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THE HOURS OF SLEEP AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
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by personal visitation of homes, by provision of creches, or managed in the spare time of a hard-worked teacher." by offering premiums to babies on the first anniversaries of We need not labour these points, but as members of their birthdays. By this means it is hoped to find out the that profession which apparently acts the part of the best methods and then to extend them to other places where Erinyes to Mr. Page’s Orestes we wish to impress upon In the same way the league intends him that a boy who does not get enough sleep will never be no such methods exist. to obtain cooperation between the various societies and able to profit by instruction upon the mysteries of the individuals who are interested in the medical inspection of children in schools, the best forms of physical exercise, the
enclitic 7c
upon more important matters. Mr. has think, Cholmeley, put his finger upon the weak spot hours of sleep, the provision of playgrounds, the establish- in modern school polity, for in many ways it would be ment of boys’ brigades, of holiday schools, of schools for very desirable that the duties of house master and teacher cookery, feeding of children, and everything that tends to should be separate. In former days this was the custom and help the children or to train the youth. In the pursuit of relics of it remained up to some 30 years ago at Eton where all these objects, as well as in teaching parents, improving there were at least two dames"" who did no teaching whataccommodation, and increasing sobriety, the league hopes ever but simply acted as housekeepers. The organisation of to have the aid of all sorts and conditions of men, a house containing some 30 boys is no slight task and it is But its chief dependence will be too much to ask that one man should be responsible for women, and children. upon medical men, teachers, clergymen, benevolent corpora- feeding, hygiene, and other matters of domestic polity and tions and individuals, and last, but not least, on the personal at the same time teach both in school and out of school, and aid of women who will devote their time and energies to the look over copies of verse and prose, and direct his pupils in help of feeble mothers and perishing infants. We feel sure their studies. But that no boy should have less than nine, that such an enterprise will not lack that support from hours of undisturbed sleep out of the 24 should be laid medical men throughout the country which it well deserves. down as a canon. Any information which they may desire regarding it may be obtained on application to the Secretary, 49-50, Denison THE CONGRESS OF CAPITALS. House, Vauxhall Bridge-road, London. THE somewhat adventurous proposal made by Sir Edwin Cornwall will, of course, meet with the verbal approval which THE HOURS OF SLEEP AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. generally greets suggestions that are right in principle. IT will be remembered that in THE LANCET of July 15th, Nobody can deny that if representatives of the capitals of 1905, we published a paper by Dr. T. D. Acland containing the civilised world could meet periodically and compare notes the results of an inquiry into the Hours of Sleep at Public in regard to the technical work on which they are engaged Schools and in a leading article in the same issue we mutual instruction of a useful character would be imparted. expressed our opinion that at present we err on the side of a The greater portion of these technicalities would relate to deficient allowance of sleep. In the Times of Dec. 20th a matters that affect public health, either directly or indirectly. letter appeared signed by 15 medical men every one of whom Therefore we have every reason to support the proposed Concould speak with authority upon the same subject. This gress of Capitals and to wish it every success. It is just beletter has produced some singularly interesting correspond- cause we do desire that the project should be realised that we ence in reply from both parents and schoolmasters. One of must not ignore the difficulties which have to be overcome. these, signed T. E. Page, is so amazing in its argument that The complexity of the political situations in the various it deserves special comment. Mr. Page is a master at countries undoubtedly constitutes a great obstacle. It is Charterhouse and is a brilliant scholar but his views upon true that even the London County Council is political, the the duties of an informator puerorumz are remarkable. He Progressives being generally taken to be Liberals and the says : " The one patent fact in public school training at the Moderates to be Conservatives ; but that is a mere trifle present time is that too much attention is paid to the body when compared to the party divisions on the continent. and too little to the mind." He goes on to say that school- Then there are municipal councils that are elected by the masters can be justly accused of rearing mental dwarfs, and citizens which they govern and others that are not elected for this, "next to our own incapacity, medical men are but