The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1913-10-16
Measuring Height of Baby

show in any sense of the word. 1t is
going to be health contest out and
out.
Yes, and there will be judges, too
but they are not going to be the
common run of judges. There will
not be any politicians, mayors or con-
gressmen. Neither will there be any
grandmas, grandpas, aunties nor
"mammies" On the job. Not even the
regular fair judges will have a '1ook
in" on this work. The whole matter
of judging the babies will be under
the direction of the foremost doctors
and children's specialists of the State,
assisted by trained nurses. These ex-
perts and their corps of assistants
and trained nurses will examine the
babies presented every day during the
State Fair, from October goth to 25th,
and mark or grade the babies on their
physical qualities, just as a teacher
marks or grades the pupils in her
school. If they have perfect eyes, ears
or teeth, they are marked 100 for that
particular feature. If there is any
slight defect they will be given a
somewhat lower mark
But right here is the best part of
the whole matter. If baby gets 100
for having perfect eyes, nose, lungs.
or what not, that is fine, but if baby
gets only 80 or IS on his eyes, teeth,
ears, weight, or some other feature,
these experts will point out the de-
feet to the parents, and tell the pa
rents how to remedy it.
This entire Better Babies Contest
Us made possible by the Better
Babies prizes offered by the Wo-
mans Home Companion, by the wo-
mans clubs of the State, by the State
Fair Association, by the Department
of Agriculture, and by the Raleigh
merchants, cooperating with the
State Board of Health. The active
work of conducting the contest is be-
ing undertaken by the State Board of
Health.
Details of the Contest.
The Better Babies Contest will be
held in four Of the incest and largest
booths in the east wing of Floral Hall,
from 1000 a. m. to 500 p. M, on
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday Of State Fair week The first
room will be the reception room.
Here mothers and babies will be well
coined by committee of ladies who
will learn jbaby's name, age, weight at
birth, number of teeth, mothers and
fathers names, address, etc.. all of
which will be entered on a score card.
From the reception room the moth /.
er and child will be taken to the Sec
ond room, secluded and kept very
quiet, where trained physician will
conduct the delicate mental test. OF
course, this test will depend upon the
age Of the baby. For instance, a six
months Cd baby should show ar in
clination to play with simple objects
grasp for q watch look in the direc-
ton of unexpected noises, etc.; while
a two year old baby should be able to
run, to join a few words together, be
interested in pictures, point to it's
eyes, ears, nose, etc. If, in the opin-
ion Of the Judge, the baby is normal,
it is scored 100, and If below normal,
a reasonable rating is given.
From the menta: test room the
mother and baby will be taken to the
and measuring room. Here
baby is stripped, weighed, and T. @as-
nred by trained nurses under a physi-
clans direction: If babys weight and
fall Within the proper
limits for his age, he is scored 100
points and passed on to the fourth
and last room.
The last examination given is by
all odds the most important and far
reaching of any. Several experts will
carefully examine baby literally from
head to foot. They will examine his
hair and scalp, eyes, ears, teeth, tom
sils, throat, lungs, his chest, abdomen,
arms, legs, muscles and, in fact, every
thing about the baby. Every time
even the slightest defect is found, the
mothers attention will be called to it,
and she will be told how it may be
remedied
Object of the Contest.
The real object of the contest is, Of
course, not so mtsch to give away so
many hundred dollars worth of prizes,
as it is to teach parents how, to raise
better babies. Such contests have ,
proven of tremendous educational val
lie to the mothers in other states, and
will certainly be of great value here.
Great improV enent is noted in babies ,
that have already been, in one contest
and enter another the next year. In ]
fact, it is already contemplated hay- j
ing special set of prizes for the ba-
h1es entering the Bet er Babies Con-
test next year who show, the greatest
SiC Cilnt Of