TEACHING PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 21, 8 January 1912, Page 3

TEACHING PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE.

IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

In the course of his address at Tiruaru as retiring president of tlic New Zealand Educational Institute, Mr. 0. I). Elaimuik (head master oi tJio North-ltaat Valley School) made the following tlioughlfui observations :

It is universally admitted that the greatest oft all blessings is good uealtii,. Without it man has no true enjoyment in this .life, nor is ho capable of bringing enjoyment into the lives of others, out-a man in perfect health possesses what money cannot buy. '1 nose arc facts that are slowly but surely being lost sight of. In highly-civii’scd countries to-day the requirements of mankind are of such a varied, complex, and costly nature that the great majority of people are directing all their energies to secure those positions which will prove the most lucrative for the least'possible outlay of physical exertion. Intellect and genius arc to-day the commanding factors of what wo term “success ;iu life.” The race is to tiie mentally strong, but wc should ever remember that if we are to achieve any success in the truest sense of the word, our physical strength must be such that we are able not only to reach the winding post, but to reach it in perfect condition rather than in a state of physical exhaustion. As the healtn of childhood determines to a great extent the state of health in later years, let us first consider if the school children of this Dominion have reached the highest attainable point of

Physical Perfection. The superficial observations of people who have seen our scholars at play, or giving exhibitions of physical culture on show occasions, and who are in many instances both incapable and biased judges, have led them to assert that the physical fitness of our children leaves nothing to he desired. Others, no better fitted as judges, who have had opportunities of making comparisons between our children and those of other lands, say that our. children in nowise sulfur from such comparisons. In the face of the urgent demands that are constantly being made for the medical and dental, inspection of our school children, and of the opinions of those who are qualified to judge, it matters not how our school children compare with those of other lands, for if such comparisons are worth anything they serve only to show in greater relief the pitiable

state of affairs that must exist in those lands. My firm belief is that a thorough medical inspection would convince any unprejudiced person that the health of our school children is neither what it should be nor what it is capable of being. How many of us who are parents can honestly take comfort in the thought that all the members of our families are physically as strong as we would have them be ? Many of us who have seen our scholars both at work and at play, between the ages of five and fifteen years, must often have been moved to pity by the sight of the pale faces and frail bodies of scores of children, who, for their own sakes, and for the sake of those who may some day bo dependent upon them, should bo roaming the hills in the fresh air in search of health, instead of exhausting their small supplies of strength in endeavouring to concentrate their minds on matters far beyond their grasp. .When on account of physical weakness, aggravated by the vitiated atmosphere in which children often, have to work, such concentration is the result of compulsion and not of interest, a breakdown in health is inevitable. The necessity for systematic physical culture lias formed the subject matter of presidential addresses on former occasions, and 1 have no intention of covering that ground again. My reason for once more drawing attention to the physical disabilities under which many children labour is because I am convinced that hi the majority of cases these disabilities arc not inherited, hut arc the natural consequence of injudicious treatment during the years of life preceding the age -at which children are admitted to our primary schools. Teachers are doing all in their power to remedy things as they find them; hut if qo forwaid movement with regard to the health of school children is inaugurated and carried into elfect, the same difficulties will have to he faced through succeeding generations. What really lies at the root of the whole matter has never, yet been seriously considered. We are all aware that a very large percentage of infants fail to reach the age of one year. During 1909 the total number of births in the Dominion was 26,-521. Though it nas been stated by eminent medical men that the mortality among our infants is the lowest recorded in any country in the world, yet in New Zealand the deaths under one year are 68 per 1000 births. Thus in New Zealand no fewer than 1800 children die annually before reaching the age of one year. Of these 10 per cent., or 180, are born with some inherent physical or mental weakness. The remedy for tlr's it is not ny intention to discuss, hut that the number is sufficiently large to Demand Public Attention

