The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-10
CUNNINGHAM ON CHILD DEVELOPMEN
  Address Was Feature of Morn-
 ing SesSisn ENVIRONMENT AS FACTOR Former Governor Delivers a Striking Address on Value of Studying the ChiId's Various Character
 istics In Training.
ENVIRONMENT AS FACTOR

two general heads "Heredity" and "En- yironment," and after scientific discus sion of the effect of heredity on the childs development continued:
 From the greater or outer environment the cells through certain receptive and preparatory organs obtain the material for their matabolsm and function. It is also from this greater or outer environ ment that education is derived. In this connection the marked similarity in the processes of physical and mental develop ment may be noted In physical develop ment there are indigestion, digestion, ab- sorbtion, elaboration, distribution and as- slnilatfon of the constituents of pro- toplasm. In mental development there are impressions, retention or memory, di- gestion or thought and expression or will. The physical ingesta and menal impres" sions are of primary importance. If these are proper and suitable and clear of impurities then the primary essentials are supplied. If the organs functionate prop erly upon these the result will be good. Therefore the material supplied and Its preparation are the fundamentalS in physical and mental development. The environment supplies the material and the cells of the proper organs prepare it.
 The best environment contains only good material. But here, as elsewhere, there are good and evil. The problem then is to preserve the good and destroy or re- strain the evil For the physical sanita- ton and hygiene; for the mental, educa- tion. The following are the laws govern- ing both physical and mental development and health:
 l. The physical ingesta must be com posed of materials which can be em- ployed by the cells in the building of their protoplasm, and which do not physically, chemically or specifically inhibt the cells functions. Any ingesta that cannot be thus employed is foreign substance and must be disposed of and any material which is capable of entering the proto- plasm as part of it's constitution, but which in any way modifies its normally performed functions is poison, and any material which cannot be incorporated into protoplasm, but which by It's mechan- ical, chemical or specific action upon the cells inhibits their functions is also poison.
 2. The impressions upon the brain must be of such nature as to supply the ele- ments of a righteous and moral educa- tion, which find their expression in good conduct Any impdession upon the brain that does not thus educate is an evil inl- pression and must be eliminated or be restrained
 Bearing in mind the general principles above submitted, the following topics will now be considered.
 l. The school building and it's equipment.
 g. The pupil and its management
 The School Building.
 The site should be moderately elevated, in part, at least, isolated, with natural surface drainage and ample playgrounds. t1,,tI rha11ld r,rnuida fOr adQnnafA oubical content, not less than 600 feet per capita free ventilation without percepti- ble current, equable temperature for all parts of the building, and plenty of light. The finishings of the interior should be smooth and plain and so to catch and hold no dust. Ample lavatory and closet facilities should be provided, preferably without the main building with free ventilation between them and the build ing, and an abundance of pure water, which, for drinking purposes should not be served from open vessels, nor in a cup common to all the children. Each child should have its own cup and towel. If there is more than one apartment, each should have an independent ventilation and the air from one should not pass through another The same remarks ap- ply with less importance to the heating.
 The Furniture.
 lnlS SuOulQ De TUT cOuilOIt anu AOL Oi nament. It should be plain-seats, desks, tables, etc., should have no upholstering of soft fabrics. The seats and desks should be adjusted to the child's frame and not the school grade or childs age. The normal sitting position is body erect, thighs at right angles to body, and legs at right angles to things, with bottoms Of both feet resting upon the floor, and when reading or writing head slightly rba olNo fr chn "a of the part of the body in contact with 1t, and the desk should be adjustable for ward backward, vertically and in angle, so as to fit the desk to the normal sit- ting position of the child, and not the child to the desk. Cuspidors, if allowed which is questionable, should be of paper and burned at the end of the school day.
 Grounds, building and furniture should be kept scrupulousy cream.
 The Pupil.
 Having estimated the physical and men, tai potency of the child and learned it's physical and mental tendencies, it should be graded and assigned accordingly and not by any arbitrary standard of age, school attendance or culture. Physical ob- jects which interfere with full and free respiration, such as congenital and &C., quired lesions of nose, accessory cavi- ties, pharynx, fauces, etc., should be rem edied when remediable. Improperly formed chest and inefficiently developed respiratory muscles should be developed by proper calisthenics and muscular ex- ereises and body position. The digestion should be investigated and It's functional and organic diseases cured when pos- sible. Errors In refraction should be ac- curately determined and corrected by ap- propriate lenses The minus in physical and mental potency should be carefully stimulated and the plus points restrained. The principles here employed are activity and rest Exercise Is natures stimulant that leads to anatomical development and increased functional activity. Inactivity or non-use is natures method for ana tomical detection and functional decline. In this way by an increase in functional activity and passivty-both within we'll defined limits-the plus and minus points may be brought more in unison and there- fore harmony and symmtery of the whole developed sufficient amount of whole some food containing the materials neces- sary for cell metabolism, and of clean. pure, fresh air for the supply of oxygen, are primary necessities; normally func- donating organs together prepare and dis tribute these to the microscopic cells and it's microscopic environment is of next importance The distributing mechanism for this purpose is the cordlo-Vascuiar system This like other systems. may be inherently weak and should be de- veloped as other tissues and organs are. to-wit Regulated exercise. It should be borne in mind that this system must grow and develop as well as perform its dy- manic functions of blood circulation. There fore. 1t is not capable of bearing the great stress that can be normallysborne by the adult heart Augmented functional ac- tivfty that leads to hypertrophy of the