The Virginia enterprise., 1908-11-06

light and sunshine shall be freely
admitted. There are many trachers
who Sin against the light, by shut
ting it out of the school rooaas. Fl
is better to endure too much ssua.
shine than to suffer from too little.
Abundance of fresh air and plenty
of light and sunshine are health
essentials that no teacher can afford
to overlook.
Another important matter, too
often neglected by school jauitors
is the condition of the basement.
This part of the building often
serves a place,of storage for refuse
material, cast away apparatus and
supplies, pieces of old 'furniturn.
soiled rags, waste paper aud In.
describable trash. Often in the old
buildings this is covered with dust
or mold and affords hiding places
for all kinds of vermin. When the
heating and ventiiatiuR plants are
also in THE basement, and the air
continually breathed by the child
rem is contaminated by such i'm
| purities comment is unnecessary.
Basement rooms in all school build.
ings should be kept dry and scrup-
u1ously clean, and should consti-
tute receptacles for only such ma.
teriaIs as can be stored without en-.
dangering the building by FIRE or
the health OF it's occupants by pol
luted air.
SUMMARY.
Here let me sum marize the most
important preca utions that should
be taken by teachers and school
authorities:
l. Secure cleanliness of school
rooms and school grounds. Insist
upon cleanliness Of person, cloth
ing, books, and other personal prop
ertY.
2. Dispense with the 0ld-tashiou-
ed broom, and feather duster, and
substitute the floor brush and dam
pened cloth.
3. Train all the pupils to regard
expectorating on the floor as the
tilthiest and most dangerous of
habits.
4. Filthy text. xt.books, and those
that have been exposed to contag
ion, should be turned into the Office
to be disinfected ordestroyed.
5. Forbid the promiscuous nee
of pencils, pen.holders, and other
articles which pupils habitually
put into their mouths.
6. Secure plentiful supply of
pure, fresh air in the school rooms
at all times.
Z. Let the atmosphere of the
rooms be thoroughly washed sew
eral times each day by the admis.
sion of air currents from without
through the windows.
8. Give regular exercises in deep
breathing in connection with the
physical culture exercises.
9. Insist upon heslthful posi-
tion in sitting at desks, a correct
posture in standing, and a natural
gait in walking.
10. Admit all the sunlight posi-.
BILE into the school rooms.
IL. Carefully guard from infec.
ton the sources of your fresh air
supply.
II. Never let your thermometer
register above normal.
IL. Let the temperature be as un-
form as possible throughout the
school roomg
IA. See that the source of your
water supply is pure.
Is. Common drinking cups are q
menace.
16. Let such children in the
school as are affected with lung dis
ease be isolated from the other chill.
dren as much as possible.
II. Let the teacher use her knowl-
edge and influence to protect az far
as possible those children who are
exposed to infection by association
with parents or others in the home
affected by tuberculosis. II the
teacher can do nothing more she
can at least request the assistan nee
of physician.
18. Let the teacher, by talks on
hygiene, emphasize the importance
of nutritious food, give iustructiou
as to the manner of eating, and ex.
plain other essentials for the devel.
opment of strong physical cousti'
tutions. capab of resisting the at.
tacks of diseases. A campaign OF
education is needed throughout the
country TODAY upon THE subject
and our public school teachere
should become it's foremost evan.
gels.
So much have said in favor of a
proper physical environment in
. which the child can grow a clean
healthy body, since only in clean
healthy body can be grown a clean
good soul. believe you will ell
agree with me when l cay that
health conditions affect, or perhaps
l had better cay, form the mental
habits of the child. aud his mental
: ha bits enter LARGELY into the fOfm0.