Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-16
URGED AS A COURSE
Hygiene and Sanitation Favor
ed as School Studies.
LOCAL OFFICIAL IN ACCORD
Conference of Educators and Health
Authorities.
DR.. MURRAY SUBMITS PLAN
Estimates That Two Years Would Be
Required to Cover Sub
jects Fully.
LOCAL OFFICIALS IN ACCORD
DR.. MURRAY SUBMITS PLAN

two-year course in public hygiene
and sanitation may be made part of
the regular curriculum of the public
schools of the District of Columbia as
the result of suggestions advanced yes
terday at conference between officials
of the local health department, school
authorities and representatives of the
clean-city committee of the District.
The conference, which was held at
the Franklin School, was attended by
DR.. William c. Woodward. health Off
GER; DR.. William NJ Davidson superin-
tendent of schools; w. H. Richardson,
president of the clean city committee;
DIR. Arthur l.. Murray of the health de-
partment and secretary of the clean
city committee. and about 100 princi-
pals of the white public schools of the
District, together with the supervising
principals of the white schools.
Arrangements are being made for a
pervising principals at which the plan for
having public hygiene and sanitation
taught regularly in the public schools
will be further discussed.
Suggestion Endorsed.
The suggestion met with enthusiastic
Endorsement at yesterdays meeting. DR..
Davidson stated that a town and city
hygiene book is now being used In the
schools 1t is important, he said, that
steps be taken to apply the instruction
locally.
DR.. Davidson commended plan of
study outlined by DR.. Murray, which, in
all prOba bility will be given considera-
ton by the school authorities. The out
line calls for the teaching of personal
hygiene, hygiene and sanitation of the
home. school and places OF public as
semblage. and municipal sanitation and
public health.
This course. according to DR. Muir
ray, could not be completed by a pupil
under two years and should be taught
not only in the public schools, but in
the normal schools as well.
DR.. Murray's. Plan.
Cnder the head of personal hygiene
the health department representative
would have school children instructed
In the care of the body health and
disease, food, air. water, clothing, eX-
ercise and hygiene of occupations.
DR.. Murrays plan relative to the
teaching of hygiene and sanitation of
the home, school and other places of
public assemblage calls for instruction
in light ventilation, heating, plumbing
household wastes and sanitary environ
ment
With respect to the teaching of NUM-
cipal sanitation and public health. the
outline suggests a study of the local
water supply, sewage disposal, cleaning
of the public highways, food supplies
and their safeguards. contagious diseases
and their control and the civic RESPONSE
bility of the citizen.
This outline is general in scope
and far from being complete said DR..
n
however. which suggests itself to me is,
first, to acquaint. students with matters
particularly associated with their own
personal health, and. second, to. grad
lally bring to their attention the relation
of the home and those places most fire.
luently visited to their health and the
health of their associates.
As Essential as the Three RS.
Education in hygiene and sanitation,
to my mind. should be just as much a
part of the education of a school child
as reading, writing and arithmetic. The
graduates of our schools should not only
have instruction as to the best methods
for the maintenance of their health, but
should be brought to an appreciation of
teir duty to their fellow-citizens and the
in matters of public SANTA
ton and public health
by the study or sanitation more tnan
through a study of government itself can
pupils be brought to develop social con-
seriousness and grow into realization
of civic obligation
w. HI. Richardson told of the work of
the clean city and of the desire of this
organization to obtain the full co-opera-
ton of school children in the effort to
make Washington the healthiest and
cleanest city in the world. The plan for
the teaching of public hygiene and sani-
tation in the schools which originated
with Mr.. Richardson's committee, was
warmly commended by Health Officer
Woodward, who also spoke.