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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1905)
"4 : S 1 i f WCAPmAN'IMW Wj 7 J X f THur jwvurffD Q iiji " v ;t--:::-r 'iW'i ' -' ' - inu your children overworked at achool? If bo, says the United States M," ."' ' '-.'vf ' J JT 51 J , -" I iirii YTVrnVfJlff' I Vm I bureau of education, it should be stopped t wice. They are liable, if such I .,, ' i ' 1 rfl . I IF I iCT., I u I mischief is continued, to suffer permanent Injury to mind unci body. I ; ' - . ' .,1 I f , i r r JPDMJT'T1) x I V TO. I ..uii t ... .-i,- h..i,. ),.., .i i ,k I v . v - n.,, ....a.. , j. I l4Tm tll Are they taught to memorize things In poll porrot fiioliion? If so, It I . -. " - i' .if "" I 1 , r" 4TXDYfG I .- ;,i WHS J & J w, 1 zytnmini TT 717 8 lis r'. it v 2B0 - t T-riinfcnuiuMWM i insmu.-iniL.i j.jJ v." A Ik ir "'ft' i ami ' J RK your children overworked at achool? If bo, says the t'nlted Stnts . I bureau of education. It should be stopped at onee. They are liable. If such aJA I mischief is continued, to suffer permanent Injury to mind and body. JL IX I Are your children obliged to take their books home and study In the cvf.nincr? If A.1 it shnnlH rii I.e. nllnwed TrV'til Are they taught to memorize things In poll parrot fashion? If so, It 8pr-& i. a ml-lake. Do they show symptoms of fatlffue niter learnlnn their lessons.' ir 90, they should be carefully wntehed, because such slRns are a danger signal. Recently the Important discovery" has ben made that fatigue is n physical poison. More exactly speaking. It engenders In the body a chemical product which acts as a poison. Thla poison has licen made the subject of a special Investigation by the Russian chemist Wedensky ami by others. Overstrain at achool, says the bureau of education, by producing fatigue, may cause serious and permanent mental defect. As for study In the evenings, It is obviously an overdraft upon the child's energies, and should not be necessary. A properly taught pupil should be able to accomplish ajll reipilsit work during the hours spent at school. During childhood, when mind and iKidy are undergoing development, overstrain of the nervous system, particularly of the brain, should be avoided as much as possible, the vitality being allowed to apply Itself as far as practicable to the building and strengthen ing of the organs upon which the future health and we If axe of the Individual must depend. The development of the young human being should be most carefully watched. For man, as compared with the lower animals, there is an extraordinary prolongation of In fancy, attributable to the fact that time Is required for the growth of the mluni and soul. The orphaned or outcast child becomes precociously world wise so much so that school can scarcely reclaim the gajnln of the streets of New York. He has become cunning and self-helpful far beyond his years, but his soul Is permanently stunted. s Boys Under 12 Become Tired Quicker than Girls. It has been ascertained by observation that, oddly enough, boys under 12 become tired at school more easily than girls. The mind tires more quickly when the body is tired. A child becomes fatigued more easily at one season than at another. Further more, a pupil who has grown up quickly tires easily. Children are quickest and most vigorous mentally between 8 a. m. and 10:16 a. m. The next best Interval is between 3 and 4 p. m while the worst is between 11 a. m. and noon. Hence it follows that the heaviest school work ought to be assigned to the early morning hour and to the later afternoon. Experiments have shown that children, generally speaking, cannot work continuously at a study task for more than thirty minutes without fatigue. The signs they show are easy to recognize, the commonest being odd and constrained attitudes, twitching of the hands, wandering of the eyes, grimacing, grinding of the teeth, inattention, and slow and uncertain responses to questions. When speaking they have a tendency to stumble over their words. Every observant teacher has noticed the tendency of children to grow restless and irritable, with inability to think clearly and consecutively, unless they are permitted to enjoy physical relaxation at frequent intervals. Ten minutes' exercise in the open air throws fresh and pure blood into the brain centers and fatigue departs, Interest In the work to be done returning. There is no use in trying to instruct tired youngsters. IJr. Francis Warner of London, after examining lO.ooo children, found that the average schoolgirl Is more healthy than the average schoolboy. It seejus a surprising conclusion, though hardly more so than the statement by Dr. Spitzner of I.eipsic, that the children of the plain people, representing the middle stratum of society, are healthiest inure so, decidedly, than those of the " upper crust." Don't Make Children "Poll Parrots." "There are two kinds of memories the poll parrot memory and the memory that re tains facts. It is obvious, when one comes to think of it, that the latter Is much more important and valuable. Hence it is desirable that the practice, followed by many teacn ers, of pushing their pupils to learn things "by heart" should be discouraged. Many comparatively stupid people have excellent poll parrot memories. It Is believed by the United States bureau of education that there is too great a tendency at