MODERN EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1989, 20 February 1914, Page 8

MODERN EDUCATION.

EFFECT UPON GIM

DR. TRUBT KING'S OPINIONS. Referring to the question of modern' .education, Dr. Triiby-King writes from Rbtorua. as follows:-~ . "Several people in Auckland and Ro* tertia have spoken' to me regarding' the need of a lessening of stress in the case of growing schoolgirls, and have asked whether what was said^by'myself 'and other, speakers at. thft. : was meant to apply'only to higher'education. Tho ahsffer is that, speaking, the remarks made applied; more or less to all aspects of modern education. Indeedj. thoymaitt!te.feTeri.ee.! ift my own address'ivere'drawn results of ordinary education. However, the summaries given 'in the Press, while citing what Dr. Caroline Hedger and Dr. Mary Booth said at the recent London Congress, quoted little or nothing as to what these authorities said as to harmful effects on health which they had observed in connection with education _in ordinary schools," plus too. mueh in the way of home duties. '*. "Dr. Caroline Hedger spoke mainly, indeed, as to her own persona] experiences as physician,, to aft establishment employing 4000 girls, who same from the ordinary schools.- She found that these girls showed an enormous amount of inefficiency associated with irregularity ef functions which should normally be tegular and unattended with illhealth. On investigating '• the matter' she cam* to the conclusion that tlie main factor was too sedentary a Ijfe at' school and at home, and too little, attention to tho all-round needs of the organism, especially as regards rest, sleep, time for recuperation, exercise, etc. The result of such Conditions of life sho found to be indigestion and constipation, and she held that the irregularity and troubles in" regard to the other important functions were. secondary results of this. Dr. • Mary Booth in general endorsed what Dr. Caroline Hedger said, and added that as the results of many years' experience as adviser in connection with the schoolgirls of New, South Wales, sho had found that over-concentration on. school work caused the girls to become cut off from tho' ordinary life and interests of the home, and from normal association with their brothers and sisters, and natural love of home, " ■ .

■- "Another qttesion I -have been asled is as to whether any of us wished 'to advocate that girls should-not bo trained at school with' a view to being able to earn their own livelihood, and to be able to live independently after leaving school: I .am safe in saying that there was not a single speaker at the mcoting who had any such idea. AH that we wished to convey was. that as physicians it was our duty, to insist that the safeguarding and preservation,of bodily and functional health must, bo the first consideration in'ail forms of education, and that this applied especially in the case of the girls ■ who would nave to earn their own livings, since the- effects of ill-health in such cases are the most damaging and. distressing of. all, .because time cannot- bo spared for recuperation and recovery. It. must be obvious, to everyone that all girls should be educated and trained in such a wa}ns to be able to earn their own living's. Tlmre is no .reason.in' the world why such training .should' interfere, as it does nowadays,- with .tlie prosper develop-' ment and. future health of the girls, "\Vo only protested- against excess, viz., excessive cxariiinatioris, excessive straining after so-called accomplishments, etc. While these things are' most injurious, as affecting fitness'for future motherhood, in the case of tho girls who will marry, they are almost as"han« ; ful" and distressing to those who will have to earn their living handicapped by. illhealth.'- •