The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-07
HEALTH or SCHOOLGIRLS.
Warnings of Specialists Against
overworI< From the Ages of Ten
to Sixteen Years.

vi SpCChtsAtstS Against
Overwork From the Ages of Ten
to sixteen Years.
From the New York Post.
AT time when it is widely claimed that
the curriculum of the public schools
makes too great a demand upon the time
and energies of children, the gynaecolo-
Slsts are coming to the front with a
special protest on behalf of girls In
his recent presidential address before the
American Gynaecological Society. DR.
George j. Englemann of Boston paid
particular attention to this subject.
statistics he said, had clearly shown the
tremendous susceptibility and the almost
IeVerish activity of the period of develop
ing womanhood, and he commended that
the system of education in vogue in the
schools public and private) and the col
leges of this country tended to aggravate
these conditions in the rising generation
OF American womanhood, with the result
OF a general and functional deterioration
in health
While expressing the belief that MANY
OF the evil effects produced by what he
termed the present irrational mode of
educating girls could be overcome by iu-
diclous physical training and by strict
adherence to the laws of hygiene. DR.
Engelmann urged preventive measures.
holding that the real solution was in rea
sonable hours of study, in mental train
ing adapted to physiological possibilities.
ana In regard for the claims of womans
sensitive organization.
The Medical Record of this citv of
which Dr. George f. Shrady is editor
takes up the subject and says in a recent
issue:
me influence of modern education on
the functional development of girls IS a
matter the importance of which II Is AL
most impossible to overestimate. and ii Is
one which will bear discussion with ad-
vantage From all sides and from all
parts of the civilized world comes the
cry that the vitality of the race is being
Slapped by injudicious methods of educa-
ton. In the case of growing girls this is
a question that closely concerns the ply
steal and mental welfare of every nation.
Tor 1t stands to reason that in order to
produce and rear healthy progeny the
mothers of our children should be thor
oughly sound in mind and body In the
United States, perhaps to a greater ex-
tent than in any other country has the
present system of educating girls shown
It's worst effects. The present
day native American girl of the middle
class is the artificial product of advanced
~-f---N%NANN''
encased in a fragile frame, and there is
undoubtedly reason to fear that unless
radical change is made In her upbring-
ing, the consequences will be serious 70
the entire community. Less brain work
and more fresh air and exercise are the
remedies recommended
All this appears to agree with the views
of DR.. w. Gill Wylie of this city. who
as a gynaecologist has for years made a
sfAl UNta,IWr -
of the effects upon her organization of
exertion, mental or physical. He long ago
came TO the conclusion that between the
ages of ten and sixteen the grid could
endure but little strain and excitement
whether produced by work or too yigo-
rous play or intellectual effort-without
grave danger of serious and permanent
impairment of her health. So Impressed
was DIR. Wylie by the results OF his
physiological Investigations. aided and
confirmed in the course of his practice
and by special observation, that he at
once began such campaign as a busy
physician and surgeon could find time
for, and has written and spoken constant
ly on the prevalent evil of forcing the
mental growth of girls.
1.-THE American horse" he saws. IRE
ceives, on the average, better treatment
than the young women of America from
the time Of early girlhood until the age
of development has passed. The stock
breeder never forces the young animal
during the period of development. realiz-
ing that 1t is the time the greatest care
should be taken; while American parents.
especially of the middle classes, with
great ambition for their children and the
desire that they develop intellectually be-
yond their own standard, allow their
heads to be crammed with knowledge so
rapidly that the brain canot asslmilate
it, and the result is that all strength Of
development Is devoted 20 the brain, and
physique finds expansion as best II can;
New England furnishes the extreme type
of the woman, supposedly more perfect
than in any other section, intellectually
above the average, but with a physique
below par"
DR.. Wylle Is one of the medical ex-
aminers Of the Board of Education. and
as such he examines physically candi-
dates for teaching licenses. majority OF
these are young women Of from eighteen
to twenty-five who have passed through
the public schools of this city and have
been graduated from the Normal College
Or. Wylie does not hesitate to say that
II Is evident TO him at glance that n
large percentage Of these young women
have suffered vitality from too intense APP
plication to studies during the period
when they should have been carefully
precerved from strain of any nature.
In this official capacity OF examiner
Or. Wylie has been brought into such
relation with the Board Of Education tnat
Il would be naturally supposed that
his Views were well known to the members
OF the Board. All who were approached
on the subject, however--and they were
several OF the most Observation-Disclosures
that they were totally ignorant both OF
Or. Wylles opinion and OF those delivered
by DR.. Engelmann Of Boston. Tho whole
subject IN fact had 70 them the charm
Of perfect novelty. They said they we're
aware thot there was q widespread Inn