The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-11-03

1ork nrteen years ago was rs 10 the
bVVv' last year II was is per 1000. In
single year, 5000 children ware
FOUND suffering from contagious ave-
4 Diseases and more than four times -
many Were excluded from the schools
Of the city. for various periods ha-
cause they were found to be SOURCES
OF injection for such maladies az
whoopinS cough. diphtheria, chicken
pox. and others. That is ona Of tha
reasons that the death rate per 1000
IN the metropolis dropped from rs 10 is
IN less than fifteen years. Among
100000 children In New York nearly
one-tnird were found to have such
oeaectiVe eve sight an to require the
use o. glasses: OF course these 100
600 children were reported az defec-
tives OF prospectives to the repeater
class
Ip the city OF Philadelphia 900 de-
fectivea We're reported as greatly re-
tarded on account of defective eyes.
The city council, acting upon the adj
vice OF the medical inspector. appro-
pr1ated $500 for the purpose, and those
chiidren were lifted with glasses. The
remarkable Improvement In conduct
and scholarship. on the part OF those
pupils was the cause Of much satisfac
ton to all concerned, and II was not
long before most Of the detectives took
their places In the classes where they
normally belonged. and continued TO
DO their class room work with pleas
ure and satisfaction. One Of the medi
cal inspectors of Philadelphia, saws
that the child who begins labor COO
soon, the truants and young criminals.
and the mental and moral detectives
come from the undiscovered, and un-
recognized physically defective boys
and girls. The average city board OF
education, II asked IL they have medi-
cal inspection in the schools. would
answer. mo. we can't afford IT," It
has been shown that where large num-
bers OF pupils are congregated, medi-
cal inspection, complete enough TO
eliminate contagious diseases. and de-
tect physical defects In the individual
pupil can be made for SO cents a year
for each pupil Now In every CITY. a
large number OF pupils fail OF promo
ton each year, requiring two or three
years more than the course of study
contemplates.. to complete the eighth
grade. These failures must 20 over
that much more to the cost OF main
tanning the school, and brings the de-
fectiye near to the time when dis
neartened, he will leave school and go |
to work. May il not be true that medi- !
cal inspection would save more than /
Its cost In lessening the number OF |
repeaters, who must have attention, as 4
well as those promoted from some
lower grade.
In analyEing the question further,
can We not see the vision of some
man and woman. who, but for the wise /
medical inspection while he was a
child might be pauper or a criminal
instead OF q respected and useful citi- /
gen. The plea Of economy may after
all, be only the voice Of indifference
and lack Of information on the part OF
boards Of education.
Ia the Rural School,
But we leave the city for the coun-
try-the rural schools of North Da-
kota. In the present state OF social
the rural schools can not
have thorough medical inspection. but
The teacher by only casual observance
ian detect the weak eyes, and the pres
ence of enlarged tonsils, or adenoid
srowths. A little reading and study
viii enable any teacher to make sug-
yestions to parents that will be of yalA
le to some child. OF course 1t Is some
.rouble to call on parents, and most
n them will smile and forget your
suggestions, but there are always some
Who will listen and act See that the
PUPIL with deficient vision is seated
lear enough to the black board that
le may see the copy placed before him
vihout effort. Seat him SO that he
viii receive the proper amount Of
light from the windows BY scrutin-
zing the actions Of the pupil you can
ell whether he hears and sees com
ortably. ! say comfortably" because
10 pupil should become embarrassed
" being made the center of attracZ
ion for other pupils, because his eyes
ave not been properly fitted with
lasses. When the interest of the pu-
ii is drawn from his lesson to the +
Consciousness of his weak vision. note
he result. retardation, at least in q
mall measure.
A Truant ofHeer.
The attendance of pupils can be ma
erially increased by having an an !
ointive officer responsible only to his :
uperior, to do truancy work; one 4
y -. :. s