Physical Danger of Cramming.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 889, 15 March 1889, Page 4

Physical Danger of Cramming.

Headaches in children need the greatest oare of any, and are too often negleoted, to the parents’ sorrow. There is now a premium put on intellect, and this readily accounts for the way in which teaohers force the poor into their Sixth Standard and the rioh into their Sixth Form, regardless of any possible risks. Stimulated in one case by large grants of money, and in the other by a desire to keep up long-established prestige, teaohers urge on their pupils to cram in yet more and more. These in their turn, if of quick, nervous temperament, catch the excitement, and Blave with hot and burning heads till (overpowering sleep mercifully intervenes. The infection is too often caught by the infatuated parents, determined their offspring shall outshine all others, and that the tree of knowledge in their family, at any rate, shall blossom and fruit before it should have budded. In learning to sing no good teacher will allow the voice to bo fully exercised till after eighteen, giving the - tender 1 yourig' v'pca,s chords time to- consolidate.' Is 'tfie brain Substance', theri, of a coqragp nature, and of a less "important character than tbe windups, quj we to allow our ohildren to strain their yourig brain to cracking point)' with assiriine ignorance, while we pride our. selves on carefully avoiding strain elsewhere. —A. T. Schofield. ' '• " 1 ; 1