THE INFLUENCE OF EDUCATION.
The highest conception of an education would include the idea of its being
symmetrical; that is, that the psychical and physical should be trained
together and in harmony; that the system should be considered and educated
as a whole, the brain not being stimulated in its cultivation at the
expense of the body, or neglected while the latter is in process of
development. If both are educated together, and with due proportion of
attention to the laws of development and growth of each, then they will be
in the most favorable condition to withstand the effects of the wear and
tear which come in the lives of all.
That the courses of education at present pursued in the larger number of
our select and common schools, especially those located in cities and
large towns, are of this character, will hardly be claimed by persons who
study educational systems and processes from a physiological and sanitary
point of view.
At five or six years of age, and while for some years the system must be
in the formative, growing period of its existence, the child is confined
five hours a day on a hard seat or chair, in a room often illy ventilated
and irregularly heated. During the larger portion of this time he or she
is expected to have the mind occupied in study, or recitation, which is
quite equivalent to study. In addition to this, after the child arrives at
the age of ten or twelve years, tasks of such extent and difficulty are
imposed, that it becomes necessary to study one or two hours during the
evening. I think that most persons, with much experience in intellectual
occupations, will agree with me, that six hours a day are quite enough for
an adult mind to be occupied, with advantage, in study. I am confident it
will be found that our most successful clergymen, lawyers, and
_litterateurs_, though at times a more protracted period of mental effort
may be necessary, yet, as a rule, do not spend a longer period daily in
intellectual efforts.
Yet in the education of our little children, we find that both teachers
and parents, in their blind ambition to hurry them forward, conspire in
imposing tasks of such a character and magnitude as to require longer
hours of study than we know to be best for the adult brain.[4]
I believe, however, that the largest mischief does not come from the
length of time occupied in confinement and study, great as this may be. A
still larger defect in the system lies in the multiplicity of the subjects
studied and the lack of sufficient individuality in its administration.
In the graded schools children are parcelled out in numbers ranging from
forty to sixty in one room, and put under the charge of one teacher. The
system is too purely a mechanical one; all must come in, go out, rise up
and sit down, study, and recite in very large classes. There is no room or
time for individuality in any department of study, and very little in any
recitation. Each one goes on with the whole, or he drops out and back,
while the half-exhausted teacher has neither time nor opportunity to
bestow the little attention and aid which would often be of so much value.
No teacher can do even half justice to any such number of children, and I
presume it is not expected he will. His task appears to be to find that in
some way or other the pupil seems to be able to recite his lesson, and if
not, that he work at it until he does; and if the unfortunate one fails,
see that he goes back to a lower class. Now, doubtless, one or two out of
every five of these fifty or sixty children will be able to press on with
comparative ease and health through all the studies which all are expected
to master, but for the other three or four of the five, there exists a
large tendency toward confusion of mind and imperfect knowledge, rather
than those clear conceptions and definite understanding which tend to give
vigor and strength of brain.
In this respect, I believe the educational process of fifty years ago was
better than that of to-day. The teacher had a much smaller number of
pupils, and, consequently, had better opportunity to study the
peculiarities and tendencies of individual minds: he was better able to
appreciate their deficiencies and the consequent needs each had. Fewer
books were read, and these of such a character as was adapted to
strengthen the memory; fewer subjects were studied, and there was time to
more thoroughly understand and fully master them. Facts and processes
attained were clear and definite, and there were less confused and
half-understood lessons and theories, so that, as the mind became more
mature, it went out for larger fields and broader pastures of knowledge.
They, doubtless, did not have much information as to the movements of the
heavenly bodies, or of the names of insignificant towns, hamlets, or
rivers on the eastern or western coast of Africa. They might not be able
to define the boundaries of Kamtchatka, nor give the pluperfect of a large
number of irregular verbs; but, on the other hand, their brains were clear
and active, and possessed a recipient capacity. They were not crammed or
confused by the dim memories of a vast multitude of names or facts which,
by no possibility, could have any important bearing on their future lives
or fortunes.
