The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-11-10
From Thursdays Daily.

Shall Mankato have practical
system of medical inspection in her
schools? This was the question that
was brought before the board of
education at its meeting last night
Three local physicians appeared be-
fore the board and discussed the
proposition as did the two physicians
who are on the board. DR.. A. F..
Schmitt gave most interesting talk
an which he stated the present con-
ditions and needs of the children
who are attending school, In order
that the physicians might be heard
early in the meeting, the regular
business session was suspended and
the message of the doctors was
heard
DR.. Schmitt appeared as a citizen
and taxpayer. not as physician,
he said, and therefore he could speak
of these conditions from purely
personal point of view with no bust
ness expectations at all. He said
that Mankato is a great educational
center, and that there are many
children from other cities and the
outside, whose past life, moral or
otherwise, the school authorities and
health officers have no knowledge
of. These students are admitted into
private families as roomers and
boarders, and into boarding houses.
The children do not receive the
medical inspection they should.
Conditions Are Changed.
Conditions are different today
from what they were many years ago.
The requirements of life; the modes
of living have changed vastly in
the past twenty-five years, and there
fore we must also make some chang
es in this respect. What this city
needs is a system of inspection so
that the schools can be kept in a
moral and sanitary condition at all
times" he said.
Because Mankato is an educational
center it demands that the school
board give this matter special thought
and consideration. This will lead to
an elimination of epidemics and you
know what that means. An epidemic
in Mankato is worse than if there
was one in a small neighboring town
or in st. Peter for example as there
are not so many people and espe-
cially students, there as here"
DR.. Schmitt stated that he was
there, not to tell the school board
what to do but to emphasize these
things. He thought that this move
ment should receive the moral sup
port of all good, responsible citizens.
paign for clean city," he said. 1T
will create personal cleanliness and
home inspection"
He also thought that such inspec-
ton was more necessary than the
use of the ungraded room, where
all backward students were placed,
as an inspection of this kind would
discover and remedy the physical
defects which were generally the
cause of the backwardness of the
student.
"The secretary of the state board
of health was in the city a week
ago and he is ready to establish
state health laboratory providing the
board of education, the city council
and other public officers as well as
the taxpayers will support the move
ment," he said.
Cleanliness of Mankato.
DR.. j. w. Andrews then spoke
briefly on the subject. He stated
that during the visit OF President
Taft, he spoke with two prominent
men, one from Duluth and the other
from st. Paul, and both these gentle
men made remarks about the clean
illness of MankatO. But the problem
now was to establish in the city
state laboratory where examinations
will be made. He wanted the board
of education to encourage the move
ment and appropriate enough money
to employ competent physician to
act as inspector. In case such a
physician was appointed he would al
so act as health officer and receive
his salary A doctor who has been
recommended by the governor and
the state board of health should be
employed.
Dr. S. c. Schmitt also appeared
and in few words stated that
since there is a law compelling
children to attend school after they
had reached certain age, they
should also be protected while at
school. The epidemics usually occur
when schools open. he said. He was
i'm favor of having some outside
physician act as officer in such a
case and one who had received the
recommendation of the state board
of health.
Dr. J. S. Holbrook and Dr. W. A.
Beach also were in favor of it. DR..
Beach, however, stated that while
he heartily recommended such an
action, he felt that the school funds
would not stand the added expense.
The limit of money had already been
used, in fact, the school board went
into debt to the amount of $4,000
last year and $4,000 this year. If
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