New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-12

a
once and with strong hand IN the interests ~
the future generations OF Americans it is ouIY
necessary to visit an American schoolroon ana
closely watch the scholars.
Notice how the average child sits al a de4k
Tne desks are all OF one size. while the children
naturally vary in size They assume strained
forward. the head bent down, one shoulder
thrown higher than the other as the child writes
and the vertebral column assuming a sham
closely resembling the letter as the bOv or
girl slides down in the seat. The heart IungS
and, In fact. nearly all the thoracfc and alb
dominal Vscera are cramped and cannot act
vigorously. We know from clinical and post
mortem experience that the bones and HgaIneuts
tend to grow permanently into positions that
they are made to assume habituaIy. Day after
DAY the boys and girls sit IN the defOrmed at
ntnde that the conditions under which theE
work compel them to assume. In time the attf-
tude becomes habitual and they suffer for LIE
from "schOolroOm defermity.''
At first and during the growing years the d.
form1ties are merely pOstural that is TO say. the
bones and hgaments have not permanently
grown crooked. II such a term may be allowed
In time the defOrnity becomes bony one. and
cannot then possibly h~ncured- Some OF tia
most common defOrmities round shoulders
This term is exceedingly general one II may
mean that the child. either through habitlal
slouchiness or thorough general weakness. es-
peelaIly or those muscles between the shoulder
blades has permitted his shoulders 10 drOOp
forward, causing the typical rounded appear
ance Of the back between the shoulders with its
accompanying horror OF 1attened chest and
sunken abdomen 1t may mean that there Is
an unnatural antero-lateral cUrving OF the
spinal column, due either to the habitua drOop-
Vertebrze known as Potts disease" Again. such
carrying OF the head forward may be due TO
some eye trouble, for the nearsighted child nat
urally strains his head forward to distant
objects, thereby causing spinal curve which
the laity often term round shoulders
Another common defornity Is unnatural
curving of the spine in the dOrsal region. or. as
II IS popularity called, the small OF the back
Slouching down in the seat is the cause
Sitting with one shoulder higher than the
other, with the head inclined toward the higher
shoulder as in writing tends 10 produce a lat
eraI curvature, or scoliosis Weak. poorly
museled children are particularly prone to suffer
from this variety OF schoOlrOOm defOrmity.
When the hearing IS not sufficiently acute the
child is impeIled to sit in a strained. unnatural
position II the feet Of the boy or girl do not
reach TO the floor OF there is a shortage OF ROOM
or if the light is poor. a cramped and unnatural
position f0rerunner OF permanent schOOlrOom
deformity, is sure to result
Experience has shown that strong children
whose muscles are fairly well developed. do not
suffer from schoOlrOom deformities They are
strong enough to combat the conditions and
overcome them Girls, not being as strong as
boys. are naturally the greater sufferers
There are numerous other defOrmities, such as
WY neck. knock knee, etc, but think I have
named enough. Now. to the remedy. In
this case the teachers are the doctors It is al
together wrong to try to correct this growing
evil by ordering the boy or girl to "sit straight
The cause OF the Incorrect position must be
sought In most cases IL VIII be found to be
defective eyesight, pOorness Of hearing or in the
lighting seating arrangements OF the school
itself Each teacher could roughly make tests
OF the sight and hearing with a very little trou-
BILE
Procure a card with the test letters Il
Each child should be able 70 read the letters al
a given distance. usually sixteen feet. with
either eye. the other being covered by card
A card printed with diamond type should be
read at distances OF from two to four
inches varying with the age Of the child II
any child shows signs OF defective eyesight the
teacher should insist that an oculEst be consult
ed at once When the boy or girl returns prop
erly equipped with suitable glasses the incor-
rect attitude that causing a permanent de-
fornity win be found 10 have cured lIseL
No less important than the eye test Is -
for the hearing Seat the child and hold watch
near one Of the ears. closing the other with me
hand Then tell the boy or girl 20 slt VIII
closed ewes and say whether OF not the ucking
of the watch can be heard Gradually Wlthdra"
the watch until il is thirty or forty inches uona
the ear. At this distance child WIN perlecs.
hearing will still be able TO detect the ticking OF
the tirnepiece Note carefully at what distance
the child ceases to hear the watch uck- Ins1i
try the other ear the same way some Boys W.
saw thew hear the watch tick when IheY ran,
do not To check this hold to the ear the haIa
alone without the watch and ask II they So.
hear IL II the answer Is Yea. II Is SAFE 70 %!
That the boys hearing Is deIecuVe - = ~.
an absolutely accurate test pul SdilO'S
good for the purpose o.vs
Watch the child at school sessions JOSEF
n there is an effort to see the oiaeAnos.H .
peering forward with puckered eyes NOlSe
the head is bent forward In an atutuus
strained listening Many child VIII DC 49, 49,
70 become almost a different being Vneh -
with glasses or having some tnslsAiHe--1' 49,
OF hearing removed -,a-
Having searched for and removed the prefAns