Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-05-28
SANITARY CONDITION In
THE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Interesting Report by DR.. Anna Moon Ran
dolph to the Newport News Educa-
tional Association-Bu Buildings Are
Not Cleaned Properly.


Mcon Randolph. chairman CT the com
mittce on hygiene, to the Newport
News Educational Association at the
annual meeting of that body.
In taking mp SO Important 4 subject
as The kealth Of our school children, |
formulated a set of questions to form
the basis of the investigations Of ny.
ieene committee. a copy Of which was
given to each member and school as
signed 20 each.
Every school roou has been visited.
II is the intention of the local authors.
ties To keep The temperature of the
scllouruons between GS and ~ de-
grccs Fahr. Every room is supplied
with thrrmon'cter which hangs In
the center of the rooms. about seven
feet from the floor. In Il majority of
The rooms. found the Thermometer
Fair. In one room IL was e. degrees
Fair. In one room 1t was 81 degrees
Fair, the heat turned off aud one
transom opened n crack. Tile air was
much pnrcr than in some other rooms.
In enc school house where the tenn,
perature ranged uniformly high in the
seventies three furnaces were running
with lower drafts fully open.
The school rooms have hcen built
on the basis of accommodating forty
pupils. giving Els culiic feet of initial
air space To each pupil; this does not
vary much from tho initial mir space
allowed each child in an ideal school
room, accommodating forty children,
which is 2f7 cubic feet The air has
To lie renewed several times an hour
Every additional pupil over forty. III
minishcs each child's initial air space
more than is compatible with health.
and requires that there should he II
proportionate increase in the fresh mir
allowed in crowded rooms.
In the Central school the mir is fan,
ned into tho rooms and changed every
ten minutes. The other buildings arc
heated by the gravity system.
There is considerable nvcr-crowtl:ng
in the lower grades In all the schools.
ringing rs hisE MS Cfty.nve pupils. In
ono room there was IL perccptibe cdor
Of gasoline. There is no tendency to
over-crowd in the colorcd school.
was at more than enc school dur
Ing the morning recess. where there
was no attempt to raise the windows
to lush out lie Initiated mir.
In those schools visited in the after
noon. the janitnrs were sweeping stairs
and halls. raising clouds of dust. which
dir, not settle before the children wcrn
dismissed. One janit0r told me NO
scrubbed one room each week: another
that he scrubbed the floors with IL
brGum every holiday. and at other
. times when he could, but not in cold
weather
The school rooms have been wisely
built. with porous walls and ceilings.
From a sanitary standpoint. some of
them need clearing, as the surface 10
rough, soap and water would he uR
satisfactory. The best microhe kill.
er. and probably the cheapest. would
be Il lime wash. tinted any desired
shade, which can he cheaply renewed.
In all the school houses the light
is Modified ut the windows by coat
ing of white paint. tinged with green.
On q cloudy day there is constant
strainlng of The eyes. trying to see in
the dim light; on bright days it gives.
at the best, a. constrained light keep.
ing cut the direct rays of sun. the
chemical action of which kills germ
life. at all times cutting off all view
Of the trers and Sky. which Is often n
child's inspiration.
Just here | wouIl like to remind
the Educational Association that there
Is IL mental hygiene which Is only too
often overlooked In tho rush of our ma.
tional lift. but Which is just as neccs.
sary for the healthy mental and moral
development of the child, as hygiene
directed to Inc physical needs.
At some windows. this paint has
lccn removed leaving the windows
without protection. through which the
sun shines persistently upon the pu.
pills aud upon their work.
The care Of the children:s eyes Is
ID q IT, j