Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-15
HEALTH FOR SCHOOLS
Board of Education Adopts
Sanitary Measures.
CABINETS OF MEDICINES
Bubble Drinking Fountains and
Vacuum Cleaning.
NEW BUILDINGS TO HAVE O. K.
None to Be Occupied Hereafter Un-
less Approved by Health Officer
and Fire Chief.
NEW BUILDINGS TO HAVE O. K.

That tie recent tuberculosis congress
and exhibit in this city Will have bene-
: fetal results In District schools was evil
dent Yesterday 1T the meetin. Of the
board of education in the Franklin School
, building.
Notion was taken looking to better SAN
itary conditions in the school buildings
:. and to the instruction of pupils In meth
DDS of disease prevention. Among steps
! decided upon by the board yesterday or
recommended TO 1t for later approval
were the following:
Common drinking cups will be replaced
: by bubble drinking fountains.
!. Systems Of vacuum cleaning will be In
: stalled in all new school buildings.
School authorities will refuse TO accept
|. new buildings until they have been de-
!. clared sanitary and safe by the District
health officer and the fire chief, respect
Z lively.
Shower baths will be installed in atyp-
{ ical and disciplinary schools If money is
! available.
!. tuberculosis will be studied by pupils
s Of the higher grades and of the normal
schools using text book Simple
Lessons on Tuberculosis or Consump-
!. ton. compiled by Cen George NJ,
: Sternberg.
steps will be taken to supply school
buildings with drugs to be used in cases
: OF emergency.
: The water supplies OF the Deanwood,
|. Woodburn and jackson School buildings
: Will be investigated.
. Text Books Donated.
s Immediately after the board had been
called TO order by President James F..
: oyster and the absence of r. r. Horner
/: noted the first wave from the tuberculosis
I,@
board
: tary Harry Q. Hine. Gen. George NJ.
Sternberg recommended that Simple
Lessons on tuberculosis be adopted as
Il text book in the public schools. In
; second letter Emil Rerlner offered TO
give the schools 5000 copies Of the book.
Supt Stuart recommended the adoption
Of the book, the acceptance OF the gi1t
and Its use as a text DOCK Tor S'uoy IN
the higher grades and the normal schools.
The matter was referred to the commit
tee on text books.
Mrs Ellen Spencer .Afussey suggested
The advisabilty OF Installing shower N .ss
buildings where the atypical and disci- |
piinary classes meet. The. work, she ex-
planned could be done at small expense
This improvement would prove of great
value to the children in the specified
classes . 49,. z
Tho approval of the board was given.
with the provision that money from one
Of the appropriation funds can be used
for the work -
1t was brought to the attention Of the
"a board that teachers are making fenuisi-
lions for drugs for use in emergency
cases aud had not been given;the articles
desired. Secretary Hine explained that he
had asked the District health officer for
a list Of drugs and other articles neces-
sary in an emergency medical cabinet in
school buildings. with a view TO supply
ing teachers. The requests of the teach
ers. 1t was, stated. were so varied that 1t
was practically impossible 10 supply the
different articles asked for.
Il think such things ought to be in
every school building. suggested Mrs.
AIussey. /!
They should prove valuable for tho
use of medical inspectors suddenly called
to a school," suggested another member.
Yes. We want the inspectors to earn
their money" remarked President Oyster
with laugh.
Inspector Under Criticism.
Il know of child who was Ill with
diphtheria and in school for several
days. stated Mrs. Terrell. II would like
TO know where the medical inspectors
We're. TO allow that child to remain in
school,
The agitation for better sanitary condi-
tions in school buildings was given a
boost by recommendations of Supt.
Stuart. which were later read. He called
q. attention first to the visit to the tuber-
. culosis exhibit of the high. manual train
ing. normal and some grade school pupils
and of the lecture given to teachers by
experts at the congress.
He recommended the inst allation of
: bubble drinking fountains in school build
ings and the equipment of new buildings
= with the vacuum system of cleaning and
sweeping.
: There are at this time Obligations
resting upon those who plan and build
ScloOihOuSeS n hat
physical conditions surrounding the
q chiids school life are the best" he stated.
Cant you include in the recommended
> tions some provision for having ventila-
?. ton in schoolrooms' suggested Mrs.
Terrell. Il dislike to visit a school In
., tlie winter. because ! find all windows
down and the air sitting"
Il don't know what We going to do
about securing proper ventilation" stated
Capt. Oyster. One official at the District
building refuses to make changes for bet
ter ventilation. although another official
says the present ventilation system does
. not make the building sanitary
The recommendations of the fire chief
= arc recognized. think those of the health
officer should also be followed. I appeal
' 70 YOU TO see that the new buildings are
more sanitary.
We have a goo example of the need
to insist on more sanitary construction
IN the ketCham School, which was
turned over to us only last February The
health officer has condemned the ventila-
'ion. the light and the toilets of the
school.
We have asked for that report from
The District officials. They have refused
~ give il 10 us.
New Buildings Must Be Approved
We must look after the welfare of the
children i ask this board to pass n reso-
luton at some future meeting declaring
the board VIII not accept any new build
;ngs until they have the approval of both
the health officer and the fire chief"
The recommendations of Supt. Stuart
were approved. Action on the suggestion
~ President Oyster was deferred to a fu-
ture meeting
Sanitary conditions at the Jackson
Deanwood and WOodburn schools were
next discussed. a typhoid fever epidemic
has broken out among the pupils of the