Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-06
NEEDS OF THE CAPITAL
Social Conditions Discussed
by Civic Center.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Plan for Correction of Physical De-
fects in Juveniles.
ADDRESS BY DR.. G. M. KOBER
Government Loans for Home Build
ing to self-Respecting Laborers
Advocated by W. II. Baldwin.
ADDRESS BY DIR. G. M. KOBEI

NJ. Kober and G. H. Weber of the Presi-
dents homes commission pleaded for the
elimination Of the alleys, the construction
Of sanitary and complete homes that will
rent cheaply, enforcement of adequate
building regulations, provisions for re-
claiming habitual drunkards and the re-
| moval of physical defects of child to pre-
vent permanent disabilities in manhood.
| The annual election Of officers was also
held and resulted as follows: President,
DR.. George M. Kober: vice presidents. w.
H. Baldwin. E. A. Fay and g. H. Weber;
| secretary, DR.. II. J. Harris treasurer, H.
J. Dynes: members of the council, Miss
c. c. Barnum. P. NJ. Hughes. c. X. Read.
| Henry T. Rainey. l. NJ. Rubinow, E. F.
Smith and Rev. John Van Schaik jr
Needs of Washington.
| Mr.. Baldwin declared that one Of the
greatest needs of the city is cor1prehen-
| trict beyond the old city limits similar to
the plan of L'Enfant for the development
of the present city. The city is now be-
| ing extended, he said. without any plan
| for breathing spaces such as are pro-
vided by the many parks laid out by the
| original designer of the capital.
Another need he said. is for an adequate
| system of building laws and an adequate
enforcement of those laws. He said he
was sorry that the present investigation
of the building department of the Dis
trict has been baked because Of the in
ability to properly shift complaints.
He advocated a plan by which the gov
| eminent will loan on proper security
| sum of money to be used in building
homes for self-respecting laborers that
will rent cheaply.
| In discussing the alley problem and the
recommendations along that line made by
the Presidents homes commission Dr.
Kober declared there should be law
prohibiting the conversion of old stables
into dwellings. There is law. he said.
prohibiting the building of dwellings In
alleys, but designing landlords" have
been known to build stables in alleys
and to convert these stables. upon their
completion, into dwellings for the poorer
classes. In this way, he contended, the
| law is violated.
Defective Children.
In discussing the need for the treat
ment of physical defects of children DR..
Kober. pointed out the large percentage
of Washington school children found to
be in some way physically defective. He
added
| 1T will be readily conceded that every
crippled or deformed child should. if pos
sIble be spared from permanent disability.
| No thoughtful parent should hesitate to
act when attention is directejto the seri-
GUS consequences of neglect Poverty Is
l. no excuse for the 'do-nothing system,
as medical charities offer adequate ia
cilities for treatment of persons unable
to pay.
| Discussing the Investigations made in
| the graded schools, DR.. Kober referred
to q table of results in the report of the
| mission and then
continued:
"From this table we learn that out
of 43,OO5 pupils in the graded schools
13.4O7 were colored and 29,59S were
J, 7sf instances of the defects listed in the
table were encountered. or a relation
of 1872 per cent. Among the white pu-
pills 11,52O notat!ons of defects. or re-
| lation of $50 per cent to the whole
were encountered.
| The difference in percentage of de-
| fects between white and colored children
| is solely due to the better condition Of
| the teeth in the colored children. To-
tai defects noted, 1894. or 35.5 per cent
] Of the pupils examined These per-
| centages, high as they may appear. are
much lower than the rate reported from
New York.
Graver Physical Defects.
"Omitting from this consideration the
6,69S pupils who probably needed only
| dental care-a matter of Importance.
however. to the general health-we
still have to deal with S.606 pupils. or
30 per cent of the total, whose physical
| condition should be matter of grave
| concern to the parents. OF this number
149 were crippled. 30 deformed, 4Cl
! have strabismus (squint), 312 had dis
. charging ears, $50 defective hearing.
Zig defective vision, 2.062 were mouth
| breathers,'- 7O3 were understood. 727 i'll
| nOur1shed and 934 were anem1c.
| 1T was not deemed best to conduct
physical examinations involving the re-
moval Of clothing; hence the number
(; of ruptured children could not be de-
termined. But. judging from the re-
ports of the agents of the Associated
Charities, the number Is sufficiently great
for serious consideration.
| Nor Is there an excuse for not attempt
ing to cure discharging ears, defective
hearing or vision. since every observer
lis familiar with the sad consequences
of such defects in the ultimate struggle
for existence. Parents may not know
that child afflicted with squint. hare
lip or cleft palate may be transformed
into a vicious character, because it is
the object of constant ridicule within and
without school; and that all of this could
be avoided by a timely operation. Nor
is it generally known that anaemic and
i'll nourished children and those suffering
from enlarged tonsils. cervical glands, OF
pOSt-DaSdl RTOWtnS anu lNe majority oil
mouth breathers,' are peculiarly suscep-
tible to disease in general and to tubercu-
losis In particular
Remedy Is Hygienic Education.
Lastly there is no good reason why
special attention should not be given Il
the physical development of undersizeo
children or those affected with slight mus
cular dcformities, WHICH, If left uncor
rected. will be source of regret ant
even reproach to the teacher and parent
THE remedy lies chiefly in education
For this purpose the study of hygien
should be made an important part of tn,
school curriculum. In this way the par
ents may be reached through the child
Instructive visiting nurses should b.
appointed for the schools SO that the.
l may follow the child to the home an,
point out to the parents the desira bilit,
of securing prompt professional advice il
r all cases where it is indicated, and espe
! cially in instances where neglect is likel,
to result in permanent disability. In thi
= general educational campaign the medica
inspectors Of schools. teachers, socia
y settlement workers. agents and friendl,