The San Francisco call., 1910-08-02
HEALTH IS BASIS
OF CURRICULUM
~ ~a
Sickly Pupils TO Take Their
Instruction in New Venti=
lated Building

OAKLAND, Aug. 1.-The first open
air school to be established west of
the Rocky mountains will be opened
this week by the city of Oakland at
Fruitvale school No. ,, Tallant street
: and Fruitvale avenue, with probably
40. pupils in enrolment. To the casual
observer the little building at the rear
of the school yard. equipped with re-
Nsolying desks designed TO protect the
feet of the occupants from bitter winds,
IS q mere experiment. To school au-
thorities, Medical Director DR.. n. X
Foster and superintendent Nicely
. mondS the structure is the first Of a
series which will before long be COM
mon through the city.
The oakland school is a pioneer on
the Paciflc coast In Chicago, where
the open air school has reached its
highest plane. all the large public
schools. are fitted with quarters for
such pupils as are anaemic, imperfectly
nourished or display a tendency to tu-
berculosis. An agitation before the
local school directors for similar build
ings here was strengthened by the last
report from Doctor Foster who as
medical director had examined nearly
every child in the public schools. That
official found a considerable percentage
o. the pUpAlS SNnSIluS from duStiOlQS,
enlarged tonsils, malnutrition and
anaemia. He went at once to the sup
port of the open air school advocates,
and the building in Fruitvale is the
result.
Mrs. Lulu G. Beeler, teacher with
13 years experience. was assigned to
the open air department Of the Fruit
vale school No. >. She was chosen be-
cause she was qualified TO instruct pu-
-.
her viii be sent for tuition whatever
pupils the health division of the school
selects or whatever pupils are desired
by their parents 10 be open air schol-
ars.
The classes at the first open air
school viii be made UP mainly of pu-
pills from the surrounding grammar
schools. Doctor Foster and his staff
Of nurses viii visit az schools within
the next few days. Those inspectors
assigned to schools in the annexed dis
trict viii report TO the health director
whatever cases of malnutrition or of
tubercular tendency they find. Doctor
Foster viii then act. and il is certain
that the majority Of these pupils will
be transferred TO Mrs. Beeler's classes.
She VIII organize grades for her pu-
pills. ranging through the primary and
grammar to the last year classes of
the common schools.
The open air school innova ton is ex-
pecJed by the school authorities to
meet with approval from the parents.
This is presaged in requests which
superintendent McClymonds has re-
ceiVed from many families that their
children be sent to the new classes.
i is more than likely that the build
ing provided viii not be adequate to
The needs.
The first open air school. and the
similar schools that VIII follow, will
pe sonducted under the usual school
system. Principal Spencer of Fruitvale
No will direct Miss Beeier's classes.
Assistant Superintendent of Schools
Cox, in charge of the annexed district.
viii have supervision
The new open air school is built to
be always ventilated. The front, or
east side, is wide open, with a screen
10 form an inclOsure. The west and
south are closed tight against wind and
fog. The east side and south have
shutters at the top. so that air is al
ways passing through the room. on
the east are six broad windows. any one
or. all of which may be removed. to
ma ke the room open on two sides or
open on one and partly closed on the
second. In case OF storms awnings
lmay be drawn to protect the pupils.
For. cold weather artificial heating is
provided.