New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-24
EYESIGRT OF PUPILS
Hyomen Principals and Publishers
Discuss TertbookS.

&C and sin no more" was the parting admon-
ton Of Miss Katherine D. Blake 70 the representa-
tfves OF dozen publishers Of schoolbooks who
had been asked TO meet the committee on chli-
eren's welfare Of the Association Of Women Prin-
cipals Of the public schools In the rooms OF the
New York City Teachers Association No -oo
West 18th street yesterday afternoon. Miss Blake
is chairman Of this committee. and she had just
been pointing out the sins Of the publishers against
the chforen's eyesight- Most Of these-relating TO
the length and spacing Of lines and the use Of
glazed paper and haiftone pictures have already
been published but new was added yester-
Day. This IS the placing Of the picJuEes so as to
break up the text Miss Blake has been CORE
spending during the summer with all the leading
universities. ard they have not only Endorsed the
original suggestions Of the women teachers, but
have added this one about pictures Miss Blake
exhibited specimen pages showing pictures at the
bottom at the top and al the side. the first posi-
tion being she one preferred when the picture is
not large enough TO I'll whole page She also
quoted some experiments at Columbia University
10 show that when the eye has follow lines Of
Irregular length is the case when the text is
broken by pictures. Ii does not take Up the new
line instantly but has 10 feel around FOR the start
ing point
Miss Blake has also been corresponding with
paper manufacturers. and has received specimens
OF unglazed paper. which is cheaper than the glazed
paper
Mr.. Beckett Of the Charles E. Merrill Company.
said that the process by which the paper referred
70 wss finished destroyed its fibre and made II IN
suitable for schoolbo0ks. which have 10 be very
strong they pass through so many hands
AIisz Blake asked Il it would not be feasible 10
ISSUE unbound schooIoooks very cheapy, let the
children bind them part OF their manual train
tng work and keep them after they are done with
them. None Of the publishers willing 10 give
an opinion about this without further reflection,
but s. ". Richardson. OF the Macmillan Company,
said that the condition Of schoolbooks after they
had been passed through a few hands was often
2 disgrace 20 civilization, and he would not want
10 Jet q child Of his them.
Miss Aida s Williams, principal OF Public
School g. did not care much about the Unglazed
paper Il only she could have shorter lines In the
words Of one Of her pupils, the eyes Of the little
folk slip of" the long lines.
The plea for outline pictures instead OF haftones
was met by tneS objection that good ones were
very expensive but Miss Blake thought this diff
Guilty might be met by reducing the number Of the
illustrations
The suggestions Of the women principals in re-
gard 10 the care OF the eyes Of school children
have been Endorsed by an advisory board Of ocu-
lists consisting Of Drs. Charles S. Bull Frank
Blodgett Peter A Callan. A Edward Davis, Alex
ander Duane. Waite Eyre Lambert. Henry S. OPP
pelheimer, Thomas Pooley, Edgar : Thomson,
Frank Van Fleet, John z Weeks and David Web
ster