The Washington herald., 1911-01-06

Every pupil in every grade Of the public
schools and high schools will take to his
home to-day a letter about the health
of the children Of Washington. A leaf
let. giving in simple language the results
of the latest scientific study Of the health
and hygiene of children in the home and
in school has been prepared by he COM
mittee on welfare of the children of the
District appointed by the Monday Even
ing Club, society interested in the
social betterment and the civic uplfft of
| the life of Washington.
| This committee, of twenty besides tho
chairman, DR.. Merrill E. Gates. ex-presi-
dent OF Amherst College, who has all
his life been interested in education in
cludes Supt. Stuart, Of the public schools:
the principals of three of the high
schools; one or two supervising prin-
cipals Of public schools: DR.. Woodward.
health officer Of the District; DR.. Kober
who supervised the work of the Presi.
dents home commission. and men and
women who are interested in the educa-
tional and philanthropic work Of the city
such as Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey.
vice president Of the board of education:
W. X. Cooper. general secretary Of the
tary Of the Washington Playground As
sociation.
Dfreases Among Pupils.
A year ago attention was called at a
meeting of the Monday Evening Club to
the fact that an examination Of some
5000 school children IN Washington
showed that one child in twenty had
some threatening trouble with the eyes;
one child in twenty was suffering from
deafness. and one in every six had seri-
4 ,rlx- l-<z
that an effort should be made to study
the conditions among the school children
in Washington and to secure co-opera-
ton between parents in the home, school
authorities, and family physicians in an
effort to save the children from lifelong
suffering and permanent handicap.
prevention of disease" and saving
surgery are the watch words OF medical
and health authorities now. There is no
place where prevention counts for more
than in the attention given to children
who suffer from troubles with the eye
or ear. and from those difficulties in
breathing which indicate the growth of
'adenoids." An unnatural and unhealthy
growth in the throat compels the child
to breath through the mouth. and indi-
Gates diseased conditions which, if not
early corrected, interfere seriously with
the physical health and with the mental
growth and development of the child.
The health circular, 10000 copies OF
which are to be sent to the homes of
children. has been prepared by the CO
operation of the health department of the
District and prominent physicians and
teachers. 1t Is brief, simple. and popular
in form, in the hope that it may be pre-
served for reference.
There will be talk on health in the
home in every room of every grade in
each of the public schools this morn
ing.
Phy.icians Get Letters.
The chairman of the committee has
also sent a special letter to each of
the 1000 physicians of the District, in
closing copy Of the circular and asking |
their cooperation in the effort which |
parents and school authorities are max
ing to save our children from lifelong |
and inefficiency. |
Washington is the first city in the coun- |
try to attempt plan of this kind. Prom !
inent authorities upon public health in
New York have looked over the health !
circular to be sent out, and have express |
ed the warmest interest in this effort to |
secure cooperation between the home. |
the school, and the health authorities.
They declare that in this respect WASH /
ingtcE is leading, and that many other |
cities will inevitably speedily follow.
Committee In Charge.
The committee-in charge of issuing the |
circular is composed Of Merrill Edwards
Gates. ex-president of Rutgers College
and Amherst College, chairman; Alex. T.
Stuart, superintendent Of public schools;
George NJ. kober. professor of hygiene,
medical school. Georgetown University;
Willard Small, principal Eastern High
School; Flora L. Hendley, supervising
principal public schools; William c.
health officer, District of Co.
lumbia; Ellen Spencer Mussey, dean
College Of Law. vice presi-
dent board of education; Emma S. ia
,obs, director Of domestic science, public
Jesse Ramsburgh, attending ply
sician Central tuberculosis Dispensary;
Emory A. Bryant, Rev. John Van
Schaick, William Knowles Cooper, gen.
eral secretary Y. NJ. c. A; James E.
West, secretary Washington Playground
Thomas S. Lee, director