Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-11-02
HEALTH OF WEEF0LK
kindergarten Games Dis
cussed at Citizens Meeting.
FEAR OF DISEASE GERMS
Physician Objects to Allowing Chill
dren to Play on Floors.
SPIRITED DEBATE FOLLOWS
Brookland Association Hears Com
ments and Refers Matter to Com
mittee of Medical Men.
FEAR OF DISEASE GERMS
SPIRITED DEBATE FOLLOWS

Is sitting on a kindergarten floor bad
for the health of kindergarten children?
Are small children likely to contract dis
eases by rolling a ball over a floor where
feet. just from the street, have trod?
These questions formed the subject for
a spirited debate at the November meet
ing of the Brookland Citizens Association
In Masonic Temple, Brookland. last even
ing. The subject was considered from
many points of view, and it was finally
decided to refer it to corps of physici
ans, probably the school medical inspect
ors, acting under the direction of the
health department, for decision.
The debate was begun by DR.. r. w.
Frischkorn of Brook and, who said he
had received complaints from parents re-
garding these two phases. Miss Cath
crime r. Watkins. director of the kinder
sartens; Selden NJ. Ely. supervising prin-
cipal of the fifth division. and DR.. Tay
lor-Jones, a school medical inspector.
We're others who took parts in the dis
cussion.
DIR. Frischkorn, who is chairman of
the sanitary committee of the Brookland
Citizt MS Association. took up the matter
al itIIStIl, asking tIldC the games OIL TOll-
ing bail over the floor be discontinued
IN the kindergarten. and that the chill
dren be not allowed to sit on the floor
in the future.
Specific Objections.
THE custom to which | refer, and to
which | hereby object he said, lis that
of having thes Sc little folks sit on the
floor to play certain games designated
by the kindergarten director; and one
of these games is the rolling of bal on
the floor, from child to child, gathering
the germ Iadened dust, portion OF
soon these little hands reach their
mouths and tuberculosis and many other
diseases are communicated. AS these
little folks are seated on the dirty floor
they are necessarily subjected to draughts
from the constant opening and c.Os.ng OF
doors, and then we wonder why our lit
tie ones catch Gods and develop various
catarrhal affections of the respiratory
channels, and the story Is not complete
unless we mention more serious results,
such pneumonia, tOnsllitis, tuberculo-
sis and similar diseases.
There are a number of parents in
Brookland who have little children in the
kindergarten room who can tell of the
filthy condition of their children cloth
ing on returning from kindergarten, and
L assure you that they are not any more
tolerant of home dirt than they are of
this many times more dangerous dirt
gathered and swept up by the children's
clothing-dirt which has been carried into
the room by many little feet from multi
tudinous sources of danger.
you are all no doubt familiar with the
literature dealing with the subject of dust
and its dangers to mankind-the danger
of inhaling this germ-laden dust. the
danger of becoming infected with tuber-
culosis and many other diseases. This is
known absolutely to be true.
No Criticism of Schools.
DIR. Frischkorn declared he had no in
tention Of criticising the schools. Il
want to preface what l am about to dis
cuss with the positive statement that the
Brookland School and the present corps
of teachers in this school are fully up to
the standard, in my opinion he said.
land 1 should regret very much IL any
one should make the almost unpardon-
able error of chafacterizing this as an
attack on our Brookland School,. or upon
the school system in Washington.
had been filed with him concerning the
kindergarten games. Il do not think
people have sufficient light upon this
subject at present to criticise publicly
kindergarten conditions he said. He
added that outdoor play was being given
as much as possible. From this pay,
he said enthusiasm and school spirit de-
veloped.
Miss Watkins answered the remarks
made by Dr. Frischkorn, saying she had
declared herself glad to cooperate with
the District health department.
THE games of rolling the ball, to which
the speaker has referred. are old home
games to which the kindergarten has
I'm my fourteen years of kindergarten
work l have never heard a single COM
plant from a parent about the games
played. l have had requests though, from
time to time when the parent dld not
want the freshly dressed child to sit on
the floor. These requests are always
granted.
Taught to Avoid Danger.
LAS to the children sucking their fingers
after rolling the ball and thus getting
germs into their mouths, l would remind
you that they are taught better. and also
that their little hands are kept constantly
busy. l have known of cases where the
Kindergarten herself has had to wash
the hands Of the children and even their
faces when they came to school. l feel
that the children in the Washington kim
dergartens are under very, very wise kim
dergartners. These teachers watch them
more carefully very often than do their
parents.
$50 far as their sitting on the floor
is concerned the buildings are all we'll
heated. If the health department or the
school officials or the board Of educa-
ton think the games are injurious I shall
be glad to change them. My first thought,
and it should be the first thought of
every Kindergarten. is for that most
precious possession-the health of the
child. 1 do not feel that We are en-
dangering children's health by taking the
games of the home into the school,
Dr. Tayler-Jones said there was less
chance in the healthful home fer mixed
germs being present than in the kinder
garten room. She said she did not be-
lieve in the method now In vogue where
the kindergarten floor was supposed to
be washed twice week and swept up
on the other days.
II think it should be washed daily. at
least she said. land cleaned with an
antiseptic at least once a week. l should
hate to see children kept from playing
on the floor. though. for it gives them
such a degree of freedom
General Business Considered.
After more debate both those opposed
to the games and those fayOrinp them do