Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
TEACHING OF PHYSIOLOGY
DIFFICULTY IN INTERESTING
CHILDREN In THE SUBJECT.
Criticism of Methods of Instruction
Commonly Employed in the
Public Schools.

From School Hygiene.
The child entering school for the nrs
time. having lived life of more or less
hoisterous freedom. comes under changed
conditions. The physical activities are
being subdued. the intellectual awakened
to be trained. Good health which was
so easily maintained. is now beset with a
multitude OF enemies. Physical restraint.
crowded. usually overcrowded. school
rooms poor ventilation-alas. often none
al ali-eyposure 10 infectious conditions
from the bodies of other children all con-
spire TO injure the physical wellbeing OF
The study of physiology in the pub,tc
schools has come TO occupy a very impor-
tant place in the curriculum Through il
the enid gets his first knowledge of the
poas; us structure and functions The
siinpiest rules OF personal hygiene must
be made the important part of this study
Inc safeguarding of the health of the
school child can be ACCOMPLISHED only
when there is intelligent cooperation of
cnildren. parents and the school authori-
ties. To obtain this co-operat ton there
must be some knowledge of hygiene and
TINS Is possible only through the study OF
physiology.
Not Made Interesting.
This is a required study in the public
schools of many states Unfortunately
II Is not a very interesting study TO most
children. or at least it is not made inter
esting So much time and space have
10 De given to the evil effects of alcohol
ana TOBACCO that the child wonders what
IL is all about and at the end has little
more than confused idea that physioI-
osy. diconol and tobacco are i'm some
way cioseiy allied Yet physiology can
De made interesting as we'll as yaIuahle
to the child oe
a class of forty boys averaging ten
years OF age was having a recitation on
.he physiology of digestion. The use of
, me ,ee.n. mouth, saliva and gastric juice
were considered and the answers given
showed the results of good teaching bur
wnen the exercise was over there was left
the feeling Of incompleteness. What had
ne boys gained that was useful? Some
nn,,o"Ieuse OF the processes of digestion.
out now were they to make use of this
knowledge? So Tar IL was a general
knowledge only. Could any par, Of II Is.
made personal? Why. yes, the part the
.eelh play In the process of digestion
might be made personal Questions were
then asked concerning the value of tho
teeth: What would happen il there were
aoo re" teeth or none at all? What
caused loss of teeth? What were the
evil results of rotten teeth?
Cleaning the Teeth.
The boys were eager to answer these
questions edged out of seats. waved
hands frantically, scowled at wrong
answers. and when called upon TO answer
stood erect by the desk and proudly
gave what they considered correct
swers. To the final question, How many
of you boys have cleaned your teeth this
morning." there was but one response.
One boy in a class of forty had cleaned
his teeth that morning. The other boys
sat dejectedly In their seats, ashamed.
Further questioning showed that more
than one-half of these boys made no use
of the tooth brush at ALL the others only
occasionally.
If the study of physiology were made
more personal in it's application. If less
attention were given to the evils of alco-
hol and tobacco. which children use not
at all, and the time thus spent were given
to the study of personal hygiene made
simple and attractive, an interest in phys
ical development and the care of the
body for the joys ii would bring would
take the place of the present apathy or
fear of irrelevant evils.