Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-28
The Most Urgent Need Of Our Public
Schools.

The Most Urgent Need Of Our Public
Schools.
To the Editor:
Now that you have the water ques.
ton settled in Ottumwa, will you be
kind enough to allow little space In
your columns to discuss the water
question in our rural public schools.
There is much being said for the bet
torment of our rural public schools
and everybody has plan Of his own,
all the way from consolidation to
teaching the science of farming. | do
not want to discuss any of the plans
as they all perhaps have some merit
in their way, that Is they all have IN
view only the mental advancement OF
their children. They all overlook the
fact that before you can develop the
mental ability Of child you can not
overlook the physical comfort and
health of the pupil and right here is
where a large majority of our rural
schools are deficient and that is In not
providing good clean wholesome drink
ing water during school hours. In
fact the condition ina majority OF our
rural. schools is deplorable and
menace to the health Of the pupil 1t
is condition which is a disgrace to
the enlightened age we live in. What
do or what does any parent care Tor
advanced education when our children
are liable to contract deadly dis
ease from drinking polluted waters at
the school house? The practice in a
good many cases is to send some OF
the pupils to the nearest farm house
for water. Some times they get 1t
and some times they don't. know OF
a number of cases where the children
we're refused water by the farm own
ers OF course nobody likes to be an,
moved by the school children. Now 1t
is true that children must nave drink.
ing water and the question is, shall
they be subjected to lot or annoy
ance to get it or do without as they do
now, rather than carry water Tor at
least one-fourth to one-halt mile ana
then some times get water not mt TO
drink? Shall the school board be re-
ouired to furnish good clean pure
water to safeguard the health OF our
childreno It seems to me this would
be acc cause for consideration by
all that are interested from the county
superintendent down to the parents.
But you say. what is the remedy"
OF course you can't provide good
water without going to some expense.
Now | am willing to support any
plan that will afford relief, but will
suggest the following: Let every
school house have we'll, preferably
a deep we'll, put down close to the
road. Provide it with good pump
and good watering trough so that
the general public will use it and
thereby keep it in constant use that
would keep the water In good condi-
tion besides be an accommodation to
the public in general to, have some
place along the road to water their
teams when travelling. Now II there
is any one who has a better plan let
us hear it. If not. push this one by al!
means. Let us provide good drinking
water to the children when at school,
as it may save some one lot of doc
tor bills and maybe funeral expenses
as all health authorities agree that
nolluted water is the cause of many
deadly diseases and for child to do
without water for whole day as some
do now is special invitation for
organic disorders.
Chas. Bluhm,
Richland Township.