Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, December 17, 1909, Page 19

— T | AT IS BEMIDJI NEGLECTING ITS SCHOOL CHILDREN Cities All Over the United States are Taking up the Matter of Testing Eyes.—Bemidji Parents Should Attend to This. Children going to school should have their eyes examined by a com- petent specialist to discern the exact state or condition their eyes are in when commencing school. We kindly solicit your fair, impar- tial judgment in this matter to deter- mine for yourself what would be the| greatest advantage for your children. We judge that every child should have his eyes examined each and every year and that the examination should be performed by one who makes a specialty of and having the proper qualifications to perform this delicate work. So many people have neglected having their eyes properly examined by aspecialist for several reasons. First, they think it will cost too much to go to a specialist; second, | they think that if they go to a specialist glasses will always be pre- scribed, whether they are really necessary, or not; and in this way the eyes of many children have been neglected and consequently there are children who are dull in school for the reason that their eyes are not in a position to handle the work without fatigue. It isa well known fact that child- ren are not able to withstand the work they are compelled to perform as well as a person of matured age. The eyes of children are soft and pliable and easily stretched out of shape and parallelism. When this deformity has once started it will, without question increase the strain and finally come to a stage when clerical work is intolerable and the vision greatly reduced, and the child is unable to perform any work. School children’s eyes should be examined carefully by a specialist every year before entering school and if the eyes are found notin a normal condition proper glasses should be fitted that will correct the deformity and rehieve unnatural strain, thereby stopping the defect from increasing and in many cases bringing the eyes to a normal con- dition, Parents and guardians are responsible for the welfare of the children’s eyes and should con- sider a small defect and have same properly treated before it is too late. Here are some questions that should be considered by every school teacher: ) Is the child behind in its studies? Is the child dull and stupid? Is the child subject to headaches? Is the child hard of hearing? Does it ask many questions? All these and many more are matters that come up daily with school children while at their studies. If the child is unable to under- stand clearly and see plainly, it should occupy a seat towards the front of the room. Itisn’t because these things are noticed and then not attended to, but because they go by day after day unnoticed. Parents should take particular pains with the child, especially those first entering school. Why We Are All Mimics. “If we did not cough in church, the human race would not exist”” And the professor, twiddling a piece of chalk in his hand, regarded the sophomores with a quizzical smile. “What I mean,” he continued, “is that the cause of coughing is the cause of our survival. That cause is mim- fcry. Mimicry is a better life preserver than fleetness or strength. For by mimicry we manage not to attract at- tention, and in prehistoric times they who attracted attention were hunted down by the tribe and roasted for din- ner or hunted down by the saber tooth tiger and taken raw. “Since those dark days mimicry has been instinctive with us. Mimicry is what causes us to follow the fashions. It causes us, when in England, to say ‘cawn’t’ and ‘lawf’ If your friend yawns, you yawn—that’s mimiery. If he laughs, you laugh—mimicry again. If he snuffles, you snuffle—mimicry. And if he coughs in church, straight- way you and all the rest of the con- gregation cough, the reason being the same one which saved our forefathers from extermination.”