29 OCTOBER 1881, Page 23

Health in Schools and Workshops. (Ward and Lock.)—No more useful

volume has been published in the "Long Life Series." Some statements, doubtless, are open to controversy, some seem to us to be made with insufficient reserve. Among these latter we may instance some part of the chapters on "Food and Sleep." The writer con- demns "a spare diet." What he means is not quite plain. We should say that boys have "a spare diet" at school, and very often a "full diet" at home ; and that if the former is not too spare, it is the better of the two. Christ Hospital boys will compare very favourably, both for health and appearance, with the boys who live at home and frequent other City schools. The remarks about the time of study are excellent, but will probably take many teachers by sur- prise. "In high schools, five, or, under the most favourable circum- stances, six hours are all that should be required." This is for pupils of from twelve to seventeen. The maximum is probably exceeded in most schools. There are some useful hints about the mechanical arrangements, appliances, Fze., of the school-room; also, we would note a salutary caution about a matter very often neglected by parents,—imperfect sight in their children.