The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-08-23
THE VACCINATION LAW.
oulronts Teachers, Patrons and School
Officials, as Schools are About
to Open.
OPEN LETTER FROM SUPT. BARTON.

\ Fulton County:
Shortly after the opening of
Xur schools year ago, we were
onlronted by the ruling of DR..
samuel G.. Dixon, State Health
t,ommissioner of Pennsylvania,
Hlrectlng that the vaccination law
Should be rigldly enforced
throughout the State.
Our county, like many others,
Bud not comply with the law for
)E1 wo reasons: first, because the
~ schools had already begun, and
q in enforcement of the law would
e necessarily have meant a break in
4 he attendance; and, second, be.
& ause the cold and brittle weather
fwas here and parents hesitated
b. have their children vacclnated
tor fear of colds and such disor-
3 Hers as are incident tC winter
weather, thus making the vaccl-
#nation doubly hard.
The question now arises what
81 hall we do in the matter for the
e fcomlng term?
81 Section II of the Act of June
T. is, 1898, provides: "That all prin-
Ecipals or teachers IN charge of
n Schools are hereby required to
N &refuse the admission of any child
N TO the schools under their charge
or supervision, except upon a cer-
h tifcate signed by a ply sician set
< hing forth that such child has been
N successfully vaccinated, or that it
has previously had smallpox.
Il Section II of the same act pro.
Xvldes; "That any principal or
teacher who fails, neglects, or re.
n fuses to comply with said act,
y shall upon conviction thereof be
Y liable to a fine of not less than So,
n nor more than 800, and in default
n Of paym ent thereof shall undergo
II an i'm prisionment IN the county
~ for a period not to exceed six
\ ty days"
Whether the law meets with our
4 approval or not, or whether it be a
wise ruling or not, it is neverthe-
Il less a part OF the statutes of our
State, and we cannot question its
\ justice. 1t has been sustained by
n the Courts, and we, as school Of
iiclals, and as patrons and citizens
of the commonwealth, must eth
er obey or be prepared to suffer
the penalties of it's violation.
The law makes the teacher
wholly responsible for the OBJ.
\ servance or the violation of the
same--lt is the teacher only who
Is made to suffer where the law
IS not compiled with; and, while
the law provides that no pupil
Shall be admitted to the schools,
who does not possess physl-
cans certificate, yet | feel that
by judlcious efforts on the part
OF teachers and school officials,
and by the laying aside of pre-.
Jadice on the part OF patrons, all
OF our boys and girls can be
brought to fulfilment of the law
without any being driven from
the schools.
Where we go in advance of pub
lc sentiment or go contrary
thereto, we must meet opposition
hence, my argument for wise
counselllng and tactful presenta
lions of the vaccination question
by those in authority so that pub
nc sentiment may be educated t,
the point of cheerful observanc,
of the law.
ln three of the districts of the
county, the law was observed las
winter; in others, the school
& boards have recommended It's oh
servance this year; but whethel
Il school boards take action or not
" tls up to the teachers to NEE
the question and handle it as the,
think best
trust that parents will Civ
this question due and fair con
n sideration before the opening O
The schools so that no teache
may be endangered, and no pu
pil deprived of an education.
n Respectfully
CHAs. E. BARTON.
+ S.-The question may arise
Must teachers be yacclnatedY