Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-11-09
70 PARENTS AVG TEACHERS
A plea In Behalf Of School Children
Ailing One.

hoe GROWN IN In our streets and success
fully eluded the truant officers. ouon
one is almost always Of the .'gamin or
der, III fed, scantily clothed and genet'
ally neglected. And yet, notwlths.anu,
inc the hardships implied, we find INN
strong. active and "wiry." II pitted
against a country boy OF his age t,'e
chances are our city Lad would 'use the
other up." All things considered IL
must appear evident to those who study
the subject that because our children are
sent to school at too early an age Is one
potent reason way they suffer 50 Hiuch
from the contrast with their country
cousins, But it is purposeless to attemPt
To persuade parents to keep their iittie
ones out of school until it is safe to SEND
them. Borrowing an expression ono
might as well hope to Level uiprailar
with crowbar. In the proper autnorl-
ties is our only hope OF reform. lhey
cannot be ignorant Of this grave re-
sponsibility. Reluctantly accepting the
| situation, we will give mothers ana
teachers few words Of practical advice
| as regards their treatment OF schooi
children. in so far as pertains to health.
| nCleanliness is next to godliness." Its
importance is not always appreciated,
either by parents or children. Every
| child should have full bath at least
| once week, whereas many in our pup
lie schools know that luxury only when
the public bathing houses are opened to
! them, which is, of course only In warm
weather. Neglect of cleanliness propa-
gates other mean habits, and tends to de-
velop the beast in ones nature. Ii
child's body is continually dirty he will
soon grow low ami depraved, notwith-
standing all his other influences are the
best. Let parents fix that fact in their
minds, else by that one neglect they ut
terly ruin the natures of their children.
Those who live In humble tenements,
destitute of bathing facilities. should call
the washing tub into service at least once
a week, and general scrubbing OF the
children take place. Some mothers take
pleasure and pride in the appearance OF
their little ones; others seem positively
Indifferent whether or not their faces are
washed or hair is ever combed. They
should see that both is done faithfully,
not only in the morning, but on going to
bed.
The character Of the clothing gener-
ally is not matter Of dictation. We
cannot expect the children Of poor pa
rents to wear ''good Clothes" but what
Is worn can be clean, and there is no ex-
cuse for their being otherwise From
this time out until school closes in the
spring, children should wear flannel nex'
to the skin, and let mothers remember
that Undertaking worn during the day
must not be worn during the night while
in bed Children, as well as adults
must have undershirts for night wear
and the one taken off at bedtime shoul(
be spread over chair to dry and al
well. A word here about the sleeping
room. Our poorer people are forced t.
: content themselves with a few SINAI
rooms, and, as rule, they are sadl
overcrowded. That cannot be helped il
many instances, but such rooms can
properly ventilated Open-throw wild
open-the windows of the bedroom
little while before the children go to bed
and then, when they are ready to vi
dress, go in and partially, but not er
tirely, close them. Leave them open g
much as the weather will permit. .
Discrimination to ventilate their room
properly is one glaring and fatal fau
with ignorant people. To that caus
alone can be attributed much of the sicl
ness and many Of the deaths anon
them.
Some mothers allow their children (
remain in bed in the morning until la
. and then hurry them away to schoo
The consequence is breakfast must
bolted. 1t ought not to be necessary
say that children should have ample tin
in which to eat, and should be forced
\ do so slowly. Tea and coffee are injui
. Gus to them. If mothers will insist
\ allowing them to have those drinks, thu
= let the quantity be small, and in mut
! milk. Cocoa is liked by every chill
y and, if not made too strong, it is Who'll
9 some and nourishing. One thing mo
about breakfast; be sure that the childr
eat enough. Even if they eat hearth
as rule they will be hungry before di
ner time comes; therefore, provide the
; with light luncheon-bread and butt
= and some sound, ripe fruit if possib
u Early to bed and early to rise" is u ri
= which cannot safely be violated by oh
\ dren. That they need much more sic
than adults, every one should know. l
! the hour before retiring be passed quiet
% in some form of amusement.
To allow them to go to bed excit
y either by hard play, by study, or by
8 "s;ory book, means wakeful hours
- sleep disturbed by dreams. When
' child appears to be ailing he should
kept out Of school until he is hims
p again. By teachers much too high
premium is put upon punctuality and U
y broken attendance. In conseouen,
children are encouraged to go to sch,
?. when they are really quite sick enough
~ be at home and in bed. Scarlet few,
- measles, diphtheria and the like are We
>, easily transmitted from an affected CHI
70 toone perfect health. The former ne
% not be very ill; he may, in fact, be
school and appear but slightly ailing, a
70 yet squite possible for him to bear abe
Is with him the germs of disease, and co
y municate them to those with whom he
brought in contact. All must rememl
~ that case of infectious disease need l
:, be severe to be source of great danl
y to others. A child is just as likely
~ "catch the disease" from one who |
., only n very light attack of an infectic
~ nature as he would were the attack
:, deadly intensity.
- Again, the first sufferer may be o,
=, slightly ill-in fact be up playing alb,
:. the house, or even in school-and vet
~ one to whom he transmits the disc
may become terribly i'll with it and 1
Hence, there is but one rule for moth
and teachers to follow: Never senc