New-York tribune., 1901-07-16

H. D. sedgewick, in his entertaining paper on
Italy in THE Atlantic" tells that some
Italians hate this novelist and are greatly
ashamed to have foreigners think that he repre-
sents Italy.
Some say that his much praised style is mere
tinsel others admit that there is an element OF
poetry in his work, but think that he has ex-
hausted IT. His admirers are band or young
men who cry him up a great poet L tried
TO explain 70 a young Italian Yankee opinion
of d DAnnunzio and that in country ce would
not be allowed to land that he would be smoth-
cred In the hold. or thrown overheard, or white
washed and returned. He looked at me and
said: You Americans don't care for poetry
We Italians love it; we love the stars, flowers
music and poetry"
Mr.. Sedgewick's notes the Sicilians are not
calculated to optimistic hopes for the i'm
mediate future of that region. In the interior
he says, many a peasant lives like the beasts
His hut is twenty-five feet square. with no floor
ing no plaster. In one corner is the hearth; in
another the family bed, made of straw; in an
other the ass the pig and the chickens. All
live together in smoke and filth. His food con-
sists of a little bread, soup made of vegetables
or herbs, with little salt and pepper, ana
a small cup of wine. He is given the meat OF
animals that have died a natural death. He
can neither read nor write. 1t is not strange
that his notions of law and order are simple
There is an article In THE Forum certain
failures in school hygiene which every teacher
and thinking parent in the United States should
read and consider. Its author, r. Clark, has
been closely examining divers schools situated
in six States and has found serious drawbacks
to the health of pupils He complains OF the
elimination of the morning recess in favor or
gymnastics, which are far from replacing wisely
the abandoned exercise in the open air; the eX-
ceedingly bad ventilation in many schools; the
oyix, m writ
(not penmanship) in an incorrect posture, lead
ing TO spinal curvature and disease; the evil
effect upon the eyes of faint copies made by the
imperfect use of machines; the lack in the
teacher of thought Of training which would
lead her TO detect disease or mental deficiency
in the pupil and the often grievous defects in
sanitary arrangements. Every teacher. he de-
cares. should have sure and practical snowl-
edge of many of the essential features OF school
hygiene. including both mental and physical
pathology"
At recent meeting of the NewYork Acad.
emy of Medicine Professor Lightner Wilmer, OF
the University of Pennsylvania declared that
the teacher more favorably situated than
the physician for detecting mental deficiency.
That Professor Wilmer closely associated men
tai with physical deficiency was shown by his
statement that he had never met with case
of chronic bad spelling in which he had not also
found some visual defect. The knowledge on
the part of the teacher in this regard need he
more than is necessary to enable her to de-
tect by simple tests. where necessary, defects
in seeing. hearing talking, dentition posture
and general health When actual defects are
discovered the parents should be consulted and
the necessity of a physiciars attention should
be shown 10 them. Is il unfair TO expect the
teacher to have this training when she IS sup
posed to have the general oversight of the child?
And If the teacher is lacking in a knowledge OF
the elements of school hygiene, should we not
place part Of the blame on the institutions
that train her?
Could there be a pleasanter out Of door maga-
zine than the midsummer number of Outing?
We doubt it; for here is, indeed, most fascinat-
ing combination of papers on summer sport and
woodland life. We may mention matter of
particular interest just the excellent
ticle on the practical side of camping.