Is it possible to study too much? Will too many books and too much reading make you insane? If you were living in the late 1800s to early 1900s, you might have believed that your brain could easily be overworked and that one of the side effects of an education was insanity.
1. Saw Evil in Overstudy
Back in 1906, the president of the Philadelphia board of education believed that over half of the public school students were suffering from illnesses due to too much studying. He wanted to shorten the length of the school day, reduce the amount of subjects students were studying, and ban homework altogether. [1]
2. Lost Sight
A Chicago newspaper reported back in 1913 that a student at Northwestern University lost the sight in one of his eyes due to too much studying. [2]
3. Turns Girls into Terrible Wives
In an 1881 report about Toronto schools, a practicing physician claimed that too much studying caused hysteria in girls and turned them into terrible wives. But don’t take my word for it. Here is what he said:
“In the case of girls it leads, combined with lack of physical exercise, to hysteria among other things, and unfits them in after life for their duties as wives and mothers.” [3]
4. Turns Kids into Drunks
Dr. Aikens, a leading physician in Toronto in 1881, said that studying and going to school turned kids into alcoholics. When asked if “drunkenness can be traced to overstudy among children,” the doctor responded:
“I do. Even though they pursue their studies no further than the public school course, the seeds of drunkenness are sown. Nervous exhaustion and excitability unquestionably are caused in early life by the overstudy and rivalry which exists in the schools, and a craving of the body for stimulants is created.” [4]
5. A Victim of Overstudy
For four days, Michael, age 14, hid in his father’s basement. During that time, the family searched everywhere for the boy until his younger brother found him, half starved and filthy.
According to a statement made by the father back in 1909:
“My son is a victim of overstudy. He is devoted to books and spends every minute he can get poring over them. Six weeks ago he was ill, and I had a physician from New York. He said the boy’s brain was affected from overstudy. He advised me to keep him out of school and to take him to New York for a course of treatment.” [5]
6. Books Led to Insanity and Stabbing
A Chicago law student became insane in 1916 due to too much studying and stabbed a girl behind her ear. The girl survived and the law student was no doubt sent to the insane asylum. [6]
7. It Made Her Mute
Irene Burnes of St. Louis became mute after too much studying back in 1913. According to newspaper reports, the girl became mute after taking her finals. For several months, she did not say a word and had been placed in the care of a local hospital.
When she finally decided to start talking, she could only do so after a good night’s sleep. Any stress during her day made her mute again. [7]
8. Overstudy Causes Tuberculosis
Does studying too much cause tuberculosis? According to the State Health Commissioner of Pennsylvania back in 1909, there was certainly a connection between TB and school study.
According to one article:
“Weakening of our children’s general physical condition by driving them to overstudy is a big factor in the development of tuberculosis among our people.” [8]