;S evidenced by the steady growth of the eugenic movement—a movement which, by the way, deserves the support; of every right-thinking teacher, i'he,'; aspect of the case with which we are. at present most concerned is. that ; dp r cnnt. of the deaths .un'deij the age of one year are those' of children . physicaly healthy at birth. Think of it! in a single decade this Domin.6n‘,rw'ith only 1,000,600./ inhabitants,, ah,d; as" -I saidi before, with the' lowest recorded inf ant mortality in the world, -loses 16,000 healthy''''children underv;the\ 'age of one, ,y?ar alone, a aumbeij greater than the entire’ population of Tima'ru and its surroundings, \ t,he popular cry is ■'< •“FPp'ufa.iou, nidi'd'population.” We spihid annually 1 large sums of money in advertising the country so that immigrants nay be attracted to our shores, but it tlic same time we take insufficient means tty prevent the loss occasioned )y the jfleath of thousands of Trealthy children withi.il our own borders. The immigration of the unfit we dread. The jirth of the unfit, the degeneracy of our native-born population, and the darming ilogW £fjf healthy, infant l.fej we seen! to -regard sl simply as a matter; f iwljtjqh calls for no interfere oti6e dn oul 1 part. Children may bej oorn physically weak, but with no in-! accent disease, and it is in such cases; -hat' fhe 'skill, and common sense of lie mother is turned to.account iu-the: areful nurture cf the weakling. The services of some of the world’s most famous men, weaklings from birth,! would have 1 been lost to us but for the -arc of devoted parents. There is, then, a twofold aspect of the matter—>. -he keeping in health of those naturally physically- strong, and the judicious nurture of the physically weak in order that they may be strengthened. Neither of these desirable ends can be achieved unless parents have i knowledge of how to deal with such cases, ami how are they to know if they are not taught? We may continue to clamour for the medical inspection of school children : and such ‘clamour will doubtless be productive if much good,, inasmuch' as it will rouse an apathetic public to a due sense of its responsibilities, and tend to rectify the evils already existing, tut I have not the slightest hesitation in saying that if medical and Icntal inspcct’on of school children from generation to generation is to be ■he only means taken for the improvement of health, then we are blundering along on false lines. What we do want is the

Widespread Dissemination of Knowledge :.mong the parents of tlic future, which will strike at the very root of tie trouble and render medical inspection less necessary. And I am upheld in my contention by the fact that in recent years there has , been a substantial decrease in the infant mortality in and around the main cen:res of population, owing to the in-n-eased knowledge resulting from the, ictivo measures taken by societies which have for their object the prbection and preservation of infant life. At present there is widespread ignorince among parents concerning the -are of infants, and it is surprising that, the rate of infants mortality is lot higher. This, then, is my reason or advocating a course of instruction n the .elementary laws of physiology, lygicne, and dieting. Such instruction must begin in our primary schools, instruction in our high schools, techlical schools, and universities is good; nit it will not meet the case, for he great majority of our children, and '.specially those among whom in later /oars the birth rate is highest, never ice the inside of such buildings. The iifficulty lies in formulating a scheme hat will lie sufficiently comprehensive to moot the,end wo have in view withnit adding to the burdens of an al■eady overweighted syllabus. It is aot intended, however, that another abject shall be introduced into the ■yllabus; but even if such a course were necessary, many of the present ‘frills” of our education system might well be displaced by those studies which will tend to develop what is paramount in the welfare of every -■ation—a vigorous manhood. To boin with, the present “go-as-you-,lease” method of health instruction mist give place to a Well-dslined ■nurse, and the time allotted to such instruction must give place on the imc-tablo of every school. I know hat in many cases health instruction arm a very prominent feature in the ork of the school; but I also know, rom the admissions of teachers themselves, that in many other schools the

•natter receives but scant’ consideration. A suitable book of instruction, carefully designed and illustrated to meet the requirements of the various classes, should he one of the free books distributed to the children. Such a book would be of great advantage, especially to teachers in country schools, where classes must necessarily l)G grouped for instruction. Many lessons admirably adapted to the requirements of the various classes have already appeared in the “School Journal,” but they are worthy of being preserved in a more permanent form than is possible under present conditions. But the mere reading of a text book is insufficient. The subject matter must receive the same careful consideration as is now devoted to the lessons of the literary reader, and whenever possible simple experiments should be performed and the lessons applied. Inspectors should lio instructed to report upon' the suitability of the course and the efficiency of the teaching, and no child should be deemed worthy of A Certificate of Proficiency.

