfect eyes, that as a rule al
young children have too short an eye
ball, and that the eyeball does no
reach it's maturity until the age O
five to seven years, much of thi
prejudice would disappear. If the
could realize that near sight once az
quired and uncorrected is almos
always progressive and leads to hos
of pathological conditions resultin
in partial or complete blindness, thei
indifference would be less marked
{ Could they experience for singl
7 hour the discomfort the child endure
from astigmatism, all opposition woul
: vanish.
When we remember how much th
eyes contribute to the acquisition {
knowledge, and to this end are secol
l Diary to none of the organs of speci;
sense, suggestion arises that an
r deviation from their normal powt
e must result in false impressions an
f erroneous ideas, and we can see tia
f distortion of moral character noi0l