OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2908, 21 October 1916, Page 5

OUR BABIES

fBT HYGIU.I Published under tho auspices of the Royal New Zealand 6ociety for tho Health of Womon and Children. "It is wiser to put a fenco at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulanco at tho bottom."

THE XEED OF PLAY AND EXEKCISE FOB GROWING BOYS AND GIRLS.

Last week I quoted some Tcmarks as to tho paramount importance of play and exercise, arrived at by tho leading French authority, Dr. Ferdinaiyl Lagrange. To-day I purpose translating some further passages from tho last chapter of his book, feeling assured that at the present time there are many parents'who will take a keen interest in the best French thought on a problem so vitally affecting racial fitness. From a national point of view we New Zealanders ought not to b> less interested than our great Ally in doing tardy justice to tho physique of our rising generation. In no point lias the modern world made a greater mistako than in directing almost all its educational measures towards "cramming" Itho mind and neglecting the body. Concentration on examinations and tho winning of scholarships has left neither time nor place for proper attention to tho growth and development of the bcjdy—though wo all know that to be a good animal is tho first essential for lasting efficiency and success in the battle of life.

Mere scholastic proficiency, unsupported by robust, health and bodily fitness, is a poor equipment from tho individual standpoint; but from tho national and patriotic point of view what can wo say in defence of encouraging our schools to turn out pedants rather than a stalwart race? Wo want strong, vigorous, fully-developed young men and young women, well balanced in body and mind, for future citizenship and parenthood. Revolutionary Franco was a great pioneer of educational thought and progress, and no ono has expressed more sensibly or nobly what we all of us ought to have in mind at the present moment than Madamo de Kemusat. Writing in the time of Napoleon she said:— , "We ore drawing near the time when every Frenchman shall bo a citizen. In her turn, tho destiny of woman is 'comprised in these two terms: wife an<l mother of a citizen. There 'is much morality, and a very severe and touching morality, in the idea which ought to be attached to that word citizen. After religion I do not know a more powerful motivo than tho patriotic spirit for directing the young towards tho good. "It is no longer a question, then, of training the woman and. the man for themselves, for their individual destiny. They must bo eduoated for the public good, for their duties in society." What greater thing can we say to-day? It was Madame de Remusat who wrote: "To obtain from . women any activity whatever, it is almost always necessary to interest them in the happiness of another." She x B3 no mere idealist or visionary; she directed the education of her own family, one of whom, Charles de Remusat, became noted as a philosopher and an illustrious statesman of Fiance. \

Madame Campan, Napoleon's great authority on tho education of girls, was noj less patriotic and sonsiblo in her outlook. She insisted that the first consideration in national training Bhould be the creation of noble mothers. Striving for the adequate and serious education of women, so that they might be qualified in their turn to assume tho headships of households, sho wrote:— "There is no boarding school, however tvell it may be conducted; there is no convent, however pious its government may be, which can give an education comparable to that which a young girl receives from a mother who is educated, and who finds her sweetest\ occupation and her true ghsy in the education of her daughter."

DR. LAGRANGE'S CONCLUSIONS. (l?ree translation from the French.). Open-air games are the only form of exorcise which satisfy the broad requirements of health- (physical as well as moral) for littlo children and for older boys, and girls. ... 'I'heso conclusions as to open-air games impress themselves on us with all the greater force because they dp not aim at giving qualities which might be called "physical luxuries," but benefits which must bo regarded as primary necessities. Thoy do not tend to tho malting of athletes, acrobats, or ■ oven "sporting men," but simply strong, healtbv, welldovoloped human beings. Of all the advantages which can ba brought about for the rising generation by proper physical exorcise, health is the one of all others concerning tbe absolute necessity of which there can be no two opinions. To ensure good health we must ovorcome all obstacles.

Among tho objections which, have been raised to the proper provision for openair games in French schools, the two principal aro want of timo and want of money. The Commission on Secondary Education arrived at tho perfectly sound conclusion that it was necessary to lessen by two or thrco honrs a' day the time devoted to sedentary. work, and if this were added to the time already-set aside for recreation it would quite suffice. As to the objection founded on tho expense of providing playgrounds, etc., there is only one answer: "This is a form of economy wo havo no right to practise." Thoro are no people so poor that they would not be ready, to sacrifice their money to ensure proper care for their 6ick child, knowing well that in the home restored health is capital saved. Do mo not also onrich our coun.try as a whole when wo ensure it a ro"bust rising generation? Wo havo not recoiled from the cost of freo education. . We have grasped the .fact that overy French citizen has a right to instruction. Can we not also realiso that our. children-havo a right to health—to that degree .of health at 'least below which a boy does not bocome a' citizon capable of serving his country. [Of course, tho nation's need for healthy girls is at least equally imperativo.l . There aro crushing expenses that wo accept without hesitation, because they are considered indispeusable to tho security of the country, and everyone bows to tho inevitable in the faco of ruinous War Budgets; but, strange contradiction, the'same pooplo who havo no regrets whon it is a question of the manufacture of arms, cannot decide on a slight sacrifice for tho sake of having men capable of carrying them. It is interesting to n'oto that this was written by Lagrange many years ago. My copy of his book, the ninth edition, .is dated 1910. _'