unless lie could show a fair knowledge if the laws which regulate the health of the body. As a basis for discussion I now put forward the lines along which such instruction should proceed. The detailed series of lessons are purposely omitted, for if this institute sees fit to affirm the question of the necessity for such instruction 1 am in hopes that a committee will he set up to bring forward a detailed scheme for the consideration of the next annual meeting of this institute. Standard 1., 11., 111. : Elementary lessons on the care of the teeth, the cleanliness of the skin, the'importance •n fresh air, the value of exercise, intelligible to children of these classes. 'This need make no extra demand whatever upon the teacher’s time; •<]. iu addition to the tirae'already supposed to be given to the 'study of health, the instruction- might veil form part of the scheme of nature study. Standard IV. : In this standdard there should ‘be 'a definite course in elementary physiology and hygiene. Now, regarding the teaching ot physiology to children I wish to be ch al - ly understood. ' Lessrins on such a.otters as the names, structure, positions, and articulation, of the bones of the skeleton should form no part cf the instruction of this class. Only so much physiology should be taught as is absolutely,, necessary for an intelligent understanding of the laws which regulate the health of the body. For example, lessons oh the structure and care of the teeth the importance of mastication, and the nature of the salivary juices must go along with lessons on the function of the stomach and intsetines. Lessons on the chemical composition of the air, blood corpuscles, the systemic circulation, and the function and. .structure of the lungs will render intelligible the bygienic importance of fresh air, of sunlight, of deep breathing,;-and: of exorcise. A knowledge of the evils of intemperance, of the importance of cleanliness, and of..the necessity of pure drinking water involves in addition an elementary’ knowledge of the functions of the skin and kidneys. 'Lessons 1 should also. jVo. given ,concerning'the delicate structure of the heart, 'eye, 'add oar, and'Attention drawn'to tine evil habits which I ‘affect these structures. n Tins should' form* the science course' for 1 Standard IV ~ and could easily be,'overtaken iVi' leSsoris of one ffibiir per week throughout the school year. Standards V. and VI.: A two years’ course should bo drawn up for both hoys and girls. First aid to the injured should form. an essential hart of the military training for boys. LV view ’‘bf the fact that military training for youths is now extended over a "period of 14 years, some time might well he spared to make them )s efficient,,in the .preservation .as in the destruefipn .of: huriian. life. Affw; is the proper, time for, .instruction in flip positions ’ arid articulation of tlffi hones, arid the courses of the main; arteries' and veins. A)l. the extra -psy--Viology required in these classes could easily he covered in one year during the time now supposed to be given to health study. gii’ls .of V. and VI, should .have a 'two years’ .course m cookery and domestic ; science, r fhis: should include instruction in plain cookery, the relative values of foods, the care of the sick, ; .and commonsense methods of clothing. Instruction similar to that given to the boys arid girls of Standards V. amb VI. should be continued in the technical and high schools. Ido not for one moment pretend that a scheme of work such as that suggested will cure ■ill the ills that flesh is supposed to lie heir to. Ido believe, however, that in the future we should recognise more clearly than we have recognised in the past that “prevention is better than cure.” Why is it that physiology is a compulsory subject for teachers’ certificates, while hygiene, which has for its object the prevention rather than the.•pie oj 'bsoase, and without a knowledge of which physiology, in so far as school children are concerned, is robbed of its practical importance, still retains its place upon the ' ‘optional,”' list ,of _ subjects ? Would it not be more sensible if the requirements in, physiology were, considerably curtailed, and a knowledge of hygiene and first, aid made compulsory for all teac.'hers’ certificates? In my scheme that makes for the culture of a better race, it is Important that the Education ‘Department should take the load. It is idle to talk .to children about the importance of fresh air unless the teacher is in a position to point to his class room, as a-ipodnl of how a room should ho ventilated ; It is almost impossible to make children adopt correct attitudes of body unless suitable desks are provided which can readily he accommodated to the requirements ofi the individual child; and it is next to impossible in the cramped playgrounds attached to so many of our schools to derive full advantage from spontaneous and organised games.