are imposed upon the people by more or less autocratic chiefly to blame." Further, men who ought chiefly to be Governments. All these disparate and antagonistic elements teachers are so fretted and harassed about questions of will require very diplomatic and skilful handling if anything physical well-being that they are driven to neglect their like harmony is to prevail. On the other hand, if such proper work." He agrees with the signatories of the letter obstacles can be overcome this will redound greatly to the from medical men to which we have referred above that honour of the object or cause capable of effecting union want of sleep is a definite factor in the causation of where there prevail so many opposing interests. Indeed, intellectual inefficiency but he also considers that there one of the good results of the visit of the Paris muniare other factors a hundred-fold more important. To cipal councillors to London a short time ago was that advise headmasters to see that boys have more sleep the harmony between Paris and London overcame for the " is after all but a quack remedy. Headmasters and time being the causes of quarrels prevailing in Paris and all masters already give theirserious attention’ far in London. Such appeasement, even if only momentary, too largely to such poor subjects." The opinions here must facilitate the work of administration. For instance, a receive deserved expressed snubbing in a letter in a project is brought forward, say a scheme for drainage, the 2’imes of Dec. 27th from another public schoolmaster, and we may mention as a case in point the sewers This scheme was promoted a few years Mr. R. F. Cholmeley of St. Paul’s School. This writer of Marseilles. points out that the question of how much sleep boys should ago by the Right and Centre of the Marseilles munihave is surely not one to which a house master can be cipal council. Thereupon the Extreme Left from political indifferent and that the question of how to secure it to them motives made a point of opposing the scheme. But none of is not outside his practice. If questions of physical well- these councillors had any personal experience in drainage ; being harass him so that he cannot teach, is it so certain they had never lived in towns that are drained. If, howthat he ought chiefly to be a teacher"" Mr. Cholmeley ever, they had all visited London, which is drained in a concludes by saying that he hopes that one day the manner somewhat similar to that which was proposed discovery may be made " that the proper work of a for Marseilles, surely, in face of the fait accompli, the house master may be a good deal more than can be, Marseilles municipal councillors would have found it much or
even
we
___
,
by personal visitation of homes, by provision of creches, or managed in the spare time of a hard-worked teacher." by offering premiums to babies on the first anniversaries of We need not labour these points, but as members of their birthdays. By this means it is hoped to find out the that profession which apparently acts the part of the best methods and then to extend them to other places where Erinyes to Mr. Page’s Orestes we wish to impress upon In the same way the league intends him that a boy who does not get enough sleep will never be no such methods exist. to obtain cooperation between the various societies and able to profit by instruction upon the mysteries of the individuals who are interested in the medical inspection of children in schools, the best forms of physical exercise, the
enclitic 7c
upon more important matters. Mr. has think, Cholmeley, put his finger upon the weak spot hours of sleep, the provision of playgrounds, the establish- in modern school polity, for in many ways it would be ment of boys’ brigades, of holiday schools, of schools for very desirable that the duties of house master and teacher cookery, feeding of children, and everything that tends to should be separate. In former days this was the custom and help the children or to train the youth. In the pursuit of relics of it remained up to some 30 years ago at Eton where all these objects, as well as in teaching parents, improving there were at least two dames"" who did no teaching whataccommodation, and increasing sobriety, the league hopes ever but simply acted as housekeepers. The organisation of to have the aid of all sorts and conditions of men, a house containing some 30 boys is no slight task and it is But its chief dependence will be too much to ask that one man should be responsible for women, and children. upon medical men, teachers, clergymen, benevolent corpora- feeding, hygiene, and other matters of domestic polity and tions and individuals, and last, but not least, on the personal at the same time teach both in school and out of school, and aid of women who will devote their time and energies to the look over copies of verse and prose, and direct his pupils in help of feeble mothers and perishing infants. We feel sure their studies. But that no boy should have less than nine, that such an enterprise will not lack that support from hours of undisturbed sleep out of the 24 should be laid medical men throughout the country which it well deserves. down as a canon. Any information which they may desire regarding it may