The San Francisco call., 1903-12-01
EYES AND EDUCATION

A VERBATIM report is supplied by the Sacramento
n Bee of an address delivered by Governor Pardee
\ the Sacramento city and county teachers which
easily ranks the forefront OF utarian talks The Gov
theme "The Eyes of School Children in which
countless thousands of parents directly coucerned 81
take it," said Governor Pardee, speaking Governor
physician and citizen interested in all three capacities
the public schools and the children attending them hat
your duty these children discharged when you
their recitaons mark their examination papers
and send home their report cards for the signature OF their
parents 1t in my judgment that exercise
not only in the making Of sound minds but also
sound bodies"
What followed feeling plea for the children Nany
child said Governor Pardee "who cannot properly see
the blackboards who plainly the print in the
books whose efforts seeing may be painful gives up the
unequal struggle and quietly accepts the verdict of stupid
rendered against him by those who in with
him. Others rebel against the unjust charges and become
school Ishmaeltes. So, say the question of your chill
dren eyes amost important matter Upon it frequently
hangs the future thereof of children in
schools"
This eminenty practical topic which was dealt with at
considerable length attracted and held the attention OF the
educators assembled AS the teachers represented only
section of the State and the subject of universal
pcation and equally engrossng all educators and to all
parents who have children the public schools add
tiona points from the address selected for their
portance for publication here.
Governor Pardee said children often go into the lower
grades of the schools with perfect eyes and normal vision
and ina year two their eyes begin trouble them They
have headaches and pains and we'll and begin
to drop behind in their school work In other words while
their eyes congenay perfect they have acquired eye
trouble Putting glasses children declared to be
fad but necessity "They much necessity the
childrens eyes crutches to broken legs
No child said the Governor, should be permitted
doubled up at desk holding book not than six
inches from his eyes. To hold the book than four
sixteen eighteen inches from the eyes ocuar
crime 81 here to-day said he ito preach you
the interest of the children the gospel of straight He
went to say:
To aid little people in acquiring the proper reading
distance habit that the smaller children not
seated the larger and higher desks and be equally careful
that the larger children seated the smaller and
lower desks Either misht of child desk scholastic
abomnation and should not be allowed know of no more
unhygenc practice than that of having school children
according their individual rank their studies po-
son the schooloom changing they ascend descend
the roll of honor Rank in school should determine
the desks that scholars should occupy Length of leg and
height of body should always determine that And any
scholar compelled to sit either with his knees doubled up
under his chin his feet dangling in the his desk
under his chin beyond his easy reach has ought
have the privilege of visiting equal torture upon his
observing teacher"