The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-03-06
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! Public
; School
. Notes.
CHILD STUDY.
Interesting Sum-
mary of Eye
Tests.

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Special work in the study Of indi.
vidual children under the general title
Of "Child Study" has shown teachers
and school patrons the great need Of
attention to the ohild's physical vel.
fare. Good health ia Of greater value
than schooling. All good teachers now
recognize this fact, and it has become
an essential part of their work to pro
vide suitable hygienio conditions for
the children under their care.
Among ether disabilities that the
modern teacher attempts to correct or
prevent are those very subtle defects
pertaining to the eye and the ear.
Every teacher doing her full duty will
give each pupil the simple tests for
sight or hearing, and II defects or weak
nesses appear she will so arrange his
place in the school room that these
diflulties may be overcome or alleviat-
ed.
This matter Of the ohild's physical
welfare has gone farther than the mere
province IF tho teacher. 1t has entered
seriously into school architecture, and
no modern school building is put up to-
day that does not provide abundance
Of light, coming from the right dir CO.
ton, avoiding orosslights, front lights
or shadows. Even the proper tint Of
window shade il considered. Ventila.
ton must be sufficient and effective.
Desks are provided according to the
size Of the pupil and very many other
items are considered, about which the
average patron seldom thinks. School
boards, too, give more attention to the
physical condition Of the children of
our schools than ever before. In some
Of the eastern cities Of the United
States, and in many Of tho German and
Austrian cities, expert physicians are
engaged by school officers to make req
ular examinations Of the ohildren's
teeth, ears and eyes. The records Of
such examinations assist the teachers
in properly placing defective children
80 as to give them the greatest possible
assistance in the preparation Of their
daily tasks.
The schools Of our own city have
been fortunate in receiving the gratni.
tous services Of an expert ooculist,
recently, by whom nearly four hundred
pupils were examined, and from whom
each teacher has received a chart Of her
pupils eyes. These charts remain on
file and any parents who desire the
record Of their ohildren's sight may
have the same for the asking. A sum-.
mary Of these examinations shows some
interesting facts. Among 400 pupils Of
all ages the following numbers hold
the right eye differing from the left
In %astigmatism, sixty-six; III aching,
two; in seeing at twenty feet distance,
sixty-two; (refraotion), l05. III the
high school thirty.six students were OK.
amined, mostly 10, 10 and II years of
age. OF these twelve showed astigma.
tism in both eyes. In single eyes there
were nineteen cases Of astigmatisin.
Astigmatism Is easily understood by
looking at the face of a large clock.
II XIII are blacklist there In hori.
zontal astigmatism. II XII Is BLACKLIST
there 10 vertical astigmatism. Twelve
Of these students complained Of aching
eyes; fourteen had acute visions in
both eyes, nine in the right eye and
ten in the left; ten had good vision in
both eyes; seven, right; ten, left
vision not quite good-both, five; right.
ten; left, nine; sight poor-both, two;
right, three left, one sight very poor
both, two; right, four; left, three.
The ophtkalmoscope showed: Right
eye-normal, twenty-four; t%endancy
towards farsightedness. five; towards
nearsightedness, four. Left eye-nor-
NAL. twenty three; farsighted tendency.
eight; nearsighted tendency, two.
In grades three to eight, $50 pupils.
ages 8 TO Is years, were examined. OF
these thirty three had horizontal astig.
matism III both eyes; forty.seven had
vertical in both. The right eye showed
thirty four horizontal, fifty -four verti-
cal. Left eye, thirty.four horizontal.
forty.two vertical.
Both eyes and each eye separately
showed thirty seven cases Of slanting
astigmatism. Fifty mine grade pupils
complained Of aching eyes. The chart
test Of vision at twenty feet showed
Aooute, both, forty; right, twenty
three; left, twenty. two. Good, both,
1873; right, ll6; left, 1l6. Fair, both,
fifty -four; right, seventy.seven; left,
sixty.two. Poor, both, three; right.
twelve; left, twenty. Very poor, both.
four right, six; lett six. Refraction
normal, right, 203; left, 1913. Ten-
dency toward farsightedness, right,
seventeen left, thirty. Tendency to.
ward nearsightedness, right, twenty
Ave; left, twelve.
Per cent of astigmatism: High
school, thirty; eighth grade, forty;
seveath. eighteen; sixth and fifth.
Second ward, thirty-three; sixth and
fifth. Third ward, thirty-three; fourth
aud third, Second ward, forty. six;
fourth aad third, Third ward, thirty.
nina Par cont Of da2aatiua ssisioas.