The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-03-30
QUESTIONABLE SAYS NEGRO LEADER IF
PHYSICAL NEGRO IMPROVES WITH FREEDOM

We're most needed by their families, when
they would be most serviceable to their
state These conditions are appallingi II
means that preventable diseases are tax
ing more than the average toll OF life from
our midst, and of these tuberculosis. tv-
phoid fever intestinal and venereal dis
eases predominate
we should see the physician. even
though we are well. and have him examine
us thoroughly and tell Us where we stand
Thousands of preventable maladies may
be presented in this way, because the ma
Jority OF these preyentable diseases are
fnsidious such as tuberculosis Bright 3
Disease arterio selarosis, heart disease.
ETC.; none of these come on in a night.
they come gradually. and if carefully
watched by ourselves with the help of our
physician we can go a long way toward
preventing these diseases getting a fatal
grasp upon us. In the majority of in
stances. life can be prolonged with com
fort usefulness and happiness. and in
many instances they can be cured COM
pletely when taken in time
The Teacher Sanitarian
There is much that we can do The
teacher should in the strictest sense of
the word be a ,sanitarian She should
second the physician in guarding the
health of the community She should 20
life of the people and instruct them iriA the
correct ways of living.
Il believe that not only a sinattering of
physiology, but that the Sudiments of hy-
giene and sanitation as applied to every
day life. should be a requisite knowledge
of every teacher. | further advocate that
a primer or booklet containing this knowl-
edge in simple rudimentary form should
be adopted as a text book in all the public
schools, and that every teacher be re-
quired to teach them as a part of the
regular curriculum. The subjects taught.
should deal with air. yentila ton water
bathing, cleanliness, dust, flies, milk and
other foods likely to be contaminated by
disease; tuberculosis and the hoollworn
disease, the cause and how to prevent
them; simple home remedies, the evil of
patent medicines, first aid to the injured
schoolroom sanitation why the pupils
should not use the common drinking cup,
bite each others apple. exchange the lump
of candy, moisten their fingers with their
tongues in turning the leaves of a book
such their pencils lick their states;
also why they should not spit on floors or
pollute the soil around the building. These
topics are only suggestive-just a few
to indicate in concrete manner what
mean.
Should Be Examined in Sanitation
Now, there may be some teachers pres
ent who feel that the requirements for
a certificate to teach are already suffi-
GENTLY rigid, and that this additional sub
ject would produce hardship on some.
This may be partially true, but in all
matters pertaining to the public we'll
fare, the highest good to the greatest
number must be the working principle,
and l do not believe there is teacher
present but who recognizes that there is
value in such procedure as outlined
do not hatter myself that L am paying
the teaching profession any especak COM
piment when I say that | believe great
majority of our teachers in Alabama al
ready possess sufficient knowledge to en-
able them to meet the indicated require
ments, and that many are fully competent
to teach the subject. Those who do not
at present possess such knowledge could
master the subject in a few weeks yaca
ton study. and be really competent to
teach il. if in addition they We're to
attend a summer school course of lee
lures.
1T would go a long way toward placing
the Alabama colored teachers in the van
guard of their profession if they at this
time adopt and publish resolutions looking
to the end sought. And, Mr.. Chairman,
1 most heartily recommend that you en-
terrain a motion looking to that end. ~