The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-16
THRIVE IN COLD AlR
Daring Experiment Brings Health TO
School Children

now being conducted successfully in
Mount Airy, Penn, by an enthusiastic
fresh air advocate Of that locality.
The school is not anything like fresh
air schools that have been started be- |
fore. 1t is not a hospital tent
place for sick children; not a new
tangled method of treating incipient
tuberculosis or a fad born in fan
cifu woman's brain that is apt to
die out at any moment but an up to
date well appointed place of instruc-
ton where live, able-bodied boys and
girls are taught the traditional three
RS and the rest of primary schools
curriculum.
Catch cold? Not bit of it. Every
youngster is stuck feet first in
woolen-lined canvas bag fitted with
strong drawing strings that fasten
tight at the waist and keeps old win
ters frozen breath from nipping the
tender legs Ear tabs, stout jackets,
warm mufIlers and soft mittens fur
Their protect the full-blooded little
bodies and thoroughly discourage any
premeditated attacks OF la grippe and
his active brother, pneumonia.
When Miss Ellen Stanley Mills
first started the outdoor school she
was met with storm of opposition
Parents in the neighborhood said she
was crazy and would not permit
their little ones to attend.
But Miss Mills figured that il Gods
fresh air and sunshine were good for
poor anemic consumptiyes and had
the power TO snatch almost from the
graves brink so many of the unfor-
tunate victims of the dread white
! plague, an extra draught or so drawn
into the lungs of healthy growing
boys should be of inestimable value
as well. why wait for the tuber-
culoss germ to enter the lungs and
start work before becoming a disciple
of the fresh air theory" she reason
ed. III oxygen is good after the dis
ease has taken hold it's better before.
No one ever contracted consumption
outdoors"
With arguments like these the
woman pounded at the doubling ears
OF the few who would listen to her,
and finally a year or two ago started
her first class. That class has
grown so remarkably that five assis-
tants are now needed to help her in
struct the big gathering of Riddles
she has In charge. Miss Mills
school is the only one in the entire
world that has on its roll none but
absolutely. healthy, perfectly normal
children.
AT first the sight of fourseore oil
more youngsters calmly seated, ems
conced i'm their clumsy Esquimo-likt
garments on benches before the lit
tie schoolhouse on Boyer street, ere
ated lots of excitement In the quiet
neighborhood, particularly when the
mercury In the thermometer took 1
rapid downward course and register
ed somewhere near the zero mark.
Several times passersby with over
susceptible nerves muttered threat,
TO Inform the Society to Proven
Children from Cruelty and force tina
misguided teacher to bring those III
tie dears In by the fire." but nothing
ever came of them. Miss Mills wen
right adead, turned up her cola
when a furry OF snow fell and stucl
= to her theory.
| Once a physician, moved by Pre-
fessional curiosity, looked In ON tn
rosy-cheeked class as Il poured owe
It's books on the snow covered lawn
| Great" was his verdict after a loo
at the bright-eyed throng: ought t
be more such schools. We woul
have fewer colds TO contend with"
And so the school has grown 4
popularity. Mothers who send thei
children to Miss Mills" tell thei
|, neighbors that Johnny hasn't had
Il cold all winter" or Ruth doesn
| know what sore throat is this year
and more converts are made to III
fresh air theory on the spot.
L Take peep into the schoolyar
any morning. You will find a mo.
. astonishingly appareled coterie. Fac
= child Is tied In the lined canvas ba
,s The curious AFFAIR reaches the wais
- II keeps the body. feet and legs war
and coy as II the tiny wearer wei
r but a few feet away from a heatt
L stove.
ut AtdtHtiH tlolut themselves
;. similar garments while instructor
u and the class goes through it's lie
sons in geography, spelling, etc vii
a ugor never seen In ordinal
schools.
In Here is an example OF the routiI
: work OF pupil in the Fresh A
school:
S;45-Report at the teachers des
Take of wraps. Devotional exer,
SEES.
3 TO s;45-Devoted to dressing a
children In the cold weather" IA
ments. Each child's accoutremen
is carefully inspected by Miss Nil
or one OF her assistants. Lift
hands are pushed into the war;
ileecelined mittens, the canvas b,
adjusted and each youngster help,
TO his place at the bench In Il
school yard.
$3.50 TO 9:50-Reading and spelliI
and blackboard instruction In h
school room, with every wlndo
dung wide open.
$3.50 TO i0:05-Recess. on wi
warmer" and romp in the Cd,
galow In the rear OF the yard.
to II and III TO 11:30-Mo
'eriods and then home I
The afternoon Is similar