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Show SCIIOOL-Htn K;,. A great many parents and some school-teachers seem to have a species of infatuation for keeping children long hours in school, and are not satisfied unless the little folk ore closed L'p over their books at least about six hours a day. Wi:':out entering into lengthy reasoning on the subject, the opinion of those who 1 o giveu most study and care to it m; je briefly stated, by saying thatchiki.cn will learn more in three hours a day thau in six; and that from three to four hours is as long a as the young mind shouk. held to study. The mind like the bou.v can bear a certain amount of labor without injury, and no more. When the body becomes wearied it must have rest, or suffer. When the mind becomes be-comes fatigued il, too, must have rest; and while young men and women can bear more hours stu ly than children, the latter cannot be held iu close mental men-tal application for five or six hours without suffering. The little ones will become irritable; the nervous system is acted upon; and while the mind may be forced to precocious activity the body suffers, and is often seriously impaired im-paired as a consequence. We remember remem-ber heariug a sound physiologist and a practical philosopher once say, that the great work of boys and girls was to srow; I hat the mind, while it required re-quired wise direction aud proper training, train-ing, should not be forced at the expense of the physical system; a conclusion with which every wise person w ill agree. A little study, an average amount of play, sufficient sle?p and healthy food are absolutely necessary for children, that they may grow to become active, health-, well-developed meu and women wo-men mentally and physically. We direct di-rect the attention of parents and school-taachers school-taachers to this matter, and beg of them, in ulerey to the children, and as future superiority is looked for from them, to shorten the hours of study in primary schools where children are held from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m., with an hoar's intermission, making six hour's study where at the outside four should suffice. |