Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-08-06
As TO CHILDREN'S EYES
Persons Dispositions Some
times Affected by Trouble
Of the Eyesight.
Parents Are Apt to Overlook Little
Discrepancies In the Way Boys
and Girls Look at Things.

World Herald: Now that the care
Of the eyesight among the pupils of our
public schools has become one of the
cares of the teacher, it may be of ill.,
terest to many to know the causes and
effects Of eye strain on different chill
dren. The writer, who has always taken
special interest in defective sight as it
exists among school children, quotes
few of his personal experiences in this
city.
About two years ago q lady brought
two of her sous to me to have their eyes
examined to see if glasses were needed,
age respectively 9and1l. She had taken
this step partially on my invitation, and
as matter of precaution, as she was
we'll aware that both herself and her
husband had defective eyes, and part
of her children were already wearing
glasses for troubles which We're with
out doubt hereditary. In answer to
questions about the general health of
the children, their disposition, CON-
plants they made regarding headache,
etc., she made the following statement:
81 really am puzzled to know what
to do with the older boy, he seems SO ir-
ritable and cross after a few days at
school, and he always seems to be spoil
ing for fight. His health seems very
good, with the exception of headache
after study, but he is not nearly as far
II e.. T.: L..
younger brother"
Worked "a Change.
After making careful examination
I prescribed glasses for the older one,
but told tie mother that the younger
one did not need them at the present
time. l did not see anything of the
children or the mother for six months,
at which time, when meeting the
mother, she told me the glasses had
worked marvellous change i'll her son,
and he wore them constantly, and cou d
not bear to be without them. He was
now picking up in his school work, and
was better natured than she had ever
known him before.
This child is only one of many thou.
sands in our schools today who are hav-
ing their dispositions ruined, and are
called dull and stupid by their parents
and teachers, through no fault of their
own. Being perhaps born with a de-
feet in sight, they do not know of any
different world than that which they
see through defective eyes, consequent
ly cannot relate their troubles to their
parents, as they are entirely uncon-
scious of their defect. Therefore, wish
to emphasize most emphatically that it
is the duty of all parents and teachers
to mark very closely any popularity
chat children may have in looking at
objects at long distance or close at
hand. such as squirting their eyes,
frowning, looking sidewise from parti.
ally closed eyes, and particularly, re.
garding the distance ut which they hold
their reading matter from their eyes
for it is natural for child, or for O
grown person for that matter. who hal
normal sight, to hold clearly printed
reading mater about 10 inches from
their eyes. Should this be varied tt
any extent, such as drawing the read
ing quite close to the eyes or holding il
at arms length, it is almost sure sigr
that there is something wrong.
Little sympathy.
People who have strong eyes usual,
have but little sympathy for those VIII,
are less fortunate in this respect.
The necessity of glasses to assist
child in school work, which will pu
them ON more even footing with tn
other students, is not appreciated b,
many parents who are otherwis
thoughtful and considerate Of the We.
fare of their children, and who are il
many cases undergoing privations tina
their children may secure an education
Do not be too ready to judge these chill
dren as having a fad for glasses or wish
ing to wear them because some of thei
playmates do. Better be little owe,
cautious in having the child's eyes ez