Evening journal., 1910-02-02
GOOD TEETH,
GOOD PUPIL
Dr.. TaICOtt williams Speaks
on Necessity Of Health For
School Children
EXPECT TOO MUCH
IN A SOCIAL WAY

DR. Talcott Williams, an editor Of tho
Philadelphia Press. iectured on Medical
inspection IN the Public Schools yes-
terday afternoon before an audiences
which filled the New-Century Club pariors
20 their capacity. The speaker. who was
introduced by Mrs. n. W. Kellogg. chair
man OF the educational committee Of the
club, said IN part that people did not reals
izc the great proportion OF children. oven
IN advantaged families who had physl-
cal defects which brought about the ner-
vous breniSdowns Of school children. ana
retarded their progress IN school, No
family In a community was free from the
danger OF contagion SO long as thera
was no medical inspection 20 keep chil-
dren with contagious diseases from CONS
ing TO school
Compulsory attendance. 30 that 50 Per
cent went 20 school now where only "a
per cent went fifty years ago. only m
creased the dangers Tho speaker consids
cred Wilmington as having splendid adj
vantages; Il was large enough 20 raisa
funds by taxes. and not too large TO ID
away with the personal interest IN tho
schools. Also It was city OF homenj
This was a contrast 20 the tenementa
In New York and Philadelphia where "a
dozen people we're crowded into a roons
and n cubby-hole kitchen
II was practically true that all crdmi-
nails we're physically defectlve-si per
cent. of certain reform school wera
children with unsound teeth which had
meant mainutrition and nervous trouble
Increased by tho excitement of city life.
Bad eyes. trachoma. defective hearingt
crooked spines. affect q large proportion
,F ..,a lu... rI4I
preventable lIo thought likely that out
OF the "ample" 100000 spent yearly on rs
schools by this city 10000 lost its- effect
through preventable diseases
? The speaker emphasized the import
ance Of good teeth. saying the tooth
brush was the foundation OF civiiiza-
tion a personal interest In our coll
! ored neighhors would do much An
the colored children back of his homo
come to tell him when they get pro-
, moted-there is an annual June pro-
cession when everyone who gets pro-
. NOTED gets a quarter Many children
20 TO school breakfastiese. he hoped
\ that medical inspection and Visiting
nurse would soon be part of the public
school system. and that it would not
be tho New York proportion, one nurse
to 1900 children
school Superintendent George w.
Twitmyer gave the following statistics
for 1908. 6745 children i'm for one or
more days. with a loss Of S03a7 days
610s dave lost by we'll children detained
az home owing to contagion. 1871 days
lost by entire rooms for fumigation.
800 children not up 10 grade. The
teachers have for years conducted eyo
and ear examinations as far as they
could Hard cases Of discipline wera
due 10 physical troubles This COM
munity does not prize health-it Is not
concerned with the idea that tho indl-
r vidual effects the entire system.
: DR.. T. o. Cooper arose to express
emphatic objection TO DIR. Williams
, statement that the school funds were
ample. He thought doctors did more
, for nothing than any other people. Or.
Evan G. Shortlidge said 'amen" to this
statement. ard also wished to expostu-
late against over-study at examination
time. Or. Twitmyer said no agreed that
the practice was a present evil. but
2 neither the school board. officials. or
L teachers are responsible. The blame
{ lay entirely with the parents who In
. sisted on their children getting
- through MitAiltI AHtN WtAh nAAc0 A'i
r it or not. The teachers were con-
Q tinually trying to simplify and elimi-
[ nate non-essentlals. Or. Shortlidge
{ thought the school board was RESPONSE
s bic also DR. Williams gave as his
r opinion that the school courses were
graded 70 the average pupil. but ply
Z sical defects lasting because OF lack
j or medical inspection made many in
q dividuals untitled for the work.
DR. Twitmyer called forth hearty ap-
: plause by saying that much Of the
trouble was that the children were eek
= pected to be ladies and gentlemen Of
fashionable society during their school
course" Social functions were not
b compatible with school work. In re-
r sponse 70 DIR. Twitmyer's statements
g OF children-found in the recent truant
q investigations-who had 10 work IN
q keep sufficient food I'm the house. Dr.
y II. w. Kellogg and Mrs. Alfred u.
f Warner expressed the desire OF the
d Consumers League and other charit-
10 able organizations to help such cases