Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-29

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based upon progress in school studies.
| judged largely by examinations. and
| the further fact that pathological
condition Of vision Is frequently de-
| veloped by excessive use of the eyes
in study.
But when judged by the bearing of
| detective vision upon general eff
| cheney in life. together with the evil
consequences thar may result from
neglect Of these defects. this class OF
| physical deficiency commands serious
| attention and treatment. 1t Is a not
able fact, TOO, that while other phys-
cal defects in pupils decrease with age,
defective vision steadily increases with
| course.
| The Information received hy the
committee shows that the cases OF
| physical deficiencies in tho schools re-
| ported represent 17.6 per cent of the
| school population. With this as II
| basis Of calculation it may be con-
| servatlvely stated that there are ut
| least 10000 boys and girls III the
| public schools of Utah who because of
| physical defects are being deprived of
| the full benefits of common school
J education.
May we not properly raise the
question. Does the state have a moral
children at school without itself first
providing that the school. in all cases.
shall be n benefit and not an injury
to the child? Have we now any as
surancc that all children are thus
protected? While it is true that we'll
TODD parents may provide medical in
spection In their own families, and
secure medical aid when necessary
and exemption from school attendance
for child whore conditions warrant;
if inspection is to he general, II must
be done by public authority and at
public expense
A DOUBLE PURPOSE.
Medical supervision has for its aim
double purpose, health and educn-
ton. The state provides free cduca
ton, in part. as Il matter of self pro
lection Do not the facts disclosed
warrant us in urging medical super
vision for the same reason. that
healthy body is the first requisite of a
healthy mind. 10 one can longer doubt.
Individual efficiency Is the unit Of
measure in our great and growing
civilization. hence our national we'll
being demands health supervision rs
part of our educational scheme.
In urging upon the public the grave
necessity for medical supervision we
cannot refrain from calling attention
to the danger Of failure which comes
from making of 1t merely medical in
spcction Medical supervision means
much more. Teachers can be easily
trained to make the preliminary IN
spection and thus materially reduce
the cost. This training of teachers
should be made an important duty OF
the school physician. This will enable
the teachers to know the child as
nothing else can do, and will ut the
same time allow the physician with
out an increase of service to give
necessary advice to parents of serious
~ defective children. This phase OF
the work which follows the finai IN
spection should be done by II trained
nurse or the physician. Suitable In
Jividua records should be provided
and kept These records should show
the phvsical condition as well as his
mental growth. ana should follow the
pupil in his onward progress so that
The teacher may be kept informed OF
these physical defects.
A system of medical inspection wouio
be n great benefit to all the children
in the schools, not only IN olsso ,.iii's
physical defects but also In proVluiils
for the early detection ana prompt eN-
clusion of all contagious diseases. II
should also provide for securing stand
ard conditions in respect to Sanitation
lighting, heating, ana Ventiiatiiis
school buildings, and thereby promote
the health and safety of the chIldreii'
MENTAL DEFICIENCY.
Comprising children from six to eigh-
teen years OF age who appear to be SUP.
normal in mental capacity, the mental
handicap being so great as to make
intcllectual progress in school studies
either impossible or sluggish.
Not to include the merely temporary
cases of backwardncss due TO eNtcrhai
or easily remcdiablc causes. but only
the more serious tempermcntal cases of
extremely retarded or manitestly ar
rested development which forbodes the
final deprivation of a complete common
school education.
Continually repeating the grades or
receiving undescrved promotions, with
wears OF school attendance and little
nroyrcss, is the practical test that Sig
mails these children out for classification
Total school population, l6S,oio
I. Children who have never at
tended school on account OF cN-
trcmc mental deficiency as
shown by idiucy, imbccility, or
detective mental Development. IS
II. Children who have been with
drawn from the schools by parent
or guardian after The children
have demonstrated their appai
ent incapacity to progress In
school studies 1900. .,.......... lSo
III. Children who have been cX-
cluded from the schools by teach
crs. school board, or juvenile
court:
l. Because OF incorrigihility cou-
pied with apparent incapacty
to progress In school studies ;. so
., Because of manifest incapac-
ity to progress in school stud