The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-11-27
TO INSPECT SCHOOLS
Education Board VIII Employ
a Physician.

The adVlSdDllltV OF arranging Tor
medical inspection of the public school
children engaged the attention of the
board of education yesterday afternoon
in committee of the whole. The matter
was called to the boards attention last
week by Health Commissioner King,
who represented that it would be
physical impossibility for the present
limited force in the city health depart
ment to cope with the question of
checking the prevalence of smallpox
among school children in a way that
would Obviate the necessity of closing
the schools, and, moreover, that the
revenues at the city's command pre-
Guided the employment of a physician
to perform the duty of inspection.
Dr. King addressed the board on the
subject yesterday. While approaching
the fact that all of the teachers had
cheerfulIy followed the suggestions of
the health department in reporting sus-
pected cases of ntagion. and that the
board of education had enforced the
rule that all school buildings be fumi-
gated at the end of every week, DR..
King expressed the opinion that more
effective measures are necessary, and
that only by the employment of a ply
stefan to visit cases of suspected con-
to suggest to the teachers. who should
continue to act as vigilance commit
tee, could the best results be achieved.
DR.. Beatty of the state board of
health cOncurred in the recommended
tiOns of Health Commissioner King.
1t was the cOncensus of opinion of the
members of the board that the time
had arrived when the plans of the pub
lie health officials should be carried into
effect. 1t was admitted that the pTeva-
lence Of smallpox in the Lincoln school
district, and also in the Franklin dis
triCt, threatened serious consequences,
and already the attendance at these
schools had fallen off nearly half. The
hope was expressed that closing of
these schools nor of the others where
the disease is not so prevalent. would
be unnecessary. if the suggestions Of
the health officers were put into eff
feet.
A motion was finally adopted that a
duly qualified physician, to be recon-
mended by Dr.. King and DR.. Beatty
be employed at a salary of not exceed
ing $500 a month during the pleasure
of the board, to Tact as medical in
spector, as suggested by the health Of
ficials. and TO be deputized by them. so
that the inspector would have full au-
thOrity to act as a representative of
the city board of health in stamping
out smallpox and other contagious dis
eases. The physician to be employed
will be required to devote his whole
time to the duties of the office
Previous TO adjourning subject to
the call of the president, who viii sum
mon the members together when DR..
King and Dr. Beatty are ready to sub
NIT their recommendation, ii was de-
Cided, on suggestion of superintendent
Cooper, that there must be no exchange
,-F r,y~1-g~ s-rE
town to the east side.
Bamberger Fears "'Fads."
The request of Miss Holton, super
visor Of the primary grades in the pub
lie schools for a leave of absence, was
presented without recommendation by
Superintendent Cooper, who said that
Miss Holton wished to be gone a couple
of weeks on a professional visit to the
schools in Chicago and Buffalo, where
she intended to inquire into some new
methods.
Hold on there" interjected Mr.
BambergeT. I object to granting the
leave. It's not SO much to Miss HOl-
ton going away that 1 object, but she
Will come back with some new fad,
some change for us to adopt, and that
means more expense to the board. 1t
isn't the leave that / am afraid of. so
much as what is coming, what will be
urged upon us for adoption. Anyway,
Miss HOItOn was in the east last sum
mer. and l don't think it would be right
for her to go right in the middle of the
school year"
Mr.. CritChlOW remarked that in his
judgment Supervisor HOlton's trip east
at this time would not yield an advant-
age to the school system commensurate
with the loss of her services for the
time she would be gone.
With a stormy time in prospect for
the request for leave of alb
sence, it was voted to defer action on
it until the next meeting.