The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-12-03
pANeERs OF rusERcuLoala
Movement to Carry knowledge Into
the Public Schools.

the Public Schools.
New York, Dec. s.-As a result OF
the great campaign against tuberculos-
is now being carried on throughout
the world, many OF the public schools
in the United States are taking a new
departure In teaching to the children J
the nature, causes, dangers and pre- |
vention Of consumption. A text book |
entitled Simple Lessons on Tuber- |
eulosis or Consumption" has just been |
placed in the seventh and eighth !
grades Of the District Of Columbia !
The Massachusetts educational auth.
critics, acting under law OF the leg.
islature Of 1908 are establishing cour.
SEES of instruction on tuberculosis in
all of the schools of the state. In ad-
dition to these public movements
many of the private organizations
throughout the country have establish
ed, and are establishing, open air
schools for consumptive children, It
being estimated that about two per
cent of the pupils in the larger city
schools have tuberculosis.
The first public school for cOnsump-
tive children 10 be established In the
United States was opened in Provi-
dence, r. l.. last January. The SEES
sions We're held entirely in the open.
and the benefits Of the fresh air treat
ment were combined with the teach
ing and training of the public schools.
This experiment led to other move
ments, both public and private. The
Brookline Anti-Tuberculosis society
opened a school for tuberculous chill
dren in July which is still successfully
conducted. In Boston a school for
consumptives was opened under pri-
yate auspices in July. 1t being the in
tention to keep it open for the sum.
mer months only, but so successful
were the results of this work that the
city school authorities recently decid.
! ed to take over the work and set
aside permanent building for this
purpose. In Pittsburg similar
school was opened in September and
the marked benefits which the chill.
dren have already received from this
| training have led to it's enlargement.
The Board Of Education of New York
City has just granted teacher to the
Bellevue Hospital Day Camp for the
purpose of conducting school there
and a consumptive teacher has been
secured to teach the consumptive
children This school will be conduct
ed on the deck of an old ferry boat
In all Of these schools the children
are kept in the open air all day long
Most Of the buildings used are opened
on three sides and are so constructed
as to furnish unlimited supplies OF
fresh air without draughts. Desks
blackbOards and other paraphernalia
are provided in these schools just the
same as in the regular institutions
The children study and recite In the
open air even during the coolest
weather. and the percentage Of colds
among them is far smaller than chill
dren in ordinary public schools. In
most Of these fresh air schools soap
stones are provided for keeping III,
feet warm in cold weather.
In addition to these specially con
Quoted schools several OF the states
have required that the important fact.
about tuberculosis be taught In the
lower grades of the public institutions
Michigan was the first state to adOp
measures of this kind. By an act o
1895 the public schools are required
to give instruction on the nature o
tuberculosis and other infectious dis
eases In New Jersey progressiy,
steps are being taken by teaching IN,
children in the schools a set of aphor
isms on consumption. In Massachu
sets a section on the nature, dangers
and prevention OF consumption is be
ing inserted in all of the physiologies
In the District of Columbia a specia
text book has been provided In which
instruction is given concerning sleep
ing in the open air the dangers o
splitting. the way to prevent consump
J ton and other kindred topics. Dallas
, Tex, is the latest city to adopt thu
method of teaching children abou
consumption in the schools and with
In few days a tuberculosis Primer
. will be in the hands OF every pupil II
the public schools. I'm North CAROL
ma separate section on tuberculosis
. placed in all he physiologies 4
taught to all OF the children. In Ba
timore steps are being taken 10 carr
on systematic campaign OF educa
D ton among the school children b.
= means of lectures and circulars. Man
? o,ner cities of the country are follow
ing this plan A petition has bee
sent to the governor of South CAROLYN
requesting that n text book on tubel
culosis similar to that used In Wasi
ington, be placed In the public schools
Several Of the other states are ais
taking steps along similar lines.
This movement for the popular &c
= ucation Of school children on IN
Y causes and dangers OF consumption
receiving a great impetus and expert
! on this subject conclude that With
Eve years the majority Of childre
e in the United States will be taugf
!. concerning the evils and dangers {
~ tuberculosis before they leave IN