The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-23
Inspector Talks Of Hygienic Needs
of Indians and Whites.
LACK FRO Rvsn1r ALTON.
Finds Same Conditions In school for
White Children In One of the
Prominent Cities on the sound
Duties which Parents All Neglect
danger From tuberculosis
Needed Legislation In the Matter.

Ex-Gov. Mcconnell Of Idaho, now Unit
ed States Indian inspector, who is on the
Sound looking after the interests OF the
Indians In this district, returned from the
TuIalip reservation and is auartered at
the Northern. Mr. Mcconnell is deeply
Interested In the health of school children.
white as wen as Indian, and speaking on
the subject Of hygiene yesterday ne said;
zone OF the greatest difficulties the de-
paftrnent has had to encounter In the In
dian schools. as we'll SIS she Indian homes,
has been the subject Of ventilation. The
tepees which they occupied while In their
primitive state were. amply supplied WITH
fresh air Especially was that true OF
those indians who occupied the tail con-
zeal lodges, many of which are seen on
the reservations today. But as soon as
the Indians have land allotted to them
on reservation the government assists
them In building houses, and II Is impos-
sibe TO impress upon their minds the inn
porfance Of s,nfiiating their rooms. In
fact, The average Indian house has but
one room, which answers the purpose OF
Kitchen sitting dining and sleeping
room. During the cold weather In winter
they keep fire in a cook stove. frequently
the only means they have of heating their
rooms, and shut every door and window
as closely as possible, IN order that they
may keep warm. II is easy TO compre-
hend what the atmosphere OF such room
must be.
eve think 1t strange that they do not
have more sense than TO thus endanger
their lives but we overlook the fact that
We have but little more sense ourselves,
very many Of US. In. this respect. By Tar
the larger number Of houses in the United
States, even with all our boosted civiliza-
ton. are far from being properly venti'
lated. In fact, the majority q people
the benefit Of absolutely pure air.
Not 80 Had ms schools.
sBut bad as the dwelling houses are,
they are generally much better than the
school buildings 70 which We send our
THE multiplicity OF toys in the show
windows Of this and every other city In
the United States. intended as Christmas
gifts for the little ones. evidence the love
that father and mother entertain for their
offspring. yet, for all that, the average
father and mother thinks that when they
send their children to school in a building
which appears to be commodious, judg-
Ing from an outside view, they are doing
their duty by them
"IIow many fathers and mothers IN our
cities are there who have paid a personal
visit to the public school rooms for the
purpose Of ascertaining what kind Of air
their little ones are breathing? II q man
was interested in the cattle business, or
sheep, or horses, he would not send them
out on a range and leave them there, year
after year, n charge q hired man.
himself: yet thousands OF fathers and
mothers never visit the schoolrooms
where their children are required to spend
No many hours each day Consequently
know nothing OF its construction, or
whether their children are having their
lives endangered by constantly mhaling
IN the Indian schools the rules Of the
Office require that the physician In charge
shall examine the children and see to II
that no tubercuiar students are permitted
to enter the schools I think there should
be a law In every state requiring the same
kind of an examination of the children at
tending our public schools.
The board Of health OF the state OF
Washington has issued a circular caution
Ing the public against this dread disease.
many places aud believe level Il was ASA very
commendabie thing for them to do. but
do not think sufficient attention is paid to
furnishing our public schools with proper
air.
Inspected a school Building.
II recently visited one of the large
school buildings In one of the cities OF
this state and went through with the Jani-
tor for the purpose OF making an inspec-
ton. l found that outside air was fur
nished by means of furnaces: but instead
of having direct connection between the
outside o. the beildifiE and the furnaoe
through an opening In the wali, and from
this reservoir the air was taken TO supply
the children In the schoolrooms. The
basement was used as a storeroom, and
as II was more than half under ground 1t
was necessarily damp, ! cannot imagine
that any father or mother would care 70
have their children continually breathing
the air out of that basement.
There should be some officer who IL
skilled In such matters 70 inspect al pub
He school buildings. II Is really wonder
full that We are more enlightened on al
most any other subject than that Of pro-
yldins proper accommodations for our
children IN the public schools.
~ have not visited any of the schools In
Seattle, SO l am not condemning their
management In this city but fear that
a visit TO many OF the rooms after school
has been in session say one or two hours
would reveal vary impure atmosphere
.As the legislature ~ YOUR state VIII
soon be ia session, I believe II would be
very desirable for the public press TO agi-
tate this question "a fhaH where needed
proper remedies may be enforced
taaians should ne Protected.
II notice by the press dispatches that
the agency III TslAllp IL 60 be abolished, or