The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-08

| The pupils drink and perhaps throw back
! into the pail what water remains and so
on, until hundreds of children have
quenched their thirst with water and hu-
man saliva.
The heating Of the school rooms should
| be in such a way as would cause the floor
to be warm in order that the children's'
, feet may be warm while sitting quietly IN
| the schoolroom. Steam has proven TO be
a success for heating purposes in the
schools.
One Of the perplexing questions that rs
always being discussed. Is the proper light
| Ing Of the school room. Light should
| come from above or from the back of the
room and through glasses stained so as
to be soothing TO the eye. Blackboards
and states increase defective eyesight. A
| blackboard from some parts in the room
! appears 10 the vision as a glaring surface.
| Children strain their eyes TO decipher what
| is on the board and injure their eyes.
Where it mas been tried, it has been proven
| that a green stating IS not only restful TO
the eyes but has not the glazing effect.
Too much attention cannot be given 10
ventilation. There it is possible for pure
air to enter the rooms through ventila-
tors placed under the stove the air may
be heated and in that way cold draugh.
avoided
But il Is not only the oxygenated air
that becomes poisoned, but too often the
moral atmosphere is so foul that scarcely
a child that enters the door of such a
| school will leave It without being contain
mated, and carrying the impress on its
| character through life.
/ 70
but the greater Generalization comes from
| the eongregating and mngllng together be-
fore and after school hours, and during the
! intermissions. I believe it is as much the
duty Of the school boards TO employ direc-
/ tors for children's plays as it IS to employ
teachers for their lessons. Plays directed
/ in a pure and healthful channel will do
more to make good boys and girls than
any other outside agency.
If mothers knew the perncious influences
attending the noon hour, they would see
to it that no child that could reach home
would remain.
| Without a play director. am opposed
TO intermissions except at the noon hour.
! We need a kindergarten in connection
with every school, and something more,
or rather, that reaches beyond, the kin
| dergarten. Between the kindergarten and
! public school is a missing link. The tran
sition IS too abrupt from that which has
been done as a pleasure, and that which
must be done too often by a mechanical
process, crushing out all that personality
/ and individuality that the child may have
in store for development. This is partly
due to the overcrowded conditions of the
! schools and the great amount of work
| to be done. In some schools the teachers
/ have not time 70 learn the pupils names,
! but call them by numbers. as they do in
the penitentiary. taking away that person.
atty which Is intended to stimulate self
pride.
Nor would we have neglected the devel-
/ opment Of the physical body. for, though
| there are exceptions. it Is safe 20 say that
a strong body accompanies a strong mind.
! Pope is described as having had a de-
! formed. dwarfish body, and mis- life as "a
long disease" yet in literature he stands
| pre-eminently above the other writer's of
his age
! The name of Alexander Stevens IL always
! associated with physical weakness. Ii IS
| said that during the Peace Commission"
at Washington Mr.. Lincoln watched him
take off two or three overcoats, and then
remarked. That is a small nubbin for 60
many shucks."
Oliver P. Morton passed his brilliant
career. while physical wreck.
Although physical infrmities in these
cases apparently did not diminish intel
( lectuaI strength. il must be remembered
.hat they are the exceptions and net the
rule. Then, had these persons possessed
strong bodies might not their intellect
ual successes have been greatero
II We were 70 hear some one say that
! the mind impractical to thought, was as
. capable Of thinking as the educated mind.
we would say at once that the remark was
. absurd: vet II IS nor more 50 than 20 say
that the body VIII he most serviceab bic
without training II. The Greeks undoubt-
eddy owe much OF the credit for intellect
uaI and artistic successes 10 their thorough
physical education.
We realize that every part Of the body
must be brought into Use 10 avoid this
/ UnSymmetrical development which makes
/ the great number Of inerect. Nl-propor-
toned. weak muscled men and women.
The club woman may use her influence,
not only in the schools. but in the homes.
for this physical exercise Each home may
4 nave us Ntd1Nu CiAD. dIll mus tf4t primer
pies for physical education be founded
early.
The Confessions Of Three School
Superintendents, published in the Out
. look Of December ;. viii bear mentioning
! Church influence. politics. working Tor
/ ones friends pensioning the needy. out
! of-school funds. are a few OF the many
things that influence the hiring OF teach
+ erS.
Some OF the ways in which club women
may be instrumental in bringing about a
better condition Of things in the public
/ schools are these; Let them be members
/ Of the school board. and when visiting the
/ schools know what they ara looking for
You remember that Christ rebuked His
disciples by asking. What went We for
| to see?'' And human nature has not
! changed much since the time Of Christ
We usually see what We so out 10 look
! for School boards are not paid for their
work. and I think that is one reason why
| needed reforms viii be slow 70 take place.