Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1908-03-18

""hy OF these children are
'aken away from school and sent 20
work because their parents saw they
cannot learn and are better helping to
pay the rent than wasting their time
in school, ,l,t
In connection with the movement
Tor the prevention Of child labor we
come across hundreds of instances of
TINS Kind. Factory inspectors and pny.
sicians in industrial eenters where
ehiid labor is prevalen, have frequent.
~ pointed out that a very large mum.
Der OF the child workers are quite un.
NJ for work. They were sick and back.
ward in school, and Of that special care
being given them which their eondi.
ton demanded in order that they
might be equipped for the struggle for
existence they were removed altopetn.
or from the schools influences and sub.
jeeted to conditions which tend to fur.
ther deterioration, physical, mental
and moral
Medical inspection Shouts be more
thorough and efficient. At present it is
most prefunctory and superficial. With
few honorable exceptions, the prae-
tice is TO look only for infections or
contagious disease and verminous
heads. Little OF no attention has been
given ~ yet to the eyes, ears, teeth,
nerves and respiratory systems and
general bealta.
inspections by DR.. CroniD in New
York are by far the most important
yet made in the United States and
show the importance Of this widely
neglected subject.
When j have stood in some Of our
American public schools and observed
the way in which medical inspcc ton,
are mahe-ss many as 1000 children
being inspected" 10 ten or twelve
minutes--I have with shame contrast
ed the fareial proceeding vita the
thorough and sys,ematical work done
In several European countries.
In Belgium, France, Germany, Italy
Norway and Switzerland, every child
is examined every ten dsys-eyes
teeth, ears, general condition. siekl,
children are put on special diets gnc
given special individual medical care
There are sanstiria and convslesen'
J homes in connection with the schools
and holiday colonies are provided. IL
Switzerland, poor children are fire.
quently clothed and shod at public ex
penss.
From the superficial survey Of tb'
conditions Of the child in our puhli,
schools, draw the following eonclu
sions;
| In teaching large classes the person
al equation In lost. The most VALUABLE
| element Of the, teacher 10 showered oil
the bright child, while the baekwsr'
or defective are frequently lost q
sight.
Teachers who fail TO recognize de
fective child commit great injury b.
permitting the ehild's mind to be I'm
employed. This il especially true o
the depraved type of children. Tn
children in our reform schools, tn
great army Of the police court, chroni
drunkaids, and criminals, the tramp
vagants, are largely recruited fror
this class Of the slightly mentally dc
icient who were neglected in tbei
youth.
J In gathering Of classes of childre
Of unequal capacity, the teacher fail
to recognize the varied powers OF n
tention, which is Of first importance J
the process Of mental development. ~
The physician should take deepf
interest in watching the mental defect
y aud having children so afflicted prof.
erly classified. The physical defect
including those If the eye, ear, nos
should receive more attention tnan .
now given.
We as profession are eonfropt'
with the appalling information that q
/ 600 defective school children exist
the United States.
: DR.. Granville y. Ryan, Des Nome
e Ia, thought that too often physician
= are prone TO say what should or shou
. not, be done, and then 70 home and
. nothing, {" Honest Doctors. y in Il
! last year DR.. Ryan's local society a
q pointed committee to investigate t.
:. sanitary conditions Of the schools. II
A teaehers were not notified. The exa'
/ iners went in on the pupils and -four
:. them as they were every day, and th'
i. collected dust from the schools and PT
y pared cultures. The pupils were ma
. "a march all around the room Tor