Knowledge, to be of much practical value to its possessor, must be clear
and definite in the mind. When only partially understood or dimly
perceived by the mind, it tends rather to confuse and weaken than
invigorate; consequently, during the earlier periods of life, study in our
schools should be confined to a comparatively few subjects, and there
should be opportunity for the teacher to see that the scholar receives
such individual attention as will enable him to fully master the allotted
tasks. We must ever bear in mind that the grand object in attending school
is, physiologically considered, to make the brain vigorous and stable in
its operations, and as little liable to instability and irregular action
as possible. Any course of training, during this early formative period of
life, which tends to crowd the brain or stimulate it to over-activity,
must tend to after-weakness and instability.
This leads me to protest against the modern tendency to continually
increase the requirements for entering and continuing in the graded
schools of our cities. The number of dates and names, relating as they
often do to many different subjects of study, and the amount of writing in
a short space of time, tend to mental confusion; and while the number of
studies is increased, the time for their acquisition must remain
unchanged, so that the scholar is hurried on through or dropped by the
way. To avoid this latter result, too great and too protracted mental
effort is necessary on the part of some children, while in many cases the
results are manifested in a state of mental confusion and uncertainty, or
a nervous, hysterical condition.
I have in mind at this writing cases which will illustrate my point. One
was that of a young lady of ordinary mental endowments, whose parents
usually brought her to me for advice as often as every two or three weeks,
because she was nervous, and suffered from frequent and protracted
headaches. Inquiry elicited the fact that she was obliged to study during
the evening until ten or eleven o'clock to accomplish the tasks which were
assigned to her class. It was thought by the parents that this practice
was all right, that it evinced faithfulness and ambition, and it was with
much difficulty that I could convince either her or her parents that her
ill-health was due to the constant violation of the laws of health; that
her brain and whole nervous system required longer periods of repose and
quiet at her age than it would be likely to need later; that the future of
her whole life as a member of society might, and must, in a large degree,
depend, not on the grade of the marks she might receive in her daily
recitations, but largely on the nervous and physical strength she might be
able to build up before she should become twenty-one years of age. This
young lady was of a healthy parentage, and inherited a good physique, and
with proper habits of life and study would have had excellent health. As
it is, her system will not for years, if ever, recover from the effects of
her habits of excessive hours of study.
The name of another patient occurs to me: a young man of good parentage,
and apparently inheriting a good constitution. He was ambitious in study,
and his parents permitted him to do all he might choose to. He entered
college at sixteen, standing among the best scholars of his class, but
before the end of the first year, began to be troubled with noises in his
head and confusion of mind. He was removed from college, and remained out
till the end of the year, but partially kept up his studies at home. He
entered the sophomore class but was obliged to leave earlier in the course
than before. He tried the junior year with a like result, and from this
time exhibited more pronounced indications of mental impairment. He
travelled both in this country and in Europe; he consulted some of the
most eminent physicians, but all to no purpose; the mischief had been too
effectually accomplished. The delicate tissues of the brain had been
over-strained, and so impaired that when his parents awoke to the gravity
of his condition, it was too late to repair the mischief.
I have under my care at the present time a young girl, thirteen years of
age, who has come to me from one of the seminaries for girls in New
England. She informs me that the pupils in that institution are required
to spend eight or more hours a day in study and recitation, and some
portion more of every day in household work, and that _she_ was permitted
to study and recite some ten hours a day, as she was behind her class in
some of the studies when she entered.
