The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-14
CHILDREN'S EYES
ARE DEFECTIVE
STATISTICS HAVE PROVEN
THAT LARGE NUMBER OF SCHOOL
CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED.

Not Believe That Savannah Is Any
Worse OF in This Respect Than
Other Cities In Many Cities
Specialist Regularly Examines
Eyes of Children - Savannah
Teachers Soon Learn What Chill
dren Have Weak Eyes and Do
What They Can to Keep Them
From Sraining the Eyes.
Interest in the condition of the eyes
of the average school child has been
renewed by the recent report of the
superintendent of public schools in
Minneapolis. The report showed, after
a thorough examination had been made
by competent oculist. that nearly
35 per cent. of the children had more
or less defective eyes.
This report has lead to renewed dis
cussion of the subject, and in many
1 cities steps have been taken to have
| the eyes of all the children examined
at the expense of the Boards of Edu-
| cation. Atlanta has already taken
steps in that direction, and the report
on the result is being awaited with
considerable interest.
Supt. Ashmore, when asked about
the matter yesterday, said that an ex-
4 animation has it's advantages and it's
| disadvantages as well. In the majority
of cases, however. he believes the
teachers know the faults of any eyes
which are exceptionally bad, and do
Pwhat they can to aid the children and
make it easier for them to see without
straining. In many cases their parents
are notified, especially If the defect is
evidently an aggravated one
ut is a demonstrated fact that the
eyes of children are more or less de-
| fective," said Mr.. Ashmore, when the
| eyes of large numbers of them are
examined. This varies in different
| places and the percentage of children
with weak eyes varies from 20 to 30
per cent. in this country. In some
cases the percentage is a little higher,
| as was the case in Minneapolis, where
IS per cent. of the children have defec-
| tive eyes.
Different Systems i'm Use.
THE matter has been called to the
| attention of probably all the Boards
| of Education in the United States and
several different plans have been put
into effect. One which has met with
| general satisfaction wherever it has
| been tried is that of having a compe-
| tent oculist examine the eyes of all the
| children in the schools at certain stat
| ed times each year.
when the eyes Of any of the little
| ones are found to be defective the
| teachers are notified and instructed to
so seat the children that they will not
be compelled to strain their eyes. II
the defect is of a more serious nature
| a card, stating that the childs eyes
| have haan found
| tive, is sent to the parents, with the
advice that they consult some bculist
with view to remedying the defect
| This plan has been found to work out
very well and has many advantages.
There are also several disadvan-
| tages to the system and the greatest
care is necessary in selecting the ocu-
| list. If he is competent, conscien-
| tious oculist l believe much good can
| come of the method. But there is al
ways the danger that an incompetent
| person will secure the job and that he
will recommend every one of the chill
dren who has the slightest defect in
the eyes to wear glasses. At the same
time he will call attention to the fact
that he can furnish the glasses cheap
| er than any one else in the city.
Conditions in Savannah.
"I do not believe" continued. supt.
Ashmore, that Savannah is any worse
off in respect to defective eyes than
any other city. We may not be any
better off, but ! am certain that we are
In no way worse off. Our teachers as
a rule know what children have defec-
tive eyes and do what they can in the
schools to keep these children from
subjectins their eyes to any unneces-
cary strain.
'Myopia, or near-s ightedness, is per-
haps the most common defect. Teach
hi axsf1aa fksaxr he oh l.
dren squirting their eyes in order to
see what is written on the black
boards, and at times when they find
them unable to see what is written. AS
soon as this is noticed, those children
are given front seats and when any
thing is to be copied from the board
they are allowed to go as close to it as
they desire.
Another common sign of defective
eyes is constantly occurring headaches.
There are several other signs which
the teachers have learned to know. If
the cases are aggravated, the parents
are notified and asked to have the
chiid's eyes examined by an oculist.
There are some cases, however, when
neither the teachers nor the parents
know that the child's eyes are defect
i've, and 1t Is such cases which are
reached when a competent, conscien-
tious oculist makes regular examina-
tons"
More or Less of u Fad.
The agitation on the subject of de-
fects In the eyes of the children has
been renewed so often that 1t is looked
upon by educators somewhat as fad.
The subject is being constantly dis
cussed at gatherings of educators. and
the pedagogical periodicals publish ar
ticles on the matter time and time
again. Nearly all teachers are thus
through their readings, kept in touch
with all that is going on in this lire,
and quickly learn to know the signs
of weak eyes.
The statistics which have been
brought out on the subject thus far
show that defective eyes are more
common in Europe than in this coun-
try. The average per cent. Of children
in America who have defective eyes
Is between 20 and go In Germany
reports show the average to be between
40 and 80. while England's showing is
little better