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Show Eye-Strain and Crime A San Francisco school tcachor, who had suffered much from 03'0 troubles horsolf, at ono of lior visits to her oculist's offico described an incorrigible child in horschool who appeared to havo somo defect of sight. This bus-picion bus-picion had boon ropcatodly roportod to his parents, but as they wore poor as well as ignorant, nothing had been accomplished ac-complished bo far. She decided, therefore, there-fore, to make an independent effort in the boy's behalf and solicited tho assistance as-sistance of her oculist's aid. There woro doubts of any good accomplishments accomplish-ments boing possible, as tho boy Boomed both extraordinarily dull and superlatively superla-tively moan. His teaohcr said that at tho age of 11. years ho was tho worst uunu in uur (uponoace 01 muay yotiro in school work. He froquently played "hookoy, " associated with tho worst boys of all ages, smoked clgarottos, swore liko a trooper and lied, outrageously; outra-geously; besides, he soemod to tako a stupid pride In learning nothing and thwarting all her efforts. Tho only phveical defect noticed waB that he neld print unusually close to his oyos. Examination showod one oyo had two-sevenths two-sevenths and the othor ono-ftfth of normal nor-mal vision. Tho boy was dumblj' indlfforont in the beginning to tho oyo tost, but after much labor and aggravation, lenses were placed beforo his oyos, giving practically practi-cally porfect vision at once; then ho showed symptoms of boing almost human. hu-man. Tno glasses woro orderod and tho caso gladly dismissed. Moro than a yoar afterwards tho doctor aaw the teacher again and inquiries wero mndo with misgivings. Tho report wns jubilant ju-bilant and astounding. She said that after sho procurod tho glasses and had gainod consent for his wearing thorn, the child's transformation was rapid and comploto. Ho hadbocomo tho willing will-ing blavo of tho teacher, whero bofore ho seemed to resent her every interest in him; ho never missed a day in Bchool, where formerly pla3ing truant was chronic with him. Ho was tho head of his class now, whero previously ho was too dull to bo classed at all; ho had voluntarilv atouped his numerous bad hubits and had "bocoino the marvol of tho neighborhood nB well as tho Joy of his parontA, and so on. Tho explanation of this metamorphosis metamorpho-sis is simplo and natural. Tho child was more than three-fourths blind and no one had known it. Ho could not learn because ho could not sec, aud his eyes and head undoubtedly pained him when straining to bco. His incorrect incor-rect and absurd answers mado tho othor pupils laugh at and guy him, so he hated overything connected with the school, and In playing truant ho met tho worst possible associates and learned from them hin notablo array of vicious hubits. Whon ho put on his gkipsep he naw tho worl-1 for the llrst time clearly and in comfort. ITo therefore was nolo to loam and his ambition was arousod. llcnco ho loved schooling and tho opportunity to show his real .capability, .capa-bility, and by regular attendance at school lost tho bad companionship which was really responsible for his snow of criminal tendencies. After tho boy became be-came tho prido of Iho Bchool, his parents took an interest in him, whero beforo they ignored so unlovablo a child. A boy who at tho ago of 11 was the worst child in the school and nmgh orliood and was absolutely callous to, J ' S itiaslou, would probably havo de c opcu into a criminal. It is no exaggeration, thorofoS to say that the developmo" of a dangerous breaker of law ami or dor of an oxtromo typo was prevented by a pair of glasses. |