Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1909-04-02
SANITARY SCHOOL BUILDINGS
AND GROUNDS.

Virginia Health Bulletin is an ex-
cellent article written by Mr.. Charles
G.. Maph:s, President OF the State
Board of School Examiners. The
subject, Sanitary School Buildings
and Grounds is most important and
heretofore much neglected one.
Mr.. Maphis is deeply interested in the
education of the children of Virginia
and handles his subject as only one
can after deep study of the problem
and a thorough acquaintance with ex-
listing conditions.
| To be fully appreciated the entire
article. together with the eleven illus
trations should be read and carefully
examined by teachers, members OF
school boards and parents.
Mr.. Maphis is forme" Shenandoah
boy and his many friends in his home
county appreciate his untiring efforts
for the uplifting of the public school
system OF the state andl rejoice to
know that he is meeting with such a
rare measure of success in this work
The following are quotations from his
article with reference TO school grounds
ventilation, lighting and beauty
"The school site should be well
back from street, road or railroad" "
1.-The whole child goes to school.
The child is body, mind and soul.
The State undertakes TO educate the
child for the purpose of making out
of il a better citizen than it would be-
come without an education. 1t is
manifest then that the type of citizen
most desirable is one who is strong
/ inded, strong-bodied and strong
sCuled. Such a citizen cannot be pro
duced il our system OF education takes
into account the training OF the mind
only. 1t must provide for a sound
m'rd in sound body"
} "Somc time ago l requested d
prominent eye specialist to give me
his opinion as TO the results OF IN
proper and insufficient light in the
schools, and he replied: why, II 1t
were not for the schools, we specialists
would have to retire from business.
The weight of medical testimony as
we'll as common observation confirms
the truth of this statement. Recent
studies of children by medical experts
have revealed to educators shock
ing percentage of defective eyes, weak
ened lungs, spinal curvatures and
nervous troubles as a result Oh
unhygienic conditions in schoolrooms.
In many cases the injury is not de-
tected until later in life, but it can be
traced directly to school days"
"There is no one thing connected
with the economies of school lie
that is worth so much and costs so
little as proper ventilation. There is
great waste of the time and energy o
both teacher and pupil if the physica
conditions upon which mental devel
opment depends are wanting. Moth
ing is more absolutely necessary fol
mental work than pure cir and an
abundance of it. Bad air, breathet
constantly, means sluggishness, bil
iousness, headache, listlessness, In
attention, lack Of energy and OF men
tai vigor, and prepares the subJec
for contagi Gus and other diseases.
is the poorest kind of economy TO de
prive children OF fresh air and o
comfortable rooms in which to study
Atno time in our lives are we s.
susceptible to disease as in our school
days. TIL rapid growth OF the child
the mental strain, and the bad sam
tary conditions of schools render tn
child particularly liable to disease.
''The temperature commonly ac
cepted as proper for schoolroom l
6S degrees Fahr., and it should nc
be allowed TO rise over 10 degree
Fair. SchOolrooms are ordinarll
kept too warm, often so degrees. an
children accustomed to being in sue
an overheated atmosphere are unabl
to stand exposure without contrat
J ing cold and other diseases.
10 The school is defense again
70 ignorance and crime. 1t should
10 made equally defence again
80 disease. 1t can be made
OO only by adopting preventive rer
90 edies. President Eliot saws: Fif
ii years ago nobody knew how to ket
II either a schoolhouse or hospital
II wholesome state: now we do kno
20 how, and the hospitals are kept sal
II but the schoolhouses are not ID
10 Charles O'Donovan, president
u the Medical and CHR urgical Facul
75 OF Maryland, recently said: AT lea
third of those who die annually
the United States die OF diseases tn
need not occur; diseases that are
most crimes upon the city or State
O which they exist
at Will school officials and parer
sse ote much longer rest unconcerned und
80 such indictments"