At a regular meeting of the Middlesex East District Medical Society, in July, 1865, the subject of the influence of our Public Schools on the health of the children attending them being under discussion, a committee was appointed to report in full on the subject, which was done in September; and after much discussion the same committee was directed to prepare, in as concise form as possible, some practical advice for avoiding certain dangers now threatening the health of the children in our schools. This second report was submitted to the Society in November last, and discussed as before, when the same committee was directed to publish the suggestions with such additions in the way of explanation as might seem advisable. This they now do in the following maxims, which may be considered to embody the deliberate opinion of the members of the Society.

MAXIMS.

1st. No child should be allowed to attend school before the beginning of its 6th year.

Because the whole of the first five years of life are needed to give the physical nature a fair start, which would be prevented by the confinement and restraint of the school-room: because up to that time every child has enough to do in learning to use its limbs and senses, to talk, to obey: because extended experience has proved that children who have never been to school before they are five years old, make more rapid progress than those who begin their school life earlier.

2d. The duration of daily attendance (INCLUDING time given to recess and physical exercise) should not exceed 4 hours for the Primary Schools; 6 hours for the other Schools.

Because the liability to injury of both mind and body from sedentary application is in proportion to the youth of the student, and because as much can be accomplished in this time as in a longer attendance, which is only a weariness to both flesh and spirit.

3d. There should be NO study required out of school, — unless at High Schools; and this SHOULD NOT EXCEED ONE HOur.

Seven hours of study being as much as most adult scholars can bear, it is folly to suppose that immature minds in growing bodies

can endure more..

4th. Recess time should be devoted to play OUTSIDE THE SCHOOLROOM - unless during very stormy weather—and as this time rightly belongs to the pupils, they should not be deprived of it except for some serious offence; and those who are not deprived of it should not be ALLOWED to spend it in study; and no child should EVER be confined to the school-room during an entire session. The MINIMUM of recess-time should be 15 MINUTES IN EACH SESSION, and in Primary Schools there should be more than one recess in each session.

Recess is a most important relief to the weariness of muscle and of mind, which every child (and most teachers) feel after being in school for 1 1-2 or 2 hours. Without it there comes on a mental listnessness and a physical restlessness, which defeat the very purposes of school. The need of such relief occurs at more frequent intervals in proportion to the youth of the child; consequently there should be more recesses in primary than in other schools.

5th. Physical exercise should be used in school to prevent nervous and muscular fatigue and to relieve monotony, but NOT as 'MUSCULAR TRAINING. It should be practised by both teachers and children for at least five minutes in every hour not broken by recess, and should be "timed" by music. In Primary schools every half hour should be broken by exercise, recess, or singing.

This maxim rests on the same general ground as No. 4. Such exercises are highly prized in all schools where they have been fairly tried, and they tend to produce a unity of action and feeling, a homogeneity in the school which is very valuable.

6th. Ventilation should be amply provided for by OTHER MEANS THAN OPEN WINDOWS, though these should be used in addition to the special means during recess and exercise time.

Because to open windows during cold weather is to admit streams of cold air upon children, when they are most liable to "catch cold," as physicians have frequent occasion to observe. When the body is aglow with exercise, it can endure and enjoy a temperature and even a current of air, which would chill it when at rest; therefore, fresh air may be introduced with safety through the windows during recess and exercise time, except in very severe weather.

Of all methods of heating, a close stove is the most objectionable, because it introduces no fresh air, and whenever one is used in a school-room, it should be wholly or partially walled in with metal screens, inside which a "cold air box" should open, as in all furnaces.

7th. Lessons should be scrupulously apportioned to the average capacity of the pupils; and in Primary schools the SLATE should be used MORE, and books less, and instruction should be given as much as possible on the principles of " Object Teaching."

If the first part of this maxim be not observed, the majority of the scholars (for whose benefit the school is sustained), will be overtasked.