It is not surprising that in less than one year she returned to her home,
suffering from headaches, cold feet, nervousness, and inability to sleep,
and in a short time became so excitable and incoherent in thought and
language, that it became necessary to remove her from home. After a long
period of rest with appropriate treatment, she has become so strong that
she will soon go into the country, where I have directed that she remain
for one or two years without study, in the hope that the nervous system
may regain its health under the influence of a life spent largely in the
open air.[5]
A young man, standing, so far as was indicated by marks, in the front rank
of his class, had strength of brain barely to graduate, and then for years
was able to do but little study, and spent his time in a vain search for
that health which by judicious habits in study he would never have lost.
Many other cases of similar character could be cited if it was necessary
to adduce additional confirmation of my views.
I desire, however, not only to call attention to, and greatly emphasize,
the effects of study so far as they may manifest themselves on the
individuals themselves, but the effects which these persons are certain to
transmit to their posterity. The brain may and does, in many cases, so far
recover that it may fairly do the work, or _a_ work in life, but it has
attained a bias--a twist,--which will be seen to manifest itself in the
next generation in something more than a twist; it will be an insane
diathesis--a brain constituted in so unstable a manner, that the friction
of ordinary life will upset it, ending in insanity.
I have often thought that teachers are only partially to blame, as they
are countenanced and encouraged by the parents in this injudicious course
of mental stimulation in early life. Especially is this the case if a
child happens to be so fortunate--I perhaps should rather say
_unfortunate_--as to have in any measure a higher order of mind than his
fellows; he is likely to be the theme of conversation, in relation to his
studies, not only in his own home, but with all the cousins, aunts, and
neighbors, until finally the child comes to form altogether a false
estimate as to the importance of its own attainments and ability. It is
quite possible, also, that the freedom of our educational and governmental
institutions may serve to help it on. Every child is taught, at home and
in school, that all the prizes of life are within his grasp, _if he will
only make the requisite effort_, while every parent is anxious to have his
child higher up in the social scale than he is. These conditions not
unfrequently serve to stimulate those specially ambitious to
over-exertion, while again, there is less of the controlling element, both
at home and in social life, than exists under most other forms of
government.
It becomes necessary here to refer to the system, so universally prevalent
in our colleges, of competition in grades of scholarship. I do this with
greater reluctance, knowing very well how fully men of long experience
have studied the subject, and how extremely difficult it may be to devise
and carry into operation any plan which may prove to be more desirable for
all concerned.
In any considerable number of boys, from the ages of fifteen to twenty-two
years, there will be some who realize so little the objects and benefits
to be obtained through the discipline of study, that they will care little
for honors or standards of scholarship, and are in no possible danger of
over-exertion to obtain them. With such persons we need not concern
ourselves at present.
On the other hand there are those who so fully appreciate the grand
advantages resulting from an education, that they would be sure to do a
fair amount of labor, and honestly employ their time, under almost any
system of management. Now it is from the latter class, that come the
students who are to attain to and hold the positions of influence in
after-life, and too great care cannot be exercised that their
characteristics of mind be judiciously brought into exercise and strength.
They are, for the most part, ambitious; and in many cases this ambition
stimulates them to the largest effort to carry off the prizes which may
come in the way of scholarship during their college course.
These prizes frequently depend on extremely small differences in
proficiency which may be obtained, in many cases, over long periods of
time. It is understood that it is commonly the case that the differences
in scholarship of those who obtain the highest five or six honors in
college are often very small, and that these honors may be assigned to one
or to another by failure or success on some point, the knowledge
concerning which could by no possibility have any influence in after-life,
and which must be but an imperfect indication of true scholarship and
mental ability; and yet so strong is the power of ambition as to lead
some few of the highest minds, in almost every class, to neglect the
commonest laws of health in reference to physical exercise and sleep, that
they may secure these temporary honors. The brain is stimulated to long
and weary hours of study by the effects of tea or coffee, or in some cases
by the use of more objectionable substances, when regard for health would
require it to be in a state of repose and sleep; and this is during the
period of life when it has not yet attained to its full growth, and while
its substance is still in a more sensitive and delicate condition, and
consequently more likely to be unfavorably affected by such treatment than
in the maturity of later life.
