Grand Forks daily herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 1914-10-12
immediate importance with us, except
in certain restricted areas.

immediate Importance with us, except
in certain restricted areas.
School hygiene is a complex prob
lem. Our knowledge Of its principles
Is greatly in excess of their practical
application. The position Of school
medical officer presupposes. in add
ton to thorough training in physio-
logy and Psychology, a practical
working knowledge of h physics of
heat, light and ventilation, and an
ability to recognize and coordinate
the physical condition and education
al needs of the developing child.
The need of skilled services and the
expense incident thereto rave been
instrumental in restricting the prac-
tice of school hygiene largely to ur-
ban communities. This is unfortu-
nate, because the great bulk OF the
school population of this country is as
yet scattered over the rural districts.
The dispropOrtionate prevalence of
preventable diseases among urban
and rural populations is not great;
the necessity, therefore, Of educating
j ulo III ~ klIS SAS1 vi
sanitary precautions necessary for the
preservation of health is apparent.
The importance of school hygiene in
this respect is paramount. because
the sanitary redemption of the ma
jority of rural communities must
largely be brought about through the
practical education Of the young in
or%derliness, cleanliness and the OBJ
of sanitary precautions. Fur
thermore, the medical inspection of
school children is in more or less in
innate relation with the homes,
which in turn are component parts
of communities. The educational ef-
feet Of school hygiene extends
through these channels for the better
ment of the community health.
There is necessity for uniformity in
methods of examination and of classi-
flying the results for collective Stats
tics to be of value. There is need Of
uniform methods and systematic clas-
sifcation Of results before these OBJ
servations a be of value in study
ing mental and physical standards,
and the effect Of changing social con-
ditions on development.
The object of school hygiene, says
The Journal Of the American Medical
association. Is to place the impress
sionable child in the most favorable
environment for physical and mental
development and to detect and cor
rect defects which may impede intel
lectual training. The medical SUPER
vision Of schools may. however, be
further utilized by the state in the
determination Of the prevalence of
communicable diseases, especially in
rural communities. The ultimate con-
troll Of malaria, trachoma, tuberculo-
SIS and typhoid fever in these COM
munittes must be largely through ed
ucadonal methods. For these reasons
combination Of the duties of the
health ofhcer with that Of the medical
supervision of schools pea emil
nently practicable.
Intensive studies Of the mental ca
pacity Of American school children.
at varying ages, should be undertake
en-. in widely separated communities.
with a view to the establishment Of
n normal mental standard, thereby
rendering possible the study of the
impress OF immigration, and the eff
tect OF a changed social environment
on the mental processes Of the immi-
grant child, as revealed by similar ex-
at h ports Of entry.