The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-09-14

The health interests of the children
Of Kenosha is subject of serious con-
Germ to all, and has received attention
from those in charge of the schools.
First there is the outdoor recess
morning and afternoon, which every
child is required to take, except In
stormy weather. In bad weather the
recess tire is spent in the playroom,
where the running and jumping are apt
TO cause dirt to rise An attempt is to
be made this year to keep these rooms
as clean as possible; and janitors have
been directed by the school board to
wash the playroom floors each week.
Second, sanitary drinking fountains
in every building reduce the possibility
of eontagion coming from the use of a
common drinking cup. \,
Third, dust is to be kept down in
the school rooms aud halls. The school
board has laid in a supply of one and
half tons of sweeping compound. This
is sprinkled on the floors to keep the
dust down during the process of sweep
ing. Amy dust that rises and settles
is wiped off with damp cloth, and not
firted into the air with a dry dust
cloth or feather buster. Good house
keeping methods are being promoted,
AS often as necessary floors are to be
washed or scrubbed Kenosha has as
yet not large enough janitor force
to enable her to join the ranks of
eleven American cities that wash their
school room floors daily, but she hopes
soon to join the ranks of the one
hundred ninety-three flat wash them
monthly.
A fourth condition affecting the
health of school children is not SO
easily controlled. 1t is the home. IF
the home attends to its end of the bust
ness, and sees that proper food is put
into children IS stomachs, that their
mouths and teeth are put and kept
in the possible condition for the masti-
cation of this food, that their bodies
are kept lean and properly clothed;
that they have fresh air and plenty of
it in their sleeping rooms; that they
have regular sleep and enough of it,
til are may reasonably be expected to
De happy and successful school results.
1t parents suspect child of having
a contagious disease simple applica.
tion Of the "Golden Rule'' will settle
the question Of what should be done.
Keep him at home and away from
contact with other children.
Until Kenosha has regularly en-
ployed medical inspector there must
necessarily be greater danger from con.
tagious diseases than in schools where
such an official is found The best we
can do now is to oblige every child who
has been absent half day or more
from sickness to present clean bill
Of health from a physician before he
can be admitted again.
The annual medical inspection of pub
lie and private school children by the
physicians of the city, aims to find
those who are suffering from some ply
steal defect, that is detrimental to pro-
gress in school; as defective eye-sight
or hearing, adenoids or bad throat con-
ditions
This year dentists examine ali school
children for the purpose of detecting
and reporting to parents, those whose
teeth should be attended to. One bad
tooth often costs child the loss of a
grade.
Chapter A Of the new school legisla-
ton relates to the prevention and con-
troll of dangerous and communicable
diseases and provides among other
things that all school houses shall be
thoroughly cleaned before school opens
at the beginning of each term.
This latter point will in no way af.
feet the practices in Kenosha. Every
school building in our city is being
thoroughly cleaned, and by Saturday,
Sept. 9, everything possible will have
been done by the janitors to put all
of the buildings in sanitary condi,
ton. All floors will have been scrubbed
with hot water and soap, walls and
blackboards cleaned, window panes
polished and desk tops redressed. Ali
surfaces needing it have fresh coat
Of paint, white wash or calcimine.
On tile morning Of the 18th, the three
thousand and more school children of
Seuosha Will find clean, inviting rooms
every building. We hope to keep
mem so, In so doing Kenosha will have
placed herself in line with movement
chat is sweeping over the entire
\ country. There seems to be a general
awakening in regard to the subject of
how TO safeguard the health of school
children. Gradually communities are
beginning to ask, not whether they can
afford to take steps to safeguard in
the schools the welfare of their child