From personal observation I am satisfied that some of the brightest minds
are essentially ruined for the accomplishment of any large work in life by
such a course of conduct in their education, who, under some other course
of management, in which these mental tendencies could have been better
understood and guided, might have been saved; and that often these are
minds with the best natural endowments.
How it is possible that instructors of young persons can suppose that any
larger power of intellect, or any greater capacity for usefulness in
after-life, can possibly be secured by such treatment, or rather by such
abuse of the organ of the mind, or why they have not been more careful to
instruct those under their care as to this most important of all subjects
to them in their future work, it is not easy to imagine, and can only be
accounted for by the supposition that they have not studied the subject
carefully enough in its physiological relations.
It should always be borne in mind that excessive use or stimulation of any
part or organ of the system can in no sense be considered as education of
it, but as a sin against its nature, which will be sure to require
retribution. It may be made to accomplish more in a given time, but it
must be at a discount on its future activity; there must come a reaction,
that is, a condition in which there will be performed less of function
than before; and that such a course of treatment has a tendency to produce
a condition of _instability_, and more or less of _uncertainty of action_.
Within the last twenty years there appears to have come, in some measure,
a reaction in reference to exclusive attention to brain discipline, and in
favor of more attention to physical exercise during the college
curriculum. There have been organized in most of the colleges and
academies, boating clubs, base-ball clubs, and other associations with the
avowed object of securing a higher state of physical development and
education. This has been a step in the right direction, and none too soon
have we come to realize the fact that the brain depends very largely upon
the health of the body for its exercise of the best thought. The
importance of a physical education will be more fully referred to
hereafter, but at this stage of the subject it is pertinent to suggest
that violent use of the muscles for short periods is generally not the
best mode of exercise; that the sudden expenditure of so much nervous
force in training and in contests, as is necessary in order to secure the
highest attainable power in rapidity, skill, and strength of stroke,
during a half or one hour; or to attain the highest skill in throwing a
ball, or in receiving it in hand, or in many other of the manoeuvres of
base-ball playing, which require such quick changes of position, and
violent motion of the body, is in great danger of ultimately defeating the
very object for which they are ostensibly practised.
The skill and power may be obtained, and the winning crew or club may have
the satisfaction of receiving the welcome plaudits or the crowning laurels
bestowed on victors, but how far all this will prove to be of service in
securing either strength or health of body, may be a question; or rather
it will not be a question at all. In nine out of every ten cases there
exists almost a certainty that a larger measure of physical health and
capacity of endurance in after-life would have been attained by some other
course, or method, attended with less stimulation and expenditure of
nerve-force. The period of reaction no less surely comes than in cases of
other kinds of stimulation, and is frequently manifested in functional or
organic derangements of the heart and other organs. Healthy and continuous
muscular power comes more surely by the expenditure of a medium amount of
nerve-force, and no other method can properly be considered as physical
education.
Lest, however, it may be thought I have placed too much importance in this
matter of over-study and nervous exertion, and to show that we Americans
are not the only ones at fault, I will here introduce some statements from
an English physician[6] of the highest authority.
He says: "The master of a private school informs me that he has proof of
the effects of overwork in the fact of boys being withdrawn from the keen
competition of a public-school career, which was proving injurious to
their health, and sent to him, that they might, in the less ambitious
atmosphere of a private school, pick up health and strength again. He
refers to instances of boys who had been crammed and much pressed in order
that they might enter a certain form or gain a desired exhibition, having
reached the goal successfully and then stagnated." He further says: "Too
many hours' daily study, and the knowledge of an approaching examination,
when the system is developing and requiring an abundance of good air and
exercise, easily accounts for pale and worn looks, frequent headache,
disturbed sleep, nightmare, and nervous fears. When the career of such
students does not end in graduating in a lunatic asylum, they lose for
years, possibly always, the elasticity and buoyancy of spirits essential
to robust health. A strong constitution may be sacrificed to supposed
educational necessities."
