SCHOOLGIRLS' HEALTH.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 71, 13 March 1914, Page 2

SCHOOLGIRLS' HEALTH.

IMPORTANT INFLUENCES. *

BATHING AND FRESH Allt

Several important questions have been suggested by the statements made in recent public lectures by Dr F. Truby King regarding the health of girls and its relation to their education. They were answered by liim in an interview with a 'New Zealand Herald' representative.

At the outset Dr King elaborated the. report of his remarks in answer to two questions with which he dealt "i« his lecture on Thursday. A good many times since he arrived at Auckland he had been asked: "Do you think that g rls should be educated with a view to male ng them fit to earn their own living ?" "Undoubtedly," Dr King replied, explaining that "no one has the right to bring up any girl without making the only safe provision for her future. Even if the parents are wealthy to-day they may have lost all their wealth to-mor-row."

FREE TRADE IN EDUCATION. Replying to the question, "Do you think it should be open to girls to go in for what is called Higher Education:'"' Dr-King said: "Of course I do. There must be free trade in such matters, but this means also that the girls who want to train in the direction of special avocations or home life and domestic economics must be given a fair chance and due facilities and encouragement. It will be for the girls themselves and their parents to choose which course to pursue, the fundamental background in ah cases being a sound general education. As physicians we have merely to point out where education of any kind tends to tell injuriously on the present or after life of the girl—especially where it tends to leave her ailing and delicate and more or less unfitted for the subsequent battie of life, whether the 6cene of her life is to be the home or the industrial world outside. It is difficult to tell in which sphere the harm done in the course of education tells more disastrously. In either case the happiness, efficiency, and usefulness of the woman is liable to bo handicapped all through life.

FUTURE OF THE RACE AT STAKE. ''We contend that in any and every stage of education the first consideration should be to foster proper development and good, sound health and fitness, both in boys and girls, but especially in girls, because the next generation —indeed, the whole future of the race—depend son -what we make of our schoolgirls to-day. Let us get all we can in the way of reasonable accomplishments and in education for earning a living, but do not let us he so misguided as to sacrifice the -whole future of the grl herself and the future of the race." TEACHING OF SENIOR GIRLS. Another important question has been submitted to Dr King by the executive of the women's branch of the Auckland D strict Educational Institute. The letter was intended to reach him before his lecture, but it did not, and so ho answered it yesterday. Dr King was asked to express his opinion as to "whether the senior girls in our primary schools should be taught by men or women," it being explained that "at the present time they are, in most schools, under the charge of male teachers."

"In many ways the question is one which the teaching profession should bo best nualified to answer," said Dr King, ''However, speaking generally, my own opinion as a physician is in favor of women as teachers in thjs connection. This implies no reflection on male teachers, rathor the reverse. The women teachers say that the chivalry of the man towards the girl makes him incline on the one hand to be overindulgent, and therefore not a strict disciplinarian, while on the other hand he is naturally in as close touch with the intimate feelings and needs of budding womanhood as a sympathetic and tactful woman would be. Obviously everything depends on the personality and fitness of the individual teacher, but there is another point which strengthens the conclusion that in general women should be chosen. Girls as a rule are much more earnest and conscientious in their school work than boys. To put the matter in the words of a very observant and competent male teacher, 'many girls would kill themselves in the carrying out of tasks set them by a man they admired, but the boy objects if you overload him.' I hay,e questioned many teachers on the point, and practically they all agree. GENTLENESS, NOT STIMULATION. "Further the men say—and this applies very' strongly to Auckland teachers—that the girl about and after puberty tends to become very weary, jaded and listless at school, especially in hob weather, and that often she cannot be got to respond adequately to a teacher of the same sex, but that her lethargy can be overcome by a man's greater' forcefulness. While cited as a point in. favor of male teachers for girls this to my mind is the strongest argument the other way. If a girl, naturally bright, active and industrious, becomes weary, jaded and lethargic at school she needs very gentle handling, and instead of being stimulated and pushed on, she should rather be given more rest and time for recuperation—indeed, she may need temporary withdrawal from school stress competitions and examinations." "In comparing the needs of schoolboys and schoolgirls, nothing is more significant than the fact that up to about 11 or 12 years of age the girl tends to be smarter and more alert, but after that time, say about tho period of tho fifth standard on the average, she tends to become relatively dull and listless. This is admitted on all hands, and it points to the need for different treatment—not 'the ponderous elephantine, imitation of what we give to boys,' as Chesterton puts it. We want to prepare the girl for womanhood, 'not to show that at a pinch she could be a boy.' UNNECESSARY HANDICAP. "At the recent London Congress, Dr Caroline Hedger and other broad-mind-ed women pleaded for due consideration for schoolgirls. As Dr Hedger said: 'lf we force the girl into the school we must, not injure tho material.' Even more significant than the results of over-pressure in the higher education of girls at Wellesley College was what Dr Hedger told us regarding her experience as a physician to an establishment, employing, some 4000 girls, who on going out into life from the ordinary schools were found to present 'a vast amount of inefficiency.' That girls should enter life thus unnecessarily iwndicapped was what the speakers 14 London deplored, and. it vtt pgi&V

Ed out that the main cause appeyj to be indigestion and constipation, ft to over-concentration on school id and the lack of proper exercise, j2 and recuperation. ' TWO ESSENTIAL NEEDS. ! 'I wish to express my hearty K prcc.ation of what is being done in y Auckland schools in all directions,",2 l)r King, "in conclusion. "I have hj« a.»ked for comment, and I have spoh Irecly, but what I have said is oijlJ eral and world-wide application-? meiely a local matter. It 1 were asju which are the two most tlcsinb accessories that could be installed t the benefit of the whole of the pg,: in the Auckland schools in piirticuk 1 should say without any doubt ever, the provision of swimming b a « and the use of fans tor ventilation think that all the local education authorit es would be at one w.t u „ in this matter, but of coimc it wojj tako «■ lot of money, and nioiiev : ha id to get." v *