most schools to " nail " the course of study to the calendar. One result of this Is that, if-a pupil losee ten weeks by sickness, say, he Is unable to catch up wltn hit fellows and drops Into the class below, thus losing a year. Roth the pupil and his parents feel keenly the time lost, and the child is liable to be so seriously discouraged as to lose ambition, the consequence being a marring of his work thereafter. The remedy lies In smaller classes and frequent reclassification of the pupils. No child should ever be " dropped " because of the discouragement likely to result there from. He should remain where he Is until he is ready for promotion. Meanwhile the brightest pupils In his class go to the one next above, and the smartest children from tht class below conie up. In this way the whole school Is kept In a continual state of tlux, with no stagnation anywhere, and the less brilliant scholars are spurred to do their best. . WZfJ 'Iffi 'ffflT TWO 77riD Frequent Classification May Save 'Clinkers. In any school there are bound to be what Commissioner of Education Harris calls " clinkers "that is, pupils who become stolid and lifeless. The teaeht-r losca patience With them and Is likely to speak severely to young Master Dullard, saying: " The majority of the class cannot be kept back on your account alone." Unfortunately, such severity, Instead of arousing latent energy, may add to the dis couragement of the delinquent It Is a mischief that finds Its best cure in the simple practice of promoting the best pupils as rapidly as their attainments will allow. One Important advantage of this-system is that no pupil is overworked umi po child's health is endangered. L ; SSSSC9 Jrri'P mzr WD dqya' rmp rsry The LlMe Dinner. Ail human history attesti that happiness for man the hungry sinner Blnce Eve ate apple much depend on dinner! The matron of today thoroughly agrees With Byron that much depend on dinner. Accordingly, she puts forth all her eiiorts to make her table me best spread and most congenial board known to her Immediate coterie of friends. The little dinner In ever Increasingly popu lar, and nowhere perhaps more practically described from the hostess' viewpoint timn In Eleanor 11. Cllpp's little volume, entitled "The Courtesies," and published for the Woman's Home Library m rles by Messrs. A. 8. Barnes Co., New York City. To achieve a perfect little dinner with small means at command is a great intel lectual feul. To Invite the proper people to meet each other, to seat them so they can haye agreeable conversation, that is the trying and crucial test. I.lttle dinners are social ; little dinners are Informal; little dinners make people friends. Jht InUitions First catch your hare, begins the fumous old recipe fur Jugged bare. 80, in giving a dinner party, ttrst Invite your friends, be iire you choose people that are congenial, and then, having received their acceptances, sit down and think our your menu. The Invitations to a dinner are sent out on engraved curds or by written notes, and are always issued in the name of both host and hofcless. Curds are used when the dinner is to be a large and formal one; notes, w hen It Is to be a small and wtiat Is termed quiet dinner. For the former cards are sent out fortnight and even three weeks beforehand, while to the latter an Invitation of from five to ten days Is considered sufficient notice. For tht large, ceremonious dinner the fash iumible form runs: Mr. and lira. John Prown riuet thu prenr of company it dinner on -evening. St o'clock. T. Northern boulevard For the smaller dinners the hostess writes a cordial note: My Dear Mia. White: Will you and your huaband dine with us Turaday evening-. March 16, at T o'clix'k? Wa are ukinf s few of our friends that evanlng to ineel my auter, who hua Jiul coiue (rum Paris, and wunt you to be ainurg the number. Hoping t" have Ihe pleasure of a. elig you. believe me. cordially yours, MAXIMC HIioWN. Mai eh the nflh . Dinner invitations must be answered promptly above all others, and guests must arrive punctually ut the hour mentioned In the Invitation. I,atencs at dinner is a crime not readily pardoned by society. And after a would be guest has sent an acceptance to the feast he must go, unless something grave .and Important prevent. Hence the old quip that nothing but death must keep one from a dinner party, and If one's demise Inoppor tunely occur that the executor must be sent to fill the vacant seat. Serving When a dinner Is to begin with raw oysters or clams, six of these surrounding a piece of cut lemon are usually served on a bed of cracked ice on plates especially for the pur pose. The plate containing the ilrst course must be set on a large dinner plate and placi d at each cover Just after he meal is an nounced, but before the guests enter the dining room. When the oysters are finished both plates, the oyster plate and the dinner plate that was underneath, are removed. The soup tureen and a pile of warm soup plates must then be put before the hostess, who proceeds to ladle out the soup, the waitress taking the plates from her as they are tilled and passing them to theguists. If wine Is to be served at the dinner the host now tills the glass of the lady at his right with therry or claret or white wines, or whatever wine Is to be used, and then passes It to the gentle man at his right. This gentleman repeats the action