—New York Press. Famous Floggers. Among English schoolmasters whose names have come down to posterity with the dubjous reputation of great floggers Dr. Busby of Westminster school is the generally acknowledged chief. Of him it Is recorded that, one of his head boys having insulted a young French viscount who came to the school to demand satisfaction, he flog- ged the viscount first for the blood- thirsty intentions and next his friend who was the bearer of hig challenge. Dr. Valpy, too, who edited an edition of the classics, was a potent wielder of the rod. Archdeacon Groom, who was a pupil of his, tells a story in illustra- tlon of his prowess. One of the boys had been flogged by the redoubtable dominije, and the lad’s father came to complain. “Sir,” saild Valpy to him, “I flogged your son because he richly deserved it. If he again deserves it, I shall flog him again, and,” rising, “if you come here, sir, interfering with my duty I shall flog you.” The parent fled. He Was Very Charitable. Among the features of a charity bazaar held in London was a refresh- ment stall, to which charitable donors contributed supplies, thus enabling all the takings to represent clear profits. The lady in charge requested a gift for this purpose from a well known and Wwealthy gentleman in the city, but one not famous for “parting.” To her sur- prise she received next day a note to the effect that he was sending her a sirloin of beef and two ox tongues. The same morning the lady happen- ed to go to her butcher (who was also the butcher of Mr. X.), and, after giv- ing him a large order for her stall, asked him if he would like himself to give anything. “1 should very much, ma'am,” replied the worthy tradesman, “but I yester- day gave to Mr. X,, at his request for this purpose, a sirloin of beef and three ox tongues.” Net gain to Mr. X.: One ox tongue and a cheap reputation for charityi— London Standard. 8t. Auguetine and His Flower. St. Augustine of Hippo, the great doctor of the church, whose festival falls on Aug. 28, is a sadly neglected saint among modern ritualists and even occasionally confused with his name- sake, who insulted the British bishops. Yet he is pronounced by Hooker “with- out any equal” and regarded by Har- nack as “the first modern man.” He has been better honored in the floral world, for to him is dedicated the goldenrod, or woundwort (Solidago vir- ga-aurea). -Old Gerard, with whom this was a favorite remedy, tells us that goldenrod fetched a high price as a foreign herb until discovered grow- ing near London, when the plant was neglected. He adds the caustic com- ment, “This verifieth our English prov- erb, ‘Far fetcht and dear boughte is best for ladies,” or for fantastical phy- sitions.” Before tobacco the goldem rod also furnished snuff for our medi- aeval forefathers. — Westmimster Ga- vette. It Did Not Work. Mr. Seabury and his wife were on the point of moving to another flat. Both of them were anxious that the transfer should be made at the least poasible expense, and the nearness of the new home promised materially to further this aim. “I can carry loads of little things over in my brown bag,” announced Mrs. Seabury, “and you can take books and so on in your big satchel.” In discussing further the matter of transportation Mrs, Seabury remarked that notwithstanding the heat she could wear her winter coat over, leave it and return for her spring coat. The idea charmed her impractical husband. “Why, I can do the same thing!” he sald. “Tll wear over one suit and then come back for another!”—Youth’s Companion. Hard on the Messenger. Tommy had been spanked by Miss Manners, his first grade teacher, but his next teacher had not reached the point where she felt she could do jus- tice to him in spite of all his naughti- ness. “Send him to me when you want him spanked,” said Miss Manners one morning after her colleague had re lated his many misdemeaunors. About 11 o’clock Tommy appeared at Miss Mauners’ door. She dropped her book, grasped him firmly by the hand, led him to the dressing room, turned him over her knee and adminis- tered punishment. ‘When she had finished she said, “Now, Tommy, what have you to say?”’ “Please, miss, my teacher wants the sclssors,” was the unexpected reply.— Success Magazine. Your Sight is Injured So Easily by Straining the Eye Do Your Eyes Tire When Reading? Are Your Children Up in their Studies? THERE IS A REASON dlly N\ # \\\\@Illlln N should appear blacker than should be made by holding the others your defective - vis- paper directly in front. of ion is due to an irregularly your eyes about 14 inches, shaped eye ball or astigma- with one eye at a time. tism. Defects such as astigmatism of various kinds produces a— =4 great strain on the delicate nerves of the eye which proper glasses fitted will absolutely relieve. i i No One Should Neglect Their Eyes If you are in the least doubtful about your eyes, it costs you but the small sum of a dollar to be absolutely assured, whether or not you need glasses, If you need them we will tell you so. If you don’t need them we will tell you so. If you need Glasses we are able to furnish then to you the same day that your eyes are examined, owing to the fact that we have our own Machinery for the Grinding of Lenses DRS. LARSON & LARSON OPTEMETRISTS