Bisbee daily review., 1908-11-05
TEACH HEALTH LAWS
IN THE SCHOOLS.

DR.. Healy H. Hammond writes the
following to the Chicago Tribune:
Let us all awake TO the belief that
the laws of health are the laws of God.
as binding on us as II they had been
Numbered forth from Sinai; that if
those which are now known with GER
tainty were applied in practice. the
Improvement in human life, morality
and happiness would be stupendous;
that they should be the first and para
mount subject of instruction by pre-
cept, habit, and example in every
school and a every home, and grad
ualIy but ultimately code religious
" observed in mills and shops and Of
fees.
And so the great truth, now para
dox, may become commonplace;
that man is greater than his surround
ings. and that the production of a
breed OF men and women, even in our
great cities. less orcqe to disease and
pain, more noble IN aspect, more ra-
tional in habits, more exultant in the
Pure JOY of living, is not only scien-
tificaIly possible, put that even the
practical fulfllment of this dream, il
dream it be, is the most worthy object
towards which a lover of his kind can
devote the best energies of his life.
ITO be a nation OF healthy animals
is the first condition of national pros
perity!"
The truth expressed in these sim
pie, incontrovertible words of Mr.. Her
bert Spencer has been and is syste-
matically ignored. to the especial and
increasing danger OF q crowded nation
like our own in the van of modern ma
terial progress.
Many years ago was a member of
a school board. / yentured to propose
regular open air drill for the children.
| remember how the chairman, with a
benevolent smile, suggested that we
pass on to some practical business.
Something of the same sort happened
when once complained of the fine
assortment of evil gases and human
exhalations in one school where the
master was smitten with a fear of
drafts" and preserved each days air
carefully for use on the next.
In these particular directions. in
deed, things are little better now.
But the main position of the enemy,
where he grandly stands at bay, re-
mains nearly as strong as ever.
Let marks he given freely for tests
of vision and hearing, for strength Of
grip, for doing long walk, say TWEEN
ty-five miles, go as you please, in cred
table time, and co. a foot steeple-
chase or obstacle race, and marking
here also by time Nor do l see why
marks should not be given also for
boxing and gymnastics. Such reforms
would not only fit pupils for pursuits
in which strength and activity are d.
rectIy useful, but also would enable
them to Withstand the severe strain
of modern city life far better than an
excess of study. The brain even Of
the future professor is more likely to
be sound and masculine If it is sup
piled with blood from capacious lungs
and a brisk circulation; and after all
we cannot all be professors or deyot-
ed to research.
Ny own belief is that not more than
six hours per diem should be devoted
to sedentary work in schools, and GER
tainiy rot more than one and half In
winter and two and half in summer
to games. The rest o. the time should
be largely occupied with military drill
with work in the gynnasiums. in the
workshops. at targets, in various
kinds of manual labor, or in singing
IAN excellent exercise for the lungs
or in playing musical instruments.
MARI Smith rarrafn. IN dafaat as