of his host by helping the lady at his right und thi n filling his own glass, and so the bottle circulates. After the soup plutes have been removed the waitress brings In the fiih plutes. which must be warm, and sets them with the platter of fish before the host, who carves the fish with a silver fish knife The waitress stands beside hi 111. ready to take each plate und puss it to the guest. Often, however, this course Is served direct front the kitchen Intlead of be ing carved on the table, or vurlousilttle en trees of fish baked 111 scallop shells or ill tiny square Individual dishes, each placed in a flt-ll plate, takes Its place. Next to the flsh conies the principal meat 1 mirrDDtfcS'rowrizrrTzys dish ot the meal, the roast or Joint, as the English term It. The host carves the meat and the maid passes It and then pusses the Vegetables which accompany It. each guest helping himself front the dish. It is in good taste for the host to ask the guests to lake a second helping of the meat course, but they are never asked to partake twice of soup or flsh. After the meat comes the game, w hlch In a fclmple dinner may be omitted with perfect propriety, and after that the salad and then the dessert, which is always helped by the hostess. After the di ssert has been removed if there is to be a course of fruit the maid puts before each person the linger Ih.wIs on the fruit plati s The guests lift the bowl and doilies from the plute and set them in front of it while the waitress passes the dish of fruit. Ijist of all Is served the black coffee. f the hostess prefers, however, this can be served In the drawing room at the conclusion of the meal. When dliiiu r Is ready t lie maid should come to the drawing room door and in a low but dis tinct voice announce " Dinner Is served." The hostess then leads the way Into the din ing room and the guests follow her, the hostj coining last. OUR ROM 11. my hide, cans one Inch In the hack." I This sensational announcement was made to a well known Chicago I woman of title Just as she was being hooked Into her gown for a dress r JL I hearsal of the ha I poudie. The woman gasped. The maid thgged In vain. " It gaps one Inch in the back, madam. And thougli I have done my best, hooks and eyes will stand no more. The gown will burst open." A stifled sob stopped further explanation. The woman, pulled to' the limit, until string and stay would stand no more, had fainted. And tne story goes on to say that the dress rehearsal was skipped while were summoned physical culture experts to determine what should be done. The gown which was to bs worn at the ba'l, and which cost $1,000, would not meet in the belt. 1 These points were settled upon: First, that the gown must be made to fit. Second, that the woman's waist must be reduced until It met the gown more than hall way. " Third, that her neck must also be reduced. Lacing would do the work partly." Oat It would not do It all Fourth, that actual reduction of flesh to use plain language for It must take placs. 8he mut reduce her waist or have a new gown made. 8he was getting fat, actually fat. And the story of how she worked is an Interesting one. Learns the Truth, "I am Fat. There was another Chicago woman who for years put off the knowledge that she had grown stout Every effort was made to keep her from knowing the truth. " Your gown seems n little snug." the modistes would say, as they ripped the seams and let out bands and gores. " Your figure Is charming, madame," they would remark, " but the dress is a little too tight. Perhaps we can remedy it without much trouble." And then the gown would be taken awa and new sleeves put in and sometimes a whole new bodice made. The woman was growing stout at the rate of ten good, solid pounds of flesh a month. When finally the truth was made known to her she w:is horrified. " Why did you not warn me before?" she demanded. " You tell me you have let out my waist bands, a little at a time, until I am three whole Inches larger around the waist. And now It will be the work of heroism to reduce." That this woman was never equal to the work of heroism Is shown by the fact that she Is Btout to this day. " She could reduce, but she will not," moaned her gymnasium teacher. " When I think I have reduced her a little she drinks a cup of chocolate, eats bonbons, and, maybe, lies in bed and reads novels. One day she went cross country walking and the next day she lay In bed, read, drank ice wnter, and ate candy. It Is Impossible to restrain her." A New York woman who came home from the mountains last summer, with too much fat around the belt line, dieted off her superfluous flesh In three months. 