The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-07-27

! Cdleu dt no great Instance from the
capital of one of our Southern States
that was seated with rough board
benches, and when the pupils wished
J to write their exercises they were OBJ
! liged to kneel in front of these
benches using them for writing tables
as we'll. Is your school house like
that? If it is, have you done your
very best to improve those conditions?
In previous article 1 have refer
| red to the spread of disease through
the ever-present water bucket and
dipper and what we should gain in
health capital by the use of the water
tank and the individual drinking cup.
After the cleaning up the banish-
ment of the water bucket must be
the next step in the movement for
better rural schools. 1 know a teach
er who used the proceeds from a
school entertainment to establish a
healthful water supply for her school
room. 1t consisted of a porcelain
lined water tank, with a faucet, and
a supply Of tin drinking cups one for
each child, each cup supplied with
wall space and a hook. She reported
that the entire outfit cost less than
nine dollars. She reported also that
during an entire term no epidemic of
contagious disease appeared in her
school. This same teacher always
keeps on hand in her school room a
bottle of listerine for use in case of
suspicious sore throat, and a bottle
of creolin, that she may promptly at
| tend to wounds or sores as they ap-
pear from time to time among her
pupils. This teacher is an exception
| al woman and we wish there were
more of her kind in our country
schools; but really this kind of atten-
ton should not be left to the already
over-worked teacher. 1t is distinc-
lively the duty of the school patrons,
particularly the duty of the moth
ers of the school neighborhood, to
look after the health needs of the
| school,
The school grounds reflect the
spirit of interest and efficiency of a
| school neighborhood Fortunately,
as a people we are fast disproving the
{ old-time belief that the most barren,
! forsaken, unusable spot of ground in
the neighborhood is good enough
for the school," But we have long
road still to travel before we shall
| have come up to standards of what is
beautiful and healthful in our school
environment.
Probably the greatest need of our
! country schools today is the provis-
ion of decent and properly located
out-buildings and proper attention to
these buildings to see that they are
kept clean and wholesome. 1t is as
founding, when ones attention is di-
rected to it, to see how apparently
prosperous, intelligent neighborhoods
Where there has been provision of this
Kind made, the buildings are fire.
| quently so neglected and filthy that
they are a constant menace to the
health of the entire school. When we
realize that two of our dread diseases
typhoid fever and hookworm. are the
direct result of soil pollution we are
| impressed with the great danger to
the health of The community a neg
lected school out-buildng may be-
| come. Here, then, is a distinct and
oelihlte work for school patrons dur
ing the vacation period, to see to it
| mat two we'll constructed, properly
. located out-buildings are placed upon
the school grounds and that they are
protected by latticcd screens. If the
school house is already provided with
these conVenicnccs they should be
thoroughly cleaned, the refuse buried
ana vault Thoroughly protected from
the visits OF llics or stray animals con
Structed, the whole place treated gem
cr"usly to lime and barrel of lime
and sand lclt on the premises for lu-
turc use.
The preservation of the children
through the Improvement or their
bodies a& VOL as their souls i~ the
duty that courrouts ms. This means
th" moral ana physical saving Of the
child when it is most needed. They.
if RIGHTLY 1,r,J f,r ,,. =. i.........