The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-11-13
DIR. HODGE CREATES
SANITATION INTEREST

DIR. Clifton Freeman Hodge, eminent
biologist, at present connected with the
extension department of the University
Of Oregon. addressed meeting Of the
parents and teachers Of Hood River
county at public session Of the recent
teachers institute. Friday afternoon at
the Congregational church. After re-
marking that the Parent Teacher Asso-
citation is the livest thing in Portland,
DIR. Hodge pointed out some Of the
ways in which parents can cooperate
with the teachers and make their work
easier and more efficient.
Help the child. should be the aim.
he said. Portland has taken up medi-
cal inspection of the school children TO
see that there are healthy children TO
start with. Children afflicted with de-
fectiye hearing or eyesight. adenoids
or mental deficiency of any kind are
not only unable to make any real prog
ress, but are deadly handicap on the
teacher in her work with the other
| children" Ii seems to me that the
first and most important work for the
teachers and parents to get together on
is this of seeing that the children are
healthy to start with.
He then showed how the children
themselves can be taught the principles
Of sanitation by being required to prac-
| tiee them in connection with social life.
Make school work contribute toward
| the health of the community" he said.
The high school science work es-
pecially should include a wholesome
study of civic sanitary problems and
how to meet them. Schools are gener-
ally mixing places for germs. Measles,
chicken pox, scarlet fever, colds, and
other diseases with which children are
most often affected, practically do not
exist during the summer vacation
months. But as soon as school starts
epidemics spring up at once, and do
not die out entirely until school closes
in the spring"
Feather busters, especially in school
rooms. then came in for whack.
"The feather duster psychosis is bad
one, he said. lone can chase par
ticle of dust or germ around room
for years with one of them. The thing
to do is to get rid OF the dust and
germ once and for all" He advocated
the formation of busting brigades" of
students who would take turns in care
fully wiping off .all school furniture
Teach morning. 'lf this we're practiced
carefully, the greater part of the colds
and other contagious diseases which
run through the schools every winter
would be practically exterminated.
He then advocated Swat the Fly"
campaign through the school children.
L.,
through the common fly, the typhoid
fly, as il came to be called after it
killed and wounded many times as
many American soldiers in the Spanish
war as all other causes combined. Of
these deaths, 5000 are children under
two years of age. In a few years it
will be as much of disgrace to see a
: fly about house as it IS now to see
certain other insects which | hardly
dare name," he said.
The aim of the campaign should be
to carry the war to the point of exter-
mination; to start early in the spring
and completely exterminate them.
Don't leave any for seed. Then they
can't increase.
At the close of the meeting Mr..
Critics, head of the science department
of the high school. announced that the
science classes would undertake tc
start the campaign in the spring. Mrs
c. H. Castner, president of tho Wom
ans club, and Miss Della Northey
county librarian offered to aid in ever,
possible way. DR.. Hodge, who is OIL |
/. leave of absence from Clark Univers
ity, is one of the originators of tn,
swat he Fly" movepent, and hal
been employed by Worcester, Mass.
Baltimore. Washington, D. c.. ant
other cities in the east to take charge
of the sanitation of these cities. II,
offered to lend his services wheneve
the town is ready to take up the mat
tero "And you cant start too early il
;. the spring." he said. Don't Civ,
them a chacce 10 breed at all. Cleal
J. up" ~
In connection with the nature stud
work in the schools, DR.. Hodge advo
{. Gated the distribution of seeds in tn
spring, with prizes offered to the chill
who can raise the best plant and
flower show at the end of the year.