The San Mateo item. (San Mateo City, Putnam County, Fla) 189?-19??, 1909-11-13
WHEN soHoOLLlFE SHOULD
BEGIN.


cises, the competition and rivalry, all
tend to lower the vitality and arrest
tho development OF the young child.
The reason OF this Is that this siren
uous exertion Is unnatural to him
The development OF the child's brain
should be so gradual that no does
not feel the strain.
To the child-lover our modern sys-
TEN OF education is a matter for
pournful contemplation. He believes
that childhood should be all bright
and Joyous. and yet he knows that
countless thousands OF the little ones
whom he loves. sit and bent forms,
porting over written and printed
pages for hours at time when they
should be running and jumping and
shouting in Gods great out-of-doors.
Careless happiness is the birthright
Of the child, and he should not be
robbed Of an iota OF II.
No child should be started to the
regular school before the age OF eight
years, when the little body has had
q chance to lay the foundation for a
vigorous constitution. ANY age under
eight Is too young for child to at
tend the regular all-day school. Now,
don't say that this will handicap the
child by causing distaste for learn.
ing, and an impediment to his sue
cess in later school work. This Is
not true, we know from the evidence
OF many recorded cases. And two
striking instances came under our
own personal observation In the ten
years Just past.
These two children were as dissim-
liar as could be In characteristics,
In heredlty and environment, the
families representing the two ex-
tremes OF society,-the highest intel
lectrSal class and the low and Hitter
ate.
The first was the little daughter
OF a prominent physician of our town
This little girl was not taught her
"a, b, c's" until she was past eight
years OF age; furthermore she was
not allowed book, nor even block.
with letters to puzzle her little brain.
She was not q delicate child at all
just a normal. healthy little Emmy
Lou. When she was eight years old
she was started to the public school.
Most OF the other little girls and
boys were in the Third or Fourth
Grade, as we graded the schools In
our town then, and here was this big
girl In the primer class. The rela'
tives on both sides had protested
vigorously against allowing the child
70 grow up an Ignoramus," but the
doctor-father, who had been to bu'
rope several times and who made
children's diseases specially, insist
cd Upon rearing his daughter to suit
himself. We'll, the child with
strong. healthy body. who didn't
know her letters at the age OF eight,
advanced rapidly from grade to grade
and soon outstripped many OF the
children who had two years start OF
her. She was graduated from tho
city high school last June. at the age
OF seventeen, with high honors. and
enters Wellesley this fall. She Is
also a musician OF ability. Added TO
all this she is beautiful young
woman, somewhat above average
height, and glowing with perfect
health.
The other child came from miser'
ably poor and illiterate parents. ow'
Ink 70 circumstances, II was not pos
sibl6 to cart him to school until he
ives neATiy nine years old He had
scarcely seen q book OF any kind In
hla life and did not know mis- let
ters." But he was a sturdy little
fellow, having lived the most OF his
life IN the open air and sunshine with
his father who cut and hanled stove
-~.A ~. = Uvallhnod And thla 10