The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-01-23

II. h' II JOhcS, Iuo lSpluOhe PhPSA
clan Of the Normal College. and DR..
w. s. Leathers of the Mississippi state
board Of health, were the lecturers at
Wednesday nights session of the short
course. DR.. Jones subject was School
Hygiene" and DR.. Leathers' Rural
Hygiene" DR.. Jones dwelt at length
on the inefficiency of present methods
in teaching hygiene, saying that the
rule has been to teach dry facts, such
as chemistry, anatomy and physiology,
at the expense of those things, corre-
lated with home life, such as air, food,
water. The practical should take .the
place of the mere theoretical, and the
teacher has a responsibility, which
should not be ignored.
Teachers should be trained to recog-
nize such common ailments as eye
strain, adanoids and kindred impedi-
ments and physical burdens. They
should have the courage to advise
mothers as to such conditions when
found and teach them how to remedy
such defects. Many teachers are them
selves deficient in scientific knowl-
edge. Such deficiency should not con-
tinue and will not with teacher am
bilious for useful service. A teacher
of hygiene should be a liberal expon-
ent of hygienic living.
Rural schools should be the center
from which hygienic principles emf
nate, and the teacher trained and
equipped by Normal College course
going into those schools will work re-
forms Of far-reaching import.
"Rural Hygiene"
DR.. Leathers used the stereopticon
slides as Illustrations to his lecture
and by the reproduction in greatly en-
larged size of photographs of various
conditions of rural life, showed more
plainlp than words, what a horrible
thing disease is, while he talked for 9
while on that deadly pest, the house
fly, and the destructive and insiduous
disease-tuberculo
The hookworm was discussed al
length, and the reality of hookworm
disease was made manifest by numer
Gus pictures accompanying the lectur.
er's statements relative to the physi
cal and economical waste occasioned
by the dangerous parasite-hookworm
Methods of prevention were made
plain. The barefoot practice so com
mon In rural sections of the South was
condemned.
DR.. Leathers spoke of the great need
in farm houses and at rural schools Of
having sanitary closets, convenience
so simple that no farmer, or school
board is blameless which does not pro
vide such protection against disease
especially hookworm disease.
The widespread prevalence of this
disease is evidenced by the fact that
of $4,000 persons examined in this
state last year fully 10000 were found
to be infected.
The teacher can do much to cor
rect this widespread disease. If not
eradicated, no one can predict what
the economic loss will be, aside from
the suffering endured bp the victims
of the ground itch" disease.
Much comment was caused by the
address of T. j. Brooks, of the A
&c M. College department of markets
in his address on Marketing Farm
Crops" this morning at the farmers
short course. He advocated co-opera
tion of the producers in order to save
the cost of distribution which goes
to the middlemen.
Today was farm crops day and the
program drew the largest number oi
visitors that have yet attended the
short course.
The opening of the question box
and answering the numerous ques
tions that have been presented TO the
experts was feature of the morning
program.
In addition to Mr. Brooks, the speak
ers were: e. B. Ferris, Mcneil exper,
ment station, on Soils and Fert:l
) izers;" e. L. Robins. superintendent OF
} the Meridian Fertilizer Factory OF
) Hattiesburg, on Fertilizers for South
) Mississippi" F. B. Woodley of the
J Hattiesburg city schools, on "Our Ed
} ucational Responsibilities; ], c. Rob
} erts, A. & M. College, Selecting, Cur
ing and Testing Farm Seeds"
} The afternoon is being devoted tc
} grading seed corn: free veterinary
} clinic by&Dr:a Frank E. M Ranck o.
the A. q NJ college; instruction il
terrac he snd aging out Of bitches, by
ID. scdates Of 4. & M. College; demon