Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-04-16
w. &. T. u. COLUMN.
EDITED ny MRS. MARY E. oInsTEAD.
Nervous System Education and sieep.
BY &. Fred Pollock, NJ. d.

Nervous System, Education and seep.
BY G. Fred Pollock, NJ. d.
The brain is the chief or highest
nerve center, and is "A double organ.
having corresponding right and left
HAYES, containing "A number of centers
or areas devoted to different purposes.
Ii is mass of soft whitish material
enclosed in the skull, through an open
ing in the base of which it is directly
continuous with the spinal cord. The
smaller part of it, lying next the cord,
is known as the little brain, or cerebel-
lum, and seems to be the seat of co-Or
dination, or the power OF controlling
complicated and compound muscular
movements. When man is slightly
intoxicated, an approaching danger,
such as cab in the street, may be
seen, and yet, though the man realizes
that he must get out of the way and
desires TO do so, his muscles cannot be
co-ordinated into the proper movements
of walking, and the result is stagger-
ing. The large upper part of the
| brain is the cerebrum, and consists OF
masses of gray matter joined together
10y nerve iibers or white matter. The
gray matter is a series of parts termed
ganglia, connected below with the
spinal cord and above with the highest
ganglion of all. the sheet of gray sub
substance on the surface of the brain.
This is layer of some thickness az
ranged in undulations, or convolutiors
which greatly increase the extent t
surface. 1t is not the quantity Cf
brain, but the quantity and quality #
gray II after, which is useful; and the
scale of intelligence in animals CORES
ponds with the complexity of the con-
volutions
The brain is the ruler of each mans
little universe. 1t is the seat of con
seriousness and will, of memory,
thought, and intellect, of emotion and
sensation. With the brain cells we see,
hear, taste, smell, feel. think, and will;
and diseases of them may make u
blind or deaf, dull and apathetic, or ir-
ritable and fierce, forgetful or ANXIOUS,
morose or foolishly fanciful. Madness
is bodily ailment; and, affecting this
highest organ, is pre-eminently disease,
unhealth, insanity.
1t is with these nerve cells, then, that
we appreciate impressions from without
il is in them that the nervous force Is
stored: and il is from them that the
nervous energy is discharged. Our
duty to them is threefold; we must feed
them, train them and rest them.
The brain can be trained just like the
hand. This is the great subject of ed
ucation. An empty head IS an evil
head: an unframed brain is mischlev-
Gus brain. The BRAIN must be used all
around, and perhaps the greatest dan
ger of school education at present l.
that the memory is cultivated prlncl'
pallv or almost alone. 1t is not walk
ing encyclopedias that do good in the
world. but skilled brains, able TO think
y
and not merely to remember. NJ
teaching is likely to be of much perma
nent value, which does not exercise
other faculties of the mind, the rtiiet
ton and judging powers, the power o
irving undiyidedH attention, and th
power of taking pains. Interest IN tn
work is essential TO true progress, ant
the most enduring knowledge Is tina
which we teach ourselves lmagina
! ton should be stimulated by wholesom
and stirring stories and all tn, wealu
. of poetry; and the vii should be cdu
D Gated by forci z ouI selves to do on
e duties promptly even when disagreed
BILE. as they so often are. Habits al
largely the result of training; the sam
: part of the brain is used over and or
y again; the nervous energy travels ia