Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-30


coop course"
Representatives of the United States
bureau Of education and others who have
observed the work say the spirit of these
directions is carried out everywhere in
the Fitchburg plan and that vocational
training of the Fitchburg type is an OPP
portunity for worthwhile work. not an
easy way of lodging the grind of aca-
demic studies.
That the increase of shortsightedness
among school children of this country is
one of, the most
School Chlldren'S serious problems
Shortsightedness. tns 1" attention
from the men and women interested in
public education is the opinion of three
noted medical experts. whose reports on
the conservation of vision of school pu-
pills will soon be published by the United
States bureau of education. Sight saving
and brain building should be given equal
ly careful study by school authorities, say
these experts.
To help the child whose vision is not
normal. either because Of excessive eye
strain or of natural tendencies, DR.. F.
Park Lewis Of Buffalo, n. l.. advocates
the segregation of all school children in
whom nearsightedneSS has developed
The segregation of these children will be
made with a view Of relieving strain on
their eyes in every manner possible. with
out lessening their chances of complet
ing their education. Commenting on the
need of special training for nearsighted
pupils in the public schools. DR.. Lewis
SAYS:
1--WE are destroying the eyes of a large
number of school children by the burden
of continuous near-work to which thew
are subjected. At the first appearance of
beginning shortsightedness these chill
dren should be segregated from the others
in special classes in which they are
taught without books. Measures may be
employed for such children in which the
building up of the brain. the training
Of the mind in clear. accurate and quick
thinking the government of the will and
the development Of all of those faculties
which we consider to constitute the edu-
cation of the individual can be accom-
plished at least AS effectively. As rapidly
and certainly with far less denendence
upon the printed page than has heretofore
been considered necessary. In other
words. let us have more thinking and
fewer books"
Putting nearsighted children in sepa
rate classes, however, will not solve en-
tirely the problem of conservation of
their vision unless care is taken to check
the steadily progressive development of
nearsightedness among pupils whose
vision in the beginning is normal. DIR.
James Kerr of London. England. in
short section of the governments new
school hygiene report advocates better
lighting Of schoolrooms and the preven-
ton Of glare in the efforts to save the
eyes Of children. School, authorities in
most progressive cities over the country
already are giving considerable attention
to the problem of lighting of schools, and
most of the newer buildings are con-
structed with almost twice the window
space of the old-fashioned schoolhouse'
which was erected a generation ago.
Dr. Lewis G. Vessels of Philadelphia
takes up defective vision from the eco
nomic standpoint and thinks that school
authorities should give it more atten-
ton as an economic problem purely. In
Philadelphia he estimates that the annual
cost of teaching each pupil is about $50:
and that with normal vision pupil OF
fourteen years OF age reaches the elghtn
grade at cost to the state of $50
Vessels comments, 1.-The child only
reaches the fourth grade at the age of
fourteen, it is still costing the state $3.50.
but owing to his backwardness in studies,
because of defective vision. there Is only
$40 worth of result, clear loss to the
state Of $40. The loss to the child IS
considerably more, because at the age of
fourteen the boy or girl is likely to be
put to work poorly equipped for the
struggle for existence. The child's earn
ing power is curtaled for the want of
an education, so that it can contribute
but little to itself for its own support,
TO its family, or to the state.
"The department of public health.
continues Dr. Vessels. "has solved the
problem in Philadelphia by establishing
a division under the bureau of health
where school children can be refracted
and furnished with glasses free. We are
now refracting nearly $500 cases year.
If we save each one of these children
but one year during its entire school life
that is if we prevent the loss of year
because of bad vision-it will be an an
nual saving of more than $4,000 to the
city. not counting the child's time and
its increased efficiency. The furnishing
OF free glasses to school children is not
a charity. but it is a duty and an eco
nomic problem for every state to con-
slider.
Most progressive cities now have med
ical inspection in the schools. While it
Is quite easy for the medical inspector
or teacher to detect defective vision. the
recommendation for glasses may not al
wavs be carried out on account of pow
erty or ignorance. After defective vision
Is proved many parents allow their chill
dren to continue to struggle along greatly
Handicapped. and they fall behind on ac
count of their eyes. Many children have
come to our dispensary wearing glasses
bought from a five and ten cent store, or
a similar establishment. These glasses
were not only unsuitable but they We're
positively injurious to the childs eyes.
Careful attention to the saving of chill
dren's sight and the final solution of
this economic problem will reduce the
cost of education. and at the same time
increase the efficiency Of both pupil and
the teacher"