The Detroit times., 1913-11-05
0OR SANITARY
CONDITIONS IN
SCHOOLS SHOWN
Auditor Lasher Cites Some Very
Startling Facts About the
Michigan System
SAYS HEALTH OF PUPIL
IMPROPERLY CARED FOR
High Seats, Bad Outhouses,
Y Poor Lighting and Heating
Ri Are Common

LANSING, Mica, Nov. A sur
prising revelation Of improper condi
\ tiQns under which the education OF
children In rural communities In Mich
tgan 10 conducted, was made today in
10 statement issued by G.. 8. Lasher,
q auditor In the department of public
4 Instruction Of Michigan. Lasher point
4 I'd out that, although Michigan Is one
~ the richest states in the nation,
with superb natural resources and a
population ranking high In intelli-
renee and culture. It's schools rank
I Fourteenth among those Of the coun-
TRY. A survey Of the conditions in
\ Michigan, Lasher said. revealed the
I tAct that vast majority OF the boys
h and girls are spending from four to
y az hours every school day In build
lAgs which are . menace to their
health.
In 81 Of tho SO counties Of Mich
fgan, there are 1924 rural one and
4 two-Eoum schools" Lssher declared
'aOf thle number, 2,07S possess heat
ing and ventilating syStems. 499 base
kMeut 1aTuaces and -8S8 jacketed
Stoves. The children IN 3.772 schools.
S0F more thAn 80 per cent. suffer from
S4tovesheAted rooms which are made
$qua&0)y vpntilated. Only 1880, or ap-
!. Ks0ztqnately eighteen per cent, have
sdt1nklng fountains. while only 1906.
Eor lees than one-half, even boast cups.
Only III safeguard the children from
Sehe 6nng0es Of the common roller
I toWGt ~ ~ use " paper towels, and
lao ~ thosus Of individual towels.
NJ Com1a1akively- little attention IL
Paid . IL .oorrect seating Of the
Sehi1dxon. N only cas- schools, or less
than nj per cent, arc found adjust
Gble peat0 and desks. Only 1903
I1cAoo5S, a. about IS per cent have the
,Goatg nd desks properly arranged
~ nnu4e sized seats and desks in the
sG0me rows from front to back In
S3seGo schools there are not sufiicteat
fnnuzoegU Of small sized seats and
}6esks 70 supply the demand and thou.
Suoud1 OF your gster6 have to sit all
~ With their feet swinging In the
S4lr. am they must distort their backs
"A order to write or ngure because
ne desks are too high. Small chairs
SoNd tables are provided for the little
flne0 IN only 782 schools.
he lighting Of the school houses
H. causing hundreds Of teachers and
!phudrth to become spectacle wear
-. n SS7 rooms. children are fore
x8d 70 face windows. while q similar
MS falls 20 the teachers I'm 2,575
ochOolS. The oversight Off VAST ma
GRITTY q cAildSeA is-impaifeA by.cross-
rights because In CAST schools. or 50
Dor cent, there are Window on both
g50oo .Qf the ROOM. <. Schools which
4 haze lighting entirely from the. left
ei6e are limited to 242. while $50 are
HNGhtod from the left and rear. These
injurious lighting conditions are mod
Med In only 800 -scboolS BY me hang
Ing a. shades at the bottom % that
they can be pulled UP rather than
\ oown. Correct decoration Of the
walls H. found In 2.072. schools.
hat the Outhouse problem II serl-
ous II shown by the fact that only
4,062 schools have well-built. widely
sDepaTAted outhouses, while only 1z3
have inside toilets. Ample play
y grounds are scarce. Schools having
~ least two acres are found in only
ITO disfricts,. while those having at
h Ieant one acre. number z,526. Nor }
than half the schools have onehalf
ocre or less. schools having salts
fnctory water supply total 4,463.r
IN regard to improving conditions,
LaSner stated there IL not a oneroom
building In the state but that can be
s'reu10deled and improved to meet
health and comfort requirements at a
cost less than $500.
State ofncials should have author
sity," he declared, 'to condemn build
ings that are insanitary or unsafe and
Z 70 require certain improvements and
equipment that would tend to i'm
prove health conditions.
r III this country Is to possess the
quality OF citizenship which will guar.
antee It's supremacy intellectually,
commercially, artisticalIy, physically
and morally II must require not only
compulsory education but compulsory
conditions under which to gain such
etlslca tiOn."