The advantages of using the slate as advised, are very great; the hand and the eye are trained, writing is earlier and more pleasantly learned, little children are agreeably and profitably occupied, when they would otherwise be idle, unhappy and trouble

some.

Of "Object Teaching" we have only space to say that the principle which underlies it is, that the teacher should avail himself of the natural preponderance of the powers of perception and observation in childhood, should go from the known to the unknown, from the concrete to the abstract, and should neglect no opportunity to illustrate each lesson from familiar sources.

(Signed)

F. WINSOR,

J. D. MANSFIELD,

Special Committee Middlesex East Dist. Med. Soc.

INTELLECTUAL GYMNASTICS.

The storm of opposition which attended the early introduction of Object Teaching, has nearly subsided. Leaders in the educational ranks have set their seal upon it, and the question among earnest teachers is not now, "Shall Object Lessons be given?" but "How shall we learn to give them?"

At this point, a few suggestions may be of value to those who are unable to avail themselves of the advantages now offered in so many of our Normal Schools.

As a first requisite, a teacher must know and feel the utility of such instruction, and that, too, for her own school.

Then hand in hand with this perception must go the power of best promoting this utility.

To make these suggestions practical, I will illustrate them by a lesson actually given to a class of children of about eight years of age, upon a piece of Bread.

The object of the lesson is twofold. The first or primary aim is not to give instruction about bread.

This instruction may be of importance, but it bears only that relation to the real aim, which any physical exercise does to the power acquired by it. The aim of the lesson-giver is to develop mind, as that of the gymnast is to develop muscle.

With this high purpose the teacher selects her subject, something simple, familiar, useful,— and the question which first arises. is, How may this lesson be made to strengthen the mental power of the class. The child must observe, recall, arrange and reason upon all that comes within the sphere of his knowledge of Bread.

1st. The Introduction. The design of which is to interest the children in the subject, and make them feel that learning all they can, from time to time, about these simple things will help them, by and by, when grown up, to grapple with those more difficult. This connecting the lessons as occasion may permit, with something future, will disabuse the children of any feeling they may have that these exercises are simply amusements.

2ND. THE LESSON ITSELF. The simplest exercise is that of

perception. The teacher arranges in her own mind what may be learned by the senses. It is white, soft, spongy, porous, pleasant to the taste. Simple experiments show it to be crumbling and absorbent, and her previous knowledge enables her to add a vegetable substance-manufactured, wholesome and nutritious.

By the same three mental processes which guided the teacher, the children may, under her direction, acquire the same knowledge. The first "white, soft," etc., will be readily given by the children, and may be passed over rapidly, as previous and simpler lessons may have involved many of the same ideas.

2. The bread is then put into a saucer containing a little water, the children telling what is done, after a moment the bread is taken up. "Where is the water?" "The bread has soaked it up." The teacher says, "Yes, soaked up; or, a better word is, absorbed, and because the bread will soak up or absorb the water, we will say it is absorbent." The children pronounce and spell the word, and mention other things, as sponge, cake, &c., which will soak up water, telling in each case what they say of them and why. Crumbs have by this time collected, and the attention of the children is directed to them, and the name given. A child is directed to make more with a fresh piece of bread, and is asked what he is doing? "Crumbling the bread." The sentence, "the bread is crumbling," is given, or, if the children be advanced, the word friable may be used. In reply to the question where we get the bread, the children say it is made by the baker or cook. Speak of apples which grow ready for eating, potatoes which must be cooked, and candy which must be made. The children tell to which of these classes bread belongs. Refer to the process of making the flour wet, mixed with yeast, kneaded and baked.

Give the term "manufactured" with the definition, "made by hand or machinery." The children speak of other things which are manufactured, to make the term familiar. For vegetable substance, refer children to wheat and where we get it; and the children distinguish between a vegetable and something made from it. The sentence embracing these qualities is then formed by the children. The bread is a vegetable substance, crumbling, absorbent and manufactured."