The Washington times., 1914-03-23
DEMAND A BETTER
SCHOOL INSPECTION
lnQuirers Find Model of Visit
ing Nurse System at Orange,
New Jersey.

Medical inspection of schools a
conducted in Washington has bee
dssailed on all sides as inadequate
But what sort of medical inspec
ton is needed,
Visiting nurses are provided TO
in the District appropriation bill
But What are they to do:'
A comparison of a satisfactor,
system of medical inspection nit
the District methods is the best ma,
TO clear up the hazy ideas on thi
subject.
By J. R. HILDEBRAND.
For its liz occupied school build
ings. Washington has thirteen med
icai inspectors, two OF whom make
dental inspections only.
These inspectors. in the three
hours a day they are supposed to
devote to school work. can visit each
building but twice a week. and
then see only such pupils as teachers
send TO them.
Members of the Mothers Congress,
In conjunction with representatives
e several parent-teacher associa-
fions. have been investigating con-
6itions of medical inspection in other
cities. They assert that the District
L. 20 kAIg - -. l.
Its provisions for the care Of chill
dren'e health.
Complete data has been obtained
from several Of these cities. The
system in vogue at Orange. n. J.,
was described to Times repre-
are employed there. because. the
work has been 30 successful that
certain features of il recently were
adopted by the Boston school board,
and because the inspection is thor
ough and not too costly for prac-
ucability.
Large Number of Absences.
That an unnecessarily large num-
Der of absences exist in the Wash
ington schools because of prevent
able diseases, is the allegation of
one Of the Mothers Congress iilves-
tiEators.
To Mothers this member stated.
the District says. Give me your
$500 children during the formative
period Of life I will educate them
and care for their mental growth.
Each child will cost me approx
nately $40 a year
Last year the enrolment. in
round numbers. was Kindergarten.
1000; elementary. 47,eO0 and second
arg, 6.00o. But from the kindergar-
ten. LOCO. or one-third. remained
away; from the elementary schools,
10.69o. or one-fourth, were absent.
and in the secondary schools, s1.0o0,
Or one-siNth. were absent
That makes total OF L. 600 chill
dren, or e per cent. of children alb
sent during that year. The loss to
the District Of this absence is large.
For school expenses go on just the
same The loss to the pupils is
heavy. For each time an absen.
pupil returns he holds back his
class
Work in Two Glasses.
In Orange, n. J.. the inspection OF
seven schools is carried on by one
physician and by two nurses The
work there divides itself into two
classes, the inspection of each child
and the yearly physical examination
Of each child.
One feature of the work there Just
adopted in Boston is a large card.
covering the twelve years Of . child's
school life. On one side are his rat
irss in lessons. On the other side is
his yearly physical examination re-
pert. and any information forthcoIn-
ing from the frequent inspections of
his physical condition So that
teacher. on the hunt for the reasons
for his deficiency in studies. may have
at her hand information concerning
his physical condition that might
bear on his mentality.
The daily inspection Is an interest
ing feature of the Orange work DR..