Evening star., 1913-02-06
AIDED BY FRESH AIR
Benefits of Open Widowed
CIaSSrO0mS Shown.
MANY PUPILS GAIN WEIGHT
DIR. Murray's Findings May Result
IN More Ozone for Dis
trict Schools.

Additional fresh air. classes may be
provided In the public schools of the Dis
trlct OF Columbia as the result of a report
MADE today by DR.. Arthur L. Murray OF
the District health department, showing
that marked Improvement has been re-
corded in the physical and mental condi-
t1on OF children enrolled in three schools
OF the capital where windows are kept
open during study hours
The investigation conducted bv DR..
Murray was ordered by Health Officer
William G. Woodward. and thu, informa-
tlon obtained will be sent to the school
authorities. DIR. Murray made examinai
ton of children enrolled in the "fresh
air classes of the Blake and Stevens
schools and the school of control, which
is a grade of the Gales School, and dis
covered that the pupils, with but few ex-
ceptions, are gaining weight and thriving
under the treatment
lhe first examination of the fresh
air class at the Stevens School was
maze November Z and s. last year. 1t
was found that there We're two pupils
aoove normal weight for age and
for age and height. while only one
was normal. The second examination
was made January IS. Then it was
discovered all of the pupils but two
had gained in weight, the average gain
being 1.S4 pounds. In height, eleven
or the seventeen children showed an
increase; the average being 80 of an
Figures Show Improvement.
Dr. Murray's examinations at the Blake
School and school of control made Oc-
tober 3O-31 and November A., respective
ly, showed the following:
School. Control.
Pupils above normal weight for
age and height ........... II
Pupils Of normal weight for
: age and height ...-........
pupils below normal weight for
age and height -..-........ II "a
ne second examinations conducted at
these schools i'll January showed marked
improvement. as is indicated by the fol-
lowing:
sshnS9 sBIak9 sshooI Sdss1o; Of
Pupils above normal weight for
age anu hetght .....-....... IA !
Pupils Of normal weight for
age and height ............
Pupils below normal weight for
age ana helght ............ Il -
a gain OF weight was noted in twen-
ty-seVen instances among the pupils of
the Blake School, and in twenty-six in
of control. Three children in the
FORMER institution lost weight as
against four in the latter For the
Blake School the gain in weight per
pupil averaged 3.25 pounds, the average
gain in the school .of control per pupil
being 2.43.
DR.. Murray's figures show that there
was an average gain in height of the
pupils of Sc inch for the Blake School
and .43 inch for the school of control,
and that an Increase in chest expansion
was noted in twenty-SiX instances in
the former school and thirteen in
stances in the latter
|. Benefits Seen in Appearance.
'rhe Improvement among the pupils OF
the Stevens School," he states. while
not so marked as that among the pupils
Of the Blake School and school of con-
troll, is apparent. In appearance, the
improvement Is much more noticeable
than is shown by actual physical eXami-
nation. Their faces appear fuller: sew
eral who at the first examination exhib-
tied symptoms of anemia now appear
noraml, and. taken as a whole, their
countenances reflect much more cheer
fulness and we'll being than when / first
saw them. 1 have been informed by
their teacher Miss Thomas. that mentally
they have improved more rapidly than
he