Evening journal., 1910-02-24
TO EXAMINE THE
SCHOOL CHILDREN
Interested Bodies Practically
Decide to Begin Work About
March |

Al meeting held last night in the
rooms OF the Board Of Education AT which
were present members OF that body. the
Board Of Health. the Delaware Dental As
ISOLATION and the educational committee
of the New-Century Club. Il was pracu-
caily decided 10 proceed with the physical
examination Of the children OF the public
schools Of the city. It is hoped TO start tho
work by March 1 and whether this can be
accomplished depends upon the New-cen-
tury Club committee. The representatives
OF that committee last night offered 10 Sc
cure volunteer nurses to assist in these
inspections.
Drs. Shoruidge. Cooper and Buckmastcr
represented the Board Of Education at the
meeting last evening. Drs. Charles r. Jef-
ferris, Jr.. and Philip A. Traynor repre-
sentel the Dental Association The educa-
tinnsi committee, Mrs. II. w. kellosg,
ohairrsn and Mrs. Horace Belts. presi-
dent. represented the New-Century Club.
and the roard Of Heath was represented
Ly Secretary Joseph wigglesworth. Dr.
Snoril'dse presided.
Superintendent Of schools Twitmyer was
present and after the meeting was called
to order he presented interesting data
which he had obtained from HARRISBURG
and Reading, Pa. and Camden, N. j.,
where the system OF medical inspection OF
the school children has been in vogue foi
sometime with very beneficial results.
Professor Tuitmyer said that every on'
az the l.ss cases OK non-proui2iion in ~
city schools last year had been written ~
by the teachers in 50 far as was possib
for them 10 make non-professional diag
nosis Of the physical causes for the non
promotion OF the scholar. The returns o
the teachers In the high school showed
that there had been 1873 in this class IN
the last term. of whom twenty-one had
defective sight hearing. adenoids, etc.
thirteen were mentally defective. sever
failed because Of personal illness, nine.
teen were charged against irregular at
tendance and a large number failed be-
cause Of lack Of application.
Twenty-Five had too many outside en-.
gagements and FILTERED away their time
until Just previous to examination, and
then tried to catch up in a few weeks the
work of the entire term. -Four were
charged to poor home surroundings and
training. Bad preliminary training in The
primary schools. which he characterized
as poor excuse, had twenty-one charged
TO its credit, or discredit; miscellaneous
reasons. not Included in the above, cause(
twenty-one TO fail. It totaled twenty
seven Der cent OF the entire population oi
the high school that had failed to get pro
NOTED. The grammar schools had ss4 non
promotions. the number in each of th'
above classes, in the same order. being
Sc. s7. Il. 1O6, 6i, l6 II, and H. Nine hun
dred and slxty-one primary children die
not get promoted, and 2s7 Of these were
physically deficient.
Compared with Camden, n. j., wher'
medical inspection has been the rule foi
the past eleven years, and compulsory at
tendance for one year. Professor Twit
myer gave these figures: High school pro
motions in Camden. so per cent; Whining
ton, rs per cent; grammar schools, Cam
den, 81 per cent; Wilmington, 81 pc
cent. The ratio was about the same II
each city in the primary grades. None o
the reports (which he had received showed
the number OF children who, found physi
cally or mentally deficient upon inspec
ton, had been treated. returned 70 schoo
and improved or the reverse.
DR.. Jeneris and DR.. Traynor stated tha
they were present to ask the co-operatiol
Of the board and the medical fraternity Il
the dental examination Of the children
He reported that eighteen Of the twenty
three dentists had agreed 10 give one da.
each per month 10 the work.
In response 90 a query from Mr.. Wig
ellsworth, Dr. Buckmaster stated tina
there were possibly twenty-five physician
who would voluntarily assist in the work
and suggested that a meeting be caliel
later at which the physicians and dentist
could meet informally and map out thei
plans for the division OF the inspection
work and arrange in what points eacl
could assist tho other
Mrs. Kellogg, chairman OF the educa
tional committee OF tho New-Centur.
Club, proposed that the club arrange 70
the services Of volunteer nurses. which a
agreed would be material and valuab'
aid in the work. Mrs. Betts. in answer I
question of Dr. Shortlidge IL the CON
mittee had power to act in the matte,
stated that the club stood behind its con
mittee and that 1t had power TO act in III
matter.