The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-06

lieu tttco y s' 7
| CANA nureiy because it seems, uNuei
social conditions. the best ana Iioo'
economic means OF deallng Win a.
increasing number Of questions "itn
which other agencies are not 50 W.
fitted 10 cope. 1t has indeed
the only possible means OF oedii'S
with these questions. which profound
w affect the welfare Of the child. n
| choice is not between one means anu
another of getting these Things done.
it is, as affairs stand at present, tla'
between having them done Dy the
/ school or not done at all. II Is pos,
sible tina further social change VIII
again throw some OF the Durden o
other agencies, leaving the schooi
free for other things. 1t is posslp!e,
on the other hand. that the schooi
in its newer. wider sense VIII sho"
itself SO efficient that it's domain WIZ
be still further Widened. Inc answer
in any case must be given IN terms
Of social forces. not OF educallohhl
theory.
Coinci!ent with q greater sense OF
responsibility for IL child on the
pant Of the State has come, then, q
widening of the function Of the pub
lie school,, because changes IN the So
ciai structure of the Ountr nave
more and more pointed to the school
as the most effective child welfare
agency. To make the situation con-
crete, it may be we'll TO run over
briefly a few of these new duties
which the schoO is coming TO assume.
In every case it will be seen that there
is a logical reason why the public
school has been singled Out for q new
responsibility.
There Is first the matter Of the
health of the child. This is increas-
ingiy regarded as q matter OF public
concern, which canno always be lett
to family care. Evidently, if the
: State is to concern itself with the
health of it's children, h natural
point Of attack is through the school,
1t is at once the easiest agency and
= the place where disease may mean
: the greatest danger to others. Not
merely in the contagious diseases has
medical inspection been ntrOduced
but now as we are coming to see more
: fully the interrelations between mind
and body. it. becomes evident increas-
/, ingly hat the efficient citizen must
= be physically as We'll as mentally
sound. Ignorance, prejudice, care
lessness, lack Of money, may prevent
the child receiving proper care il the
matter is left to the parent. All
astonislingly large number of dull
and retarded pupils are found to be
suffering from defects OF vision. hear
ing, adenoids and the like. Often sur
- prising gain III happiness and eff
cheney results from the rcmova OF
e these defects. Medical inspection has
~ SO proven it's worth that it Is spread
!. ing from the cities to the rural dis
tricts. It has been made m%andator.
or all schools by the Legislatures O.
% at least three States, permissive il
- iHany Others and is, under sone form
in force in practically all our cities
- SrhaN1 YonoIo frno 49, OF onCt oohon
g baths, free medicines. operations, ey'
and dental clinics, scnoOl nurses, ar
some Of the extensions Of the ide;
q, found in many places. Some cite
now have examinations for all chill
dren who are suspected of being men
tally defective. The age Of the child
II mind, which is not by any means al
&c ways that which corresponds with hi
I'd birthday. can now be Appropriated
" told by the psychologist and the chill
lx treated accordingly. Special classe
-, for backward children and special in
stitutiOns for truly sub-normal chill
dIen are producing results little shor
OF marvellous. and indeed sorne G
u. the methods there used have prove
at so valuable that they are creepin
nc into the treatment Of normal chi,
~ dren as we'll. No one, in short, ca
- question the gain both to the in
~ diridual and to the State which RI
*. suits from the whole movement &c
the health Of children. And n
~ other agency is SO we'll fitted in ever
- respect to undertake this task as
IS tbc n,b,;o ccbooI T. .oaH
&c children, it makes possible systemat
~ examinations and systematic instrut
iSS ton in the principles of hygiene.
ever there were a case of justifab
~ paternalism it surely is in connectio
ne with the health Of children.
Again, the reasons which ha,
TX caused the State through the scho
Of to take UP the matter OF vocation
ii training are very familiar. The dacs
be- Of the apprentice system has broug]
csc about a situation which is witho-
parallel. On the one hand, industri
ith processes are increasing in complex
1u- and refinement. on the other, Il
re- opportunities offered the youth
the master q trade have grown less I