be obtained on application to the Secretary, 49-50, Denison THE CONGRESS OF CAPITALS. House, Vauxhall Bridge-road, London. THE somewhat adventurous proposal made by Sir Edwin Cornwall will, of course, meet with the verbal approval which THE HOURS OF SLEEP AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. generally greets suggestions that are right in principle. IT will be remembered that in THE LANCET of July 15th, Nobody can deny that if representatives of the capitals of 1905, we published a paper by Dr. T. D. Acland containing the civilised world could meet periodically and compare notes the results of an inquiry into the Hours of Sleep at Public in regard to the technical work on which they are engaged Schools and in a leading article in the same issue we mutual instruction of a useful character would be imparted. expressed our opinion that at present we err on the side of a The greater portion of these technicalities would relate to deficient allowance of sleep. In the Times of Dec. 20th a matters that affect public health, either directly or indirectly. letter appeared signed by 15 medical men every one of whom Therefore we have every reason to support the proposed Concould speak with authority upon the same subject. This gress of Capitals and to wish it every success. It is just beletter has produced some singularly interesting correspond- cause we do desire that the project should be realised that we ence in reply from both parents and schoolmasters. One of must not ignore the difficulties which have to be overcome. these, signed T. E. Page, is so amazing in its argument that The complexity of the political situations in the various it deserves special comment. Mr. Page is a master at countries undoubtedly constitutes a great obstacle. It is Charterhouse and is a brilliant scholar but his views upon true that even the London County Council is political, the the duties of an informator puerorumz are remarkable. He Progressives being generally taken to be Liberals and the says : " The one patent fact in public school training at the Moderates to be Conservatives ; but that is a mere trifle present time is that too much attention is paid to the body when compared to the party divisions on the continent. and too little to the mind." He goes on to say that school- Then there are municipal councils that are elected by the masters can be justly accused of rearing mental dwarfs, and citizens which they govern and others that are not elected for this, "next to our own incapacity, medical men are but are imposed upon the people by more or less autocratic chiefly to blame." Further, men who ought chiefly to be Governments. All these disparate and antagonistic elements teachers are so fretted and harassed about questions of will require very diplomatic and skilful handling if anything physical well-being that they are driven to neglect their like harmony is to prevail. On the other hand, if such proper work." He agrees with the signatories of the letter obstacles can be overcome this will redound greatly to the from medical men to which we have referred above that honour of the object or cause capable of effecting union want of sleep is a definite factor in the causation of where there prevail so many opposing interests. Indeed, intellectual inefficiency but he also considers that there one of the good results of the visit of the Paris muniare other factors a hundred-fold more important. To cipal councillors to London a short time ago was that advise headmasters to see that boys have more sleep the harmony between Paris and London overcame for the " is after all but a quack remedy. Headmasters and time being the causes of quarrels prevailing in Paris and all masters already give theirserious attention’ far in London. Such appeasement, even if only momentary, too largely to such poor subjects." The opinions here must facilitate the work of administration. For instance, a receive deserved expressed snubbing in a letter in a project is brought forward, say a scheme for drainage, the 2’imes of Dec. 27th from another public schoolmaster, and we may mention as a case in point the sewers This scheme was promoted a few years Mr. R. F. Cholmeley of St. Paul’s School. This writer of Marseilles. points out that the question of how much sleep boys should ago by the Right and Centre of the Marseilles munihave is surely not one to which a house master can be cipal council. Thereupon the Extreme Left from political indifferent and that the question of how to secure it to them motives made a point of opposing the scheme. But none of is not outside his practice. If questions of physical well- these councillors had any personal experience in drainage ; being harass him so that he cannot teach, is it so certain they had never lived in towns that are drained. If, howthat he ought chiefly to be a teacher"" Mr. Cholmeley ever, they had all visited London, which is drained in a concludes by saying that he hopes that one day the manner somewhat similar to that which was proposed discovery may be made " that the proper work of a for Marseilles, surely, in face of the fait accompli, the house master may be a good deal more than can be, Marseilles municipal councillors would have found it much or
even
we
___
,