Arizona republican., 1899-06-05
COMPLEXITY OF VISION
(By Pref. Paul Ramser.)

There can be no doubt but that the
 work in schools, especially in cities, is | beyond the strength of the pupils. taken on an average. To the age of | 12 ac least. child ought to do all it's
 study by daylight. The work in inc
 school room should be sufficient. No study should be done by artificial light The plan of work seems to fit the tasks to the ability of the bright est students, and then spur the others
 up to the standard. There is an occa-
 sicnal pupil whom the teacher feels obliged to restrain. but they are very few. The multitudinous array of studies in the curriculum of our com
 mon schools will satisfy the most pre- cccious pupils. These extra studies and the extra hours necessary for
 their mastery are more harmful to the
 eyes than helpful to the mind.
 EASY TO FIND DEFECTS.
 But after all it is much easier to find defects than to find remedies. The common school system Of our country and especially of our city is very com plete and satisfactory, but we must not look for perfection in cur schools any more than in other things nun dane, but shCsIld strive to make them as complete and perfect as possible.
 To give child the greatest pos sible chance, best fer it's mind and its eyes, it should not be put in school too early. IL will become a better stu dent and make better use of what it learns if It does not enter public schools until near ten. The mind is then developed to a point of under standing and appreciation, and an hour with the books is then worth days of earlier effort
 Tie question might be asked what is to be dcne with the child until it reaches the proper age, and it must he answered that many, perhaps the most of them do better in school than they would at home, or on the street, buC there can be no. question but that ether things being equal, the child for the best physical and mental develop ment, ought not to begin too young.
 TOO MANY OLOGIES.
 Tine practice of giving multiplicity of studies. cramming the child's head full of a smattering of Ologies, arts and sciences seems to have secured too firm hold to be easily shaken. And since the child must begin to at tend school early, and when there must be fed with bOuntiful hand from all the stores of knowledge, then he ought to be well equipped and armed for the occasion. and if the eyesight is defective, any means that can be ar rived at to help the child on with his work ought 10 be our plain duty.
 We evidently could not afford such an expensive auxiliary as an expert if he were to be paid for his time, and those who have offered their services | gratutiousiy have been regarded with | suspicion. So the matter of an expert l examination is out of the question al i present. The public must be trained l up to a diffTent view of these matters ! and the school boards must have their ! eyes opened to the crying needs of this | class of school children before it can , be affected. IL is not absolutely nee essary that each child should have it's i eyes examined, but if such a thing were possible and the eyes of each child were examined by a competent l and a record made of the same upon it's entering school, much , valuable information would be gained. and the child would be placed in the best possible way for it's coming ef- forts.
 INCREASE WITH AGE.
 There are many defective eyes which do not give trouble until late in life, as well as many which the child soon learns not to trouble with much work, on account Of the effort re- quired. The former would be saved the trouble which is sure to come from strain, and the latter would be a dili- gent student, doubtless. if their eyes were seen to on entering school.
 There could be q provision made by which a child showing any symptoms of defective sight might receive an eX- animation at the hands of a teacher.
 Every school could be provided with a Snellen's test card and a pair of con vex glasses of forty inch focus the whole outfit costing less than a dollar The child suspected Of having defect