The object is to get out of the boy all there is in him. The first
thing, then, is to have the boy examined. If, instead of calling a
physician when the children are sick, he is called while they are well,
it would be much better. Is he getting round-shouldered? Has he a crook
in the back? Is he beginning to stoop? There are many things which can
be stopped in a child which can never be changed after the habits are
hardened. Too late the parent may find that his child is incapacitated
for the highest education, because there is no room for the heart and
lungs to play their parts. The boy is limited in his possibilities as a
tree planted in unfavorable soil is limited. He is stunted. He will
reach a certain limit, and no efforts on his part will carry him
further. But if he has been taken in hand in time, and these suggestions
acted upon, different results might have been produced. These efforts to
develop the boy's body will awaken the interest of the boy himself. It
does not awaken animalism. Let a man have pride in his body, and his
morals will look out for themselves. If a a boy is thus examined, and a
record kept, he will take a pride in keeping up his record. It is not
necessary, then, to have appliances. He can make trees and
clothes-horses and gates and fences take their place. Teach him the
value of such opportunities. Teach him to increase the capacity of his
lungs and heart, and what relation they bear to the brain, and thus
awaken his interest.
Pages:
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300