The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-17
"MENTAL FATIGUE" IN CHILDREN.
Cure of Nervous Diseases Must Begin
With the Young.
Providence Journal.

Providence Journal
The increase of nervous diseases under the
conditions of modern civilization Is factor
in the welfare of the race which cannot be
Ignored That ii should engage the atten-
ton of physicians and scientists is lnevi-
table; and the discovery of causes must, of
course, precede the application of remedies.
The Bureau of Education at Washington
has been carrying on an investigation of the
effect of mental fatigue upon Scnool chill
dren. 1t is obvious that If the increase of
nervous diseases is to be checked begin
ming must be made with the young; since in
such ailments an ounce of prevention Is
most emphatically worth pound of cure.
Some remarkable scientific instruments are
used in testing the subjects of the cxperi-
ments carried on by the board. 1t vas found
by means of one of these that mental exer-
ton causes the brea thing to grow slower.
thus giving the blood less oxygen and i'm
poverishing 1t. Another instrument shows
with what speed the brain can act upon the
muscles third is described as Kind OF
brain cyclometer, to test rapidity OF
thought. Such devices indicate the surpris-
ing minuteness and eXactness which scien-
tific investigation has reached.
Nevertheless easier and simpler ways or
noting the effects of mental fatigue may
give us information quite valuable. 1t can
readily be understood that children are less
capable of prolonged mental effort than
adults. and that consequently our systems
of education should not ignore this fact.
Whether fatigue is the result OF chemical
process or not, its symptoms are quickly
discoverable. Observation shows, for exam
pie. that the minds of children twelve years
work, and that those of boys tire sooner
than those of girls. How far such consider
atoms as these govern the working OF our
schools is, then, an important question. The
superintendent of schools in New YORK mas
admitted that the existing methods may De
something less than ideal. 1T is no doubt
true" he says, that to a great extent the
tendency lately has been to push children
rather fast in their studies. Children nova
days are expected TO Know more at elsnt
years than old-time boys and girls OF ten or
twelve"
1t is not necessary to advocate the re-
striction of education to 1.-The three RS"
as the sole alternative to pushing children
rather fast" The fallacy which underlies
much of what passes for education is the
belief that culture Is knowledge rather than
wisdo-' In o.ner words, the brain is over
burdened with detailed information rather
than expanded with the power to acquire
information. M doubt we have improved
methods of teaching and better textbooks
in these days than our fathers had But
the statistical fashion of imparting facts Is
still too much in vogue. In fact, children
are taught to memorize rather than to
think The end aimed at is dimly appre-
burden rather than a pleasure, 1t is true
that the field of knowledge is so vast that
1t induce, i desperate energy to cover as
large portion of 1t as possible But we
are nor sure that the smattering of culture
which results IS so very much better than
Ignorance.
Let w. imagine the case of two young per-
sons educated on entirely different plans
One has been oalefuAy drilled in the studies
usually put fCIwald as essential. Having
been taught to read and write-for all edu-
cation rests finally on this simple basis-he
Cor she) is put through courses of arthme-
tic. geography, physics, physiology and the
like, is drilled in history by dates and in
literature by topical analysis of individual
masterpieces. The other puts his or her
knowledge of reading to use in a good
library, learns how to write agreeable
and correctly expressed letter gets to UNI
derstand the meaning of history and the
drift of literature. 1t may perhaps be ques-
better educated. there
iigent. The scIoolroom may not be produce
ing a "neurotic race" as has been stg-
gested by some alarmists, but is 1t not pro-
ducing a race that falls short of that gen.
ulne culture which ought to be the result
of scvancing civilization?