8ho worked hard and got back to where she was three years ago. And It was worth while She Is so much improved in appearance. Dieting Is the Price of a Pretty Figure. But to return to the woman who found that she could not wear her ball gown. The truth had been broken to her In a bold, open way that left her In no doubt. She could not hoodwink herself Into believing herself thin. She had grown stout and she was willing tp know the truth. She resolved to get thin. " I want the best method," she told her " trainer." " You shall have the English method," said the culturlst. " Here Is the beginning of all rules for you. You must diet. Thcro Is no chance of reducing without dieting. Drink tea instead of coffee. Take no sugar in your tea. Learn to drink it with lemon. Do not eat all you want. Stop eating Just as you are getting in terested In your food. For your breakfast try two soft boiled eggs with salt, but no butter, a cup of tea without sugar, and some dry toast. Try to be happy though dieting. Drink nothing warm with your meals except one little cup of tea. Drink nothing between meals. When you are thirsty eat an apple or an orange. Remember the belle of the Eugenie days who ate forty oranges a day and not much else. She was as willowy as a reed, yet as plump as a partridge. Her bones were covered, but she was not fat. Glvo up candy, give up jam, give up everything yyu like, and remember that dieting is the price of a pretty figure. Diet if you want your gowns to fit you." After the physical culture expert had given this woman theso rules, he went away and left her to work out her own salvation. But he also left her a set of gymnasium exercises which she was to practice every day. They were called the "get thin qu.ck rules." And they are highly recommended to every woman who wants to get thin quick. Get Thin Quick Exercises Also Help. They are physlcr.l culture exercises for two. For, though they could be practiced by one person alone, they are much better with two working at them. Like President Roosevelt's wrestling matches they arc made much more interesting if two work at them than though one alone were doing all the wrestling. If you want to get n small waist and know anybody else who wants to do likewise there Is no reason why you should not take the exercises which this woman In distress took. Sho found another woman to Join her. lioth were unable to wear their gowns because they were too tight. And both were reducing in the hope of being able, to put them on again. These two women assembled each morning and for two hours did stunts. During this time, though they could eat all the fruit they wanted, they could not drink a drop of water. They grew thirsty, but were obliged to take it out in oranges und oilier tart fruits Their limbering up exercise was a Scottish hippety hop step. They put on loose walsu nnd short skirts and hlppcty hopped across the floor. They hopped first on one foot and then on the other, following the step which children take In (he street. It Is a reni pleasure to hippety hop If you have the space for the exercise. The game is to throw back the shoulders, throw out the chest, put your hands upon you hips, and hlppcty hop around the room. Children find a great deal of physical pleasure In this exercise and grown people will also. They will find actual recreation In the limbering up of the muscles. Take five minutes for the exercise and keep at It until you get out of breath. Five minutes will :e about enough to get you In good physical trim for your other exercises. These women rigidly followed the physical culture rules which were given to them to follow. Here they are exactly as printed upon a little slip: Dainty Waist Physical Culture Rules. " Have the temperature of the room not hotter than IK degrees. Fifty Is better and 4(1 Is better still. Remember that you will get warm us you exercise. " Have a current of air blowing through the room, not a draft, but a good brisk current. ' Don't try to take your exercise in a room that is tilled up with furniture. It should be a rcom, that Is almost bare; little furniture, few hangings, and nothing at all to catch the dust and dirt. " Exercise together. It makes the time pass quickly and one helps the other. If one gets tired the other rallies her and both go at it again. "Weigh before b ginning to exercise and weigh afteiwurd- Keep a score curd upon which you record your weight You can thus keep a record of your progress frum day to day. "Never try to exercise alone. It Is dull and tiresome and will turn you against It. ' Don't exercise one day and lay off the next. Remember that exercise to be uny good must be taken regulurly. "The sanau witli dieting. You cannot go without focsl one day und eat the next. You must eat about the same umount every day if you want to control your weight. " Don't try ubsolute fasts." TheBe little printed slips are given to all who want to become physical culturlsts, and they are to be pasted up and read every day. The women tried the physical culture stunts. And they sue ceedid in reducing their weight rapidly. When they hud come down nearly to normal and were able to put 01 their gowns they made out a set of rules for themselves which they gave to their friends who wanted them. They are maxims and precepts, as well us rules, and they are most useful as a guide to getting a smaller waist line. " Watch the size and position of your waist line. If It gets large, and your waist has a tendency to crawl up, it Is time to get to work. " Diet all the time. Don't starve one meal and stuff the next. "Remember that fat Is mailo cif food, not air! If you want to get thin go without eating. " Don't talk to anybody, but go to work. Work out your own salvation. " Don't get discouraged. "Don't klp a meal. U may give you a headache. Eat with regularity. Rut do not cat too much. 1 "Fight fat with di.l rniinaiion. Fight it persistently. Fight It as though you expected to get thin. That Is the only wuy to work. Work with confidence!" And to this might bu added: "Don't stop working und don't stop trying. Eat little und exercise plenty."