The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-03-24

20 per cent will become mothers. Are
we properly conserving in the girls
of today the mothers of tomorrow,
unless we educate these girls for their
life work?
Our rural schools need better
teachers, better school houses so far
as light, heat and ventilation are con-
cerned We need better rural school
supervision and longer tenure of SER
vice for the rural teachers and
stronger cooperation among the pa
irons O fthe districts and between pa
irons and teachers
Need More Hygiene.
1--WE need more hygiene in theory
and practice in all our school work.
Wisconsin now compels all schools to
have drinking fountains. Other states
are now moving rapidly along school
sanitation lines.
ITO make our school system more
efficient will not be expensive or diff
ficult This body today can advance
such a movement if it will, and If
each one of us present will do his
part, earnestly and courageously, the
Northwest will soon take even high
err rank than it does today, because
of its work in education.
Let us consider briefly other ways
in which conservation is needed.
The Toll of Disease.
"Tuberculosis in the United States
is causing annually the DEATH of
$50, 600 people, three-fourths Of whom,
experts say, could have avoided the
disease. Consider the suffering, loss
of wages, and expense of this one
item of disease! Last year in the
United States alone the anti-tubercu
conservation cost over $5,500,000. and
this year bids fair to double that
amount. Physicians say that 50 per
cent Of our young men, sometime be-
tween the ages of Is and 80, suffer
from sexual diseases, which entail
great loss of earning capacity, great
loss of moral force, and much blind
ness and disease to their children,
and suffering, surgery and unhappi-
ness to their wives.
1.-The ravages of other diseases cause
heavy financial loss and suffering and
death. In the United States an av-
erage of 100000 persons are sick at
all times, hence the financial or eco
nomic loss averages - days per
capita per year Eighteen of the
foremost experts say that Is years
average could be added to each life
in America in one year, by apprais-
ing properly the science of preven-
ton in air, water and milk. Does
not this statement show the fearful
price we are paying for failure to
prevent contagious infectious and I'M
necessary diseases?
Many Moral "Shorts."
I'm the penitentiary reformatory,
industrial school, school for feeble
minded, insane asylums, jails and
poor houses of Washington, are more
than 1000 mental industrial or moral
shorts" The hobo is an industrial
short" The anarchist is a Social
short" The wife deserter, the lazy,
the incompetent, the unwise-all these
are inefficients, and the Northwest
pays dearly because they have not
been made efficient citizens And for
the offspring of these the Northwest
must pay still larger sums, unless by
education or otherwise the present
ones may be reached. Washington,
year ago, was wise enough to follow
the example Of eastern states in re-
fusing marriage certificates to per-
sons afflicted with insanity, tubercu-
loSiS and venereal diseases, and de-
handing a medical examination be-
fore a marriage license could be is
sued. Before this somewhat drastic
pOl116 no oIX f1ir vi
unwisely repealed and no doubt hun
dreds of unborn children in Wash
ington will suffer because of it. BY
re-enacting this law and by requir-
ing ontice that a marriage license
would be asked for. the state can
conserve the boys and girls Of to-
morrow. Surely we need laws and
regulations, such that criminals, in
sane, and the viciously diseased shall
not be allowed to become parents.
Care Needed in Choice.
THE man VINO chooses the thing
for which he is not fitted; the man
who fails to make the proper pre-
paration, though he chooses the right
occupation; the man who changes
from vocation to vocation: the man
seriously enough; the man who fails
to get the right attitude, or view
point toward life; these, all these, fail
Of the highest conservation, and fail,
too, in the proper direction of their
sons and daughters.
These, then, are some of the con-
ditiOns as l see them and the reme-
dies lie at our own door yard. Par
ents and t. achers must sacrifice, if
need be. to study, and understand
their boys and girls, and to give them
a square deal. Teachers must stand
for the strengthening of the educa-
tional system. Children must be
taught the value of cleanliness, sani
tation, pure air, right habits, food,
light, heat and disease prevention.
Medical, dental, eye and physical ex-
aminations must be- provided for, and
games and sports adopted, for all
must take the place of our modern
athletics. The Industrial, social and
moral sides of education must be
strengthened. Men and women must