For very obvious reasons these causes of disease are not
brought prominently forward by the attending physician, who doubtless
thinks it safer and more flattering to his patrons to say that the child
has broken down from hard study, rather than from excesses which are
somewhat discreditable. While parents are clearly to blame for
endangering health in the ways indicated, it may be a question whether
the work required to be done in school should not be regulated
accordingly; whether, in designating the studies to be taken, and in
assigning lessons, there should not be taken into consideration all the
circumstances of the pupil's life which can be conveniently ascertained,
even though those circumstances are most unfavorable to school work and
are brought about mainly through the ignorance or folly of parents. Of
course there is a limit to such an adjustment of work in school, but
with proper caution and a good understanding with the parents there need
be little danger of advantage being taken by an indolent child; nor need
the school be affected when it is understood to be a sign of weakness
rather than of favor to any particular pupil to lessen his work. Not
unfrequently there are found other causes of ill health than those which
I have mentioned; such, for instance, as poor ventilation, overheating
of the school-room, draughts of cold air, and the like; not to speak of
the annual public exhibition, with the possible nervous excitement
attending it.
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