The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-02-24
A Voice Of WARNING.

Marshalltown Times-Republican A
Sioux City minister, speaking to a
mothers club in that city, voiced a
warning that should be needed. His
subject was knowledge During the
years from Twelve to Nineteen" and
he gave a psychological analysis of
tn period, which includes. he said,
the closing three-e.ghths of childhood
and the first half Of the adolescent
period. The period of childhood was
characterized as one in which the
child is learning the use Of his ma
chine, the body.
In outlining the proper development
of these two periods he emphasized
the Importance of manual training in
tie school life, and strongly urged its
value in all the grades as an influence
to counterfeit the over nervous activ-
ity induced by the studies. He de-
cried the term examinations as in
furious to the nervous child. His ap.
parent argument is that the nervous
and mental organizations of school
children are overworked, while the
physical is underworked.
! The conclusion is coming to school
! superintendent, as it has long ago to
! parents, that the schools are forcing
too much and too fast So far as the
grades are concerned the average child
can keep up the work, especially as
the girls in the lower grades romp and
play as smaller children do. In the
high school, however, things are diff
ferent The girls lack the vigorous
exercise they took as children and
the tasks seem to be graduated to the
brightest rather than the duller or
average capacities.
Almost every parent complains, c.
pecially If he is a parent of girls. 1t
is common to see them worn and ner-
vous and sick over their tasks, for the
more conscientious over their work.
mis- is the case not only with those
to whom knowledge and learning come
slowly and with painful toll, but
among those accredited by their teach.
ers with especial ability and bright
ness" And the conclusion is newt
able that too much is attempting to
be accomplished.
The fault seems to lie with the
te, cheers. In the high schools each is
specialist with q speciality, and eact
is crowding that specia, course for al
it is worth, largely, it would appear
without complete general knowledge
of the amount of York assigned BY
t another The accumulated tasks heap
ed on the nervous intelligence of ,
girl at the most important and seriou!
9 physical period of her life are some
' times sufficient to alright men wht
: have grown old in hard mental work
The demand is insistent. The time
when the work Is to be finished I!
e specified. And the children work ant
] strain to meet the enormous demant
r upon mental and physical organiza
). tions in formative period. We d.
not hitch two-year-old colt to TIL
4 plow Why should We yoke the chi
g dren to loads that seasoned men an
d women would view askance?
:. There is insistent need of chang
in this matter. 1t is good to lear
d that wise and capable superintendent
e are already taking steps to proven
e accumulative burdens laid by ha
= dozen special teachers without flu
knowledge of the magnitude of tn
accumulated task they are imposing
.e We are coming to understand that
is healthy body is as necessary as
ct knowledge of the higher quadratic
e, or the ability to analyze Burke to
n girl who is to furnisl new gener
ton to the schools and make til
homes of the next half century. B,
IS it needs immediate attention and cal
a. for Immediate change