The Washington herald., 1912-04-12
WOMEN WILL URGE
SCHOOL REFORMS
To Ask Congress to Appoint
Female inspectors to
Protect Morals.
PROTECTION FOR PUPILS

An effort to obtain a provision IA the
District appropriation bill for the appoint
ment Of women inspectors for the Wash
ington public high schools. in order to
protect the morals Of the Students
through rigid physical examinations. is
being made by a group OF society women
OF this city, who will to-day appear be-
fore a subcommittee Of the House APP
preparations Committee. The women be-
hind the movement fear that unless such
women inspectors are authorized the stu
dents will lack the protection and educa-
tion necessary for their welfare.
| II is the contention of the women, who
are led by Mrs. Kern, wife Of Judge
Josiah Quincy Kern. that the lack or
women medical inspectors in the public
high schools has resulted In a lapse In
morality through the absence OF proper
education along the lines OF sex hygiene.
and to procure such oficials for the
school system a number OF society
women will appear before a subcommit-
| tee Of the House Committee on Appro-
prIations to-day, OF which Representative
Burleson, OF Texas, y chairman
The campaign was launched AZ
luncheon given yesterday at the Tea
| Gun Inn by Mrs. William HItz, of Chevy
Chase and attended by twenty proml-
| nent society women. The matter was
discussed there, and later the entire
party went to the Library Hall at
Chevy Chase to hear DR.. Katherine
Porter. of Orange, N. J.. lecture on the
work she has done in her capacity OF
medical inspector OF the Orange schools,
where discussion of plans was resumed
Mrs. Kern said last night: I'VE fear
that the moral standard in the Wash
ington public high schoolsis low. The
work OF a woman medical inspector
who can teach the girls OF the high
schools what they should know about
sex hygiene is sorely needed. These
women Inspectors should work with the
girls, and. as much as possfole. In CO.
operation with their parents"
Davidson Defends Pupils.
DR.. William NJ. Davidson. superintend-
ent of schools, last night vigorously de-
Tended the morals Of the Washington
high schools.
while 1 do not wish to throw cold
water on the work Of the women who
are trying to bring about this reform.
believe that the time is not yet ripe for
such action" he said. THE matter is one
of too great delicacy to be handled
through the public schools and the pupils
Of the local schools are in no great peril.
Their morals are good. / am not op-
posed to the general principle, but /
think that there is scarcely one teacher,
one DOCTOR or one inspector in a thou
sand who Is capable Of giving such in
struction. Many who desire to lecture
or the subject, am sorry to say. are not
prepared The school Is great agency
IN crystainzing morals Of the young. but
in my belief such drastic steps are. un-
wise"
Capt James F. oyster, President Of
the Board of Education OF the District
said last night: ''The board has gone on
record as fsvoring women medical in
spectors and the sort OF instruction pro-
posed, and it still advocates such q
policy"
The original House appropriation bill
for the District contained a provision for
two women medical inspector and two
nurses. In the Senate the item was cut
out The measure as amended by the
Senate is being prepared for conference
by a subcommittee of the House Appro-
priation Committee, and 1t is to that sub
committee that the women will to-day
appeal for the reinclusion OF the provis-
ion for the women inspectors.
Sponsors for Movement.
The women who yesterday placed them
selves behind the movement for cleaner
morals in the high schools and are pre-
pared to push it are Mrs. Ellen Spencer
Mussey, of the Board Of Education; Mrs.
Henry c. Rainey, Mrs. W. d. Bigelow,
Mrs Adoiph Kahn, DR.. Isabella Lamb,
Mrs r. NJ. Lamm, DR.. Eienora C. Folk
mar, Mrs. Howard BeaIl Mrs. Daisy
Prouty, Mrs. Mary jackson, Mrs. Julius
Lansburgh, Mrs. H. T. Steele. Miss Olym-
pie Prabue, Mrs. Thomas E. Roberts,
Mrs. Thomas Sidwell, and Mrs. Kern. DR..
Folkmar will head the delegation which
will appear before the House subcomu1ft-