Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1908-08-20
OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT
ELIOT
Portland. Maine. July 4. 1908.
President L,l;ot

Portland, Maine, July 4, 1908.
President Eliot,
Harvard College.
Dear SIR
Can you not suggest that the public
SCHOOLS be opened not earlier than
october LIST. 1908, in the large cities
and towns OF New England. New York,
and other States. where there are long.
trying and almost continuous terms of
school, as September is the finest
month for good weather of the whole
year. and this year there are to be
some unusually hot days to endure
after the long heated summer season?
This is asked chiefly on the account
OF the decline OF the public school chill
drens health, to say nothing of the
health Of the parents. To make the
matter plain on this line. Won NAV
have noticed the very alarming sta
tistics given out by a recent meeting
OF the various boards of health" in
New York, where il was cited that
there were about twenty millions
t2O.OOOOOO) of children attending
SCHOOLS In the United States and that
thirteen millions U3,000.O00) of them
were suffering with diseases of the
nose, ear, and throat. to say nothing
OF the lung. heart, kidney. liver, blood.
and brain diseases, etc Much was said
about defective eyesight, wearing of
glasses. etc. According to this. even
III they-the children-do succeed in
graduating from the public schools.
colleges, etc. their above enumerated
physical defects will not insure en-
ployment In the Army or Navy at
$1,000 per month. as the male scholar
Will be unable to pass the regular pre-
scribed U. s. Army or Navy Examina-
ton, and as far as success in private
employment goes. they will be heavily
handicapped. What Is the future Army
and Navy spoken OF by President
twenty millions 10000. OOO) of Ameri.
can school children with glasses on?
The percentage of diseased school
children Is increasing every day. and
by and by IL will be 1870 and over in
stead OF 90 to 6Ofo-at the present rate
OF increase. Once was the time when
common school book knowledge was
at great premium. perhaps greater
than college education Is now. That
which Is rarest Is usually the most
sought and the highest priced. From
the above figures. perfect health Is
now at the premium and will be at n
greater premium later on. All this is
boiling itself down to this proposition.
WHICH stfuuS the pest cnance To win
out In the long run under the fierce
competitive struggle incidental TO our
present economic system. a healthy.
strong Ounce, or a sickly. afflicted book
wise child? This Is. as you know
and no one knows better than you do
the milk in the cocoanut." the
Alpha and Omega Of the entire dis
cussion. Why not give the children
shorter hours. fewer hours. fewer DAYS
work? Their parents are asking for
them. demanding them. fighting for
them. Why should not the children
the diseased thirteen millions $4,000
OOOD testified to by the said boards OF
health. get these betterments? The
children cannot help themselves
they must be helped by their elders.
Book stufiing OF the brain to sell new
and more books to pay dividends on
some book trust" OF other Is good
for that trust" but pretty hard on
the children.
Everybody who has graduated from
the concentrated high speed public
school system will agree that IL Is
what they actually remembered that
was the real benefit. not what they
read or studied. Some measurements
Continued on ninth page)