"Mr. Burndell Carter,[7] in his 'Influence of Education and Training in
Promoting Diseases of the Nervous System,' speaks of a large public school
in London from which boys of ten to twelve years of age carry home tasks
which would occupy them till near midnight, and of which the rules and
laws of study are so arranged as to preclude the possibility of sufficient
recreation. The teacher in a high school says that the host of subjects in
which parents insist on instruction being given to their children is
simply preposterous, and disastrous alike to health and to real steady
progress in necessary branches of knowledge. The other day I met an
examiner in the street with a roll of papers consisting of answers and
questions. He deplored the fashion of the day; the number of subjects
crammed within a few years of growing life; the character of the questions
which were frequently asked, and the requiring a student to master, at
the peril of being rejected, scientific theories and crude speculations
which they would have to unlearn in a year or two. He sincerely pities the
unfortunate students. During the last year or two, the public have been
startled by the number of suicides which have occurred on the part of
young men preparing for examination at the University of London, and the
press has spoken out strongly on the subject. Notwithstanding this, the
authorities appear to be disposed to increase instead of diminish the
stringency of some of the examinations."
These statements were made as showing a tendency on the part of the
prevalent modes of education in England, to produce in its subjects either
insanity or a tendency toward it. I here reproduce them as confirmatory of
my own views already expressed, and would especially call attention to the
fact that though this influence may fail in producing actual insanity, yet
it is of such a character as will tend to develop instability of brain
tissue, and in the coming generation the insane diathesis. Parents
transmit acquired tendencies toward disease as well as, and indeed I think
more frequently than, disease itself.
I must beg, however, not to be misunderstood. I think I appreciate the
importance of an education for the development and discipline of the brain
as profoundly as any one. I believe the lack of brain discipline for those
who are to compete in the midst of such a civilization as that of the
present, is one of the greatest misfortunes; but I do desire to protest
with much emphasis against the system of indiscriminate cramming toward
which the schools appear to be so rapidly drifting. It defeats one of the
most important ends to be sought. It tends to confusion and weakness of
mind instead of strength. Children have so many subjects to learn about,
that they do not have time to fully understand subjects studied. The brain
is occupied so many hours daily that its energy is exhausted, and there
remains little ability to accurately appreciate, discriminate, or fix the
attention.
The same conditions result, as there would from the too long and
continuous use of the muscles of the arm, when one is learning to execute
a piece of delicate work--the drawing of a picture, or making a work of
art. In such a case the importance of only limited periods of application
would be readily appreciated; great care would be exercised by the teacher
lest the pupil should continue the work too long, or after the muscles had
become weary and consequently incapable of accurate work.
We observe the same care in our treatment of the young of domestic
animals, and are watchful that they be not over-driven or over-worked
while their systems are undeveloped and in the growing period. When one is
looking for the best growth, or the highest strength or speed attainable,
if judicious, much vigilance will be exercised lest the animal be
over-driven or worked many hours a day, until the system is developed and
firmly knit together. Shall we be less careful or less wise in our
treatment of children?
Surely, there should not be need that I plead for such a course of
education as will render the brain stronger and more capable of vigorous
work in life, and of transmitting to another generation a sound mental
organization, instead of, as is too often the case, a tendency to unstable
and irregular action, which will have a final ending in insanity. That
this may be the outcome of education there must be changes in the present
system, and I plead earnestly that these may relate to at least two
things, if no more: first, a larger measure of _individuality_,--smaller
schools and fewer pupils for each teacher, that each may have more special
assistance and _special_ training; and, second, _a less number of subjects
of study_. Let there be fewer subjects studied, and let what is studied be
more thoroughly mastered. Have fewer half-understood problems and
half-remembered lessons, and I believe we shall have more stable brains
and stronger intellects in after-life.