Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-08
CONNELL PLAN TAKES MONEY
Inspection System for Schools 0p.
posed by Some Board Members.
ONLY BECAUSE OF SMALL FUNDS
City Health Commissioners Proposes
Appointment of Physicians TO
Maintain watch over All
school Children.

Had the board more money than II knew
what to do with, this medical inspection of
the children attending the public schools
might be a good thing, but the board has
been spending too much money, 1t must
curtail and it certainly can not take on
this added expense Of medical inspection.
Anyway. If the board once started II, where
would It end?"
Alfred c. Kennedy, member of the Board
Of Education, In this way answers DR..
Ralph w. Connell, city commissioner Of
health, who has asked the board to appoint
eleven medical inspectors at a salary of
$50 a month each to ascertain and superin-
tend the health of the children In the
thirty-four public schools of omaha.
James c. Lindsay. another member of the
board. expresses himself the same way.
and from the way the board members view
the proposition at this time It does not ap-
pear probable that the recommendation of
the health commissioner will receive faVor-
able action.
Proposition of COnne1l's.
The health commissioner wrote the board
about medical inspection in the schools
some time ago. but no action being taken
he has sent another communication to that
body. the latter to COM up for discussion
tonight. This last letter of DR.. Connell's
Is as follows:
OMAHA, Dec. 4-To the Honorable Board
Of Education: Notwithstanding over
a year ago l addressed a communication
to your honorable body, suggesting you
take up the question Of medical inspection
In the schools. l understand this COM
munication was referred to a committee,
where 1t has been slumbertng up to the
present time. l desire to request that You
at least take up this question and investi-
gate 1t as to It's merits, which, If you do, l
feel confident that Won Will TPAliZn the
Importance and the necessity of having a
medical inspection of the children attend
ing school. l feel confident that any money
spent along these lines will repay the tax
payers many times more than any money
that is spent by your honorable body in the
maintenance of the schools in any ether
way. Medical insDectlon IF schools has
ipassed all the experimental stages. Wherever
II has been adopted 1t has nToved of meal
culable benefit. The beneficial results OBJ
tanned rave been far greater than the
anticipation of its. most ardent supporters.
In my other communication l think l
suggested that you call in twelve or fifteen
of the leading physicians of Omaha and
get their advice and Judgment as to the
Rdvisabllity OF the board adopting a system
OF medical inspection.
Trusting this communication will meet a
little better fate than my last communica-
ton on this subject, and that you will at
least appoint a time for the consideration
Of this matter. where the evidence can be
submitted, why IL should be adopted, l re-
X w. CoNNELL.
COmmlSSlOne OF Health.
DR.. Connell looked into the method OF
health inspection in Chicago during his
recent visit there and found that the in
spection there has provided a way to cope
with epidemics and has brought many
children under treatment who were suffer-
ing from diseases of which the parents
were ignorant, the removal OF which has
aided in their mental efficiency. The sys-
tenn has reached It's greatest efficiency in
Los Angeles, where the results were so
beneficial that smaller cities nearby adopted
the plan, the inference being that the
matter of expense was far outweighed by
the benefit derived.
The cost OF the service would be but a
bAgatelle compared with the vast total that
now accrues to the parents of Omaha from
medical expense needlessly entailed from
lack OF proper knowledge and early regu-
l%ation." says the health commissioner
and 1 am prepared to back up my as
sertion with statistics,
Omaha taxpayers would save money
many times over, II a system of medical
inspection OF the schools were established.
II the work were done as it should be,
including both the public and parochial
schools, the annual bill would be not to
exceed 5000. The saving in physicians
bills to the parents of school children. the
saving in suffering by the pupils and the
resultant good that would come to many
children who are deficient In their studies
from purely physical causes ought to COM
mend the plan and surely ought to be OF
sufficient Importance to cause the school
board to give the matter at least a hear