The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1913-03-26
nOAG TALKS TO
NORMAL STUDENTS
DISCUSSES PHYSICAL oBsERVA.
TloNS OF CHIL LDRE NJ,
TEACHERS NEEDNoT WAITFoR
MEDICAL OFFICER TO DO
HEALTH WORK IN SCHOOL.

1t would prove Of great benefit to
the parents and children OF Moorhead
If all of the parents could hear the
message which DR.. Ernest Bryant
HoaE will deliver through the medium
of different meetings while he Is In the
city today and tomorrow. The doctor
is in the city aS special director OF
school hygiene Of the Minnesota state
board of health and comes to this
state to do that special work from
the Leland Stanford university OF
California. The doctor arrived in the
city last evening and Is guest at the
Hotel ComstOck.
His first address in MOorhead was
one which he made to the students
and faculty of the normal school, this
morning. What he said, during the
chapel hour, was more OF g. heart 10
heart talk than a formal address ana
was off hand. 1t only required a few
words to demonstrate that the doctor
was perfectly at home in his work and
that he liked it--he loved children and
he more loved to have them healthy
and enjoying life.
The doctors specific theme was the
PHYSICAL Observation of Children.
There was not as much known or the
subject among the rank and nIe OF
the teachers as there ought to be, but
it was not the teachers fault, 80 Lar
there is no adequate Information I'M
parted to the teachers of the Physlcal
Observation of Children in the normal
schools Of the United States, but they
have got to begin to do these things.
He knows presidents Of colleges and
universities who know absolutely
nothing Of that very important SUD
iect as to how are teachers to get
information. Minnesota is the 1rSt
state in the union to establish dtvi-
sion in its health department Of child
hygiene.
Addressing the seniors especially,
because he said they would soon De
in the field as teachers, the doctor
said there was one way Il can put
YOU in touch with the important sub
iect very materially and it is thought
the medium of studying books on the
subject" The doctor then dictated
the titles of books which would help
them very materially in the work they
were about to enter upon.
The teachers in the public schools
ought to know the kind OF Things
which sooner or later Will prove
handicaps in their work and If they
learn something about making physl-
cal observations of children they Will
TO a. great extent be able to remove
some OF LQo ndnulCdpS. IL lhCtSSAe ~
his point the doctor emphasized the
dire results which come from the
mouth breathing child He dwelt
upon the phase Of making health
survey Of the children in the school,
room. The surveys which have been
made disclose that about So per cent
Of the children sleep with bedroom
windows shut at night. AS to going
to a dentist 40 per cent answered
yes" 60 per cent mo-" Only DO per
cent use a toothbrush, but 95 per cent
own a toothbrush, rs per cent use
coffee. 80 per cent drink tea, 25 per
cent have earache. Is per cent have
headache often, for % per cent the
print of the books used appeared
blurred 4 per cent of the children
have running ears, and of mentally
deficient children there are 2B per
cent attending the public schools. In
making health surveys there were two
parts, one by the pupils themselves
and their parents, and the second part
bv the teachers. The doctor gave an
outline as to the extent of the health
grading of the school child and how 1t
should be preserved for record. The
data collected if properly filed Will
prove greatest assistance to the
teacher in the progress Of the work
to teachers who may come atter-be-
cause the handicaps will be shown and
they can be dealt with intelllgently
and effectively to the advantage OF the
child and teacher both.