Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-04

Our resentment turns to pity. Those
Portland Democratic ballot reiterators
should be examined and fitted with
spectacles-and other things. And the
editorial cecet:c prodigy, who is e.
twenty thirds blind and with the other
Esd can see only Penrose pale pilferers,
Hale holy horrors, Burleigh bifurcat-
ed bullywhackers. and Peters pull
chritudenous prevaricators. should have
two pairs of glasses. But we are keep
ing the air from the motor; read the
referred-to clipping:
A san Francisco schoolteacher, who
had suffered much from eye troubles
herself, at one of her visits to her oc-
ulists office described an incorrlgible
child in her school who appeared to
have defect of sight. This suspicion
had been repeatedly reported to his
parents, but as they were poor as well
as ignorant, nothing had been accom-
plished so far. She decided, therefore
to make an independent effort in the
boys behalf and solicited the assist
ance of her oculist's aid. There were
doubts of any good accomplishments
being possible, as the boy seemed both
extraordinarily dull and superlatively
mean. His teacher said that at the age
of II years he was the worst child in
her experience of many years in school
work. He frequently played hockey,
associated with the worst boys of all
ages, smoked cigarettes, swore like a
trooper and lied outrageously; besides,
he seemed to take a stupid pride in
learning nothing and thwarting all her
efforts The only physical defect MOTTO
ed was that he held print unusually
close to his eyes Examination showed
one eye had two-seventh and the other
one-ffth of normal vision.
The boy was dumbly Indifferent in
the beginning to the eye test, but after
much labor and aggravation, lenses
were placed before his eyes, giving
practically perfect vision at once; then
he showed symptoms of being almost
human. The glasses were ordered and
the case gladly dismissed. More than
q year afterwards the doctor saw the
teacher again and inquiries were made
with misgivings. The report was jub-
liant and astounding. She said that
after she procured the glasses and had
gained consent for his wearing them,
the. child's transformation was rapid
and complete. He had become the will
ing slave of the teacher, where before
he seemed to resent her every inter-
est in him: he never missed day in
school, where formerly playing truant
was chronic with him. He was the head
of "a . Sta 4Ea Sl u hkal
was too dull to be classed at all; he
had voluntarily stopped his numerous
bad habits and had become the marvel
of the neighborhood as we'll as the joy
Of his parents, and SO on.
The explanation of this metamorpho-
sis is simple and natural. The child
was more than three-fourths blind and
no one had known it. He could, not
learn because he could not see, and his
eyes and head undoubtedly panied him
VIXEN straining to see. His incorrect
and absurd answers made the other
pupils laugh at and guy him, so he hat
ed everything connected with the
school, and in playing truant he met
the worst possible associates and learn
ed from them his notable array of vi
cious habits. When he put on his glasses
he saw the world for the first time
clearly and in comfort. He therefore
was able to learn and his ambition was
aroused. Hence he loved schooling and
the opportunity to show his real capabil-
ity, and by regular attendance at
school lost the bad companionship
which was really responsible for his
show of criminal tendencies. After the
boy became the pride of the school, his
parents took an interest and aided him,
where before they ignored so ENJOYABLE
a child. A boy who at the age of IL
was the worst child in the school and
neighborhood and was absolutely CAL
lous to all moral suasion, would prob
ably have developed into a criminal. 1t
is no exaggeration, therefore, to say
that the development of a dangerous
breaker of law and order of an extreme
type was prevented by a pair of
glasses.