Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-08-10
PUPILS BEING
VACCINATED


week or so owing to the rush of par
ents TO have their children vaccinated
in order that they may he eligible for
admission into the schools. which open
on the 28th inst
The public by this time have been
pretty well educated up to the pro-
visions of the school law and parents
who have children reaching the school
age understand what devolves upon
them. There are still some, however,
who may have overlooked the law and
TO such the present article will be of
value
R The school law requires that all
principals or other persons in charge
of schools shall refuse the admission
Of any child to the schools under their
charge or supervision except upon a
certificate signed by a physician set
ting forth that such child has been
successfully vsccinated or that it has
previously had the smallpox.
The health authorities of such nun.
icipalities shall furnish to PRINCIPALS
or other persons in charge of said
schools and to physicians the necessary
certificate or blanks. The registry of
the school shall exhibit the names and
residences of all children or persons
admitted or rejected for reasons set
forth and said registry shall be open
at all times to the inspection of the
health authorities.
1t is obvious that the certificate from
the physician showing that the child
has been successfully vaccinated or
that it has had the small pox need to
be produced only in those cases where
the pupils have just reached the school
age or are applying for admission to
the schools for the first time The fact
that the pupils were enrolled in the
same schools preceding years is taken
as sufficient evidence that they were
vacoinated.
1t will be observed that the certific.
ate must set forth that the child was
NOT only vaocinated but successfully
vaccinated.
The act carries with it a penalty.
Any principal or other person who has
charge of school who shall neglect or
refuse to comply with any of the pro-
uicionc nf fhic shall
tion, be liable to fine of not less than
five dollars nor more than one hun
dred dollars and in default thereof
such person or persons shall undergo
Imprisonment for period not exceed
ing sixty days.
The local school board has shown its
determination Of living up to the very
letter of the law by the manner in
which it disposed of an exceptional
case that occurred in the Fourth Ward
last May. One of the pupils, recently
admitted, was found not to have been
vaccinated. The attention of the par
ents was called to the law on vaccina-
ton, bot they explained that the fam
lily physician had refused to vaccinate
the ohild-a little girl-owing to her
weakly condition, she being in poor
health. 1t was the sense of the Bor-
ough Superintendent and the School
Board that the law makes no exoep-
tions in such cases and held that mas
much as the girl was not strong enough
TO be vaccinated the natural inference
was that she was not physically able
to bear the strain of study and had
better be out of school. The outcome
of the matter was that the child, un-
vaccinated. was not permitted to at
tend the school and had to withdraw.
That owing to poor state of health
vaccination is sometimes inadvisable
there is no doubt. Such cases are
frequently adduced as instances in
which school vaccination law does not
apply. If the action of the Danville
School Board, however, is 30 be taken
as precedent there are no exceptions
and the only alternative for principals
and others is to live up to the letter
i'll all the provisions of the law, or to
run the risk of paying a penalty.