The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-10-18

of twelve up, and is noticed in their
propensity for giggling.
When these questions are answered
unsatisfactory, and DR.. Hoag says
that over sixty per cent of the pu-
ing required to give satisfactory an
swers, a notice of the child's condi.
ton is at once sent to the parents
advising immediate medical atten-
ton.
Use of Health Survey.
The use of this health survey
solves great many questions of
why the pupil is behind in school or
why he is not able to keep up to
grade. A child may have a perfectly
healthy appearance and yet is not
able to do the work required of him
on account of eye or ear trouble,
or nervousness which causes head.
aches or indigestion. And these
things cannot be ascertained accu-
rately without questioning the pu-
pill. Surprising results are some
times obtained and astounding
causes are found for the child's in
capability. For instance, it was
found that a boy in Winona drank
twelve cups of coffee every day. In
New York city very few of the chill
dren ate any, or if any, very light
breakfasts before coming to school.
1t will be found that nearly all the
children eat the wrong kind of food
for breakfast, and most of them
have coffee and bread, cake or
doughnuts. This makes very
starchy meal and causes indigestion.
Most of them will answer that they
sleep with the window open now,
but when asked if they keep it open
all winter the reply is "Of course not,
We keep the windows down when it
is cold" When a teacher takes the
trouble to observe the habits and pc.
culiarities of a child a great many
new things will come to light. Near.
ly all children have some popularity
in walking or standing; two-thirds
of the girls are knock-kneed DIR.
Hoag gave as an illustration a boy
who had a spasmodic hitching mo-
ton to his gait and the teacher could
not break him of the habit" Upon
examination it was found that the
boy had two tubercular assesses in
his groin. When the child's father
was informed of his sons condition
he advised DR.. Hoag to mind his
own business.
Promotion of Health.
DR.. Hoag has been engaged by the
Minnesota state board of health to
work in Minnesota for the coming
year, and his duties will be the pro-
motion of the health survey plan
for the physical and mental better
ment of the school child. He will
speak to the normal school students
for the next five afternoons and will
endeavor to give the student teach
ers some idea of how to examine
their pupils for physical and mental
defects DR.. Hoag says that medi-
cal aid is not required in this di-
vision of the work and that if he
were required to examine a number
OF pupils on short notice he would
leave his stethoscope and eye test
ing apparatus at home and ask each
child these questions. In public
schools where a health officer is en-
ployed the answers would be a great
help even if they did not diagnose
the case, for about forty per cent of
the children would give satisfactory
answers and that would be just so
many less that he would not have to
examine
A public meeting will be held this
evening at the high school building
at which DR.. Hoag will speak on
"The Health of School Children. "
All parents are especially invited.