New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-25
HEALTH LETTER TO PUPILS
State Health Commissioner
Briggs Writes to Every Child
in the Public Schools of
the State.

A feature of "School Day" which was
on Friday, October %, throughout the
state, under the auspices of the State
Department of Education, was a health
letter written to the pupils Of the pub
lie schools by Or. Herman VI. Biggs,
State Commissioner Of Health. This
letter. which was forwarded TO the
schools, together with one from DR..
John II. Finley, Commissioner Of Edu-
cation, was read Friday to the pupils
Of every public school in the state.
DR.. Biggs's letter was as follows:
To the school Children Of New York state:
The Commissioner Of Education Or. John
H. FINLEY who stands at the head Of the
wonderful system Of schools which has been
built mp for your benefit has asked me 10
write you letter on health. / am very
glad to do so. and. as In the letter which
ask you 10 go with me into the great big
wonderful outdoors 10 see II we can't find
something there that will help us.
Did You ever notice how short but broad
and branching IS tho pine troe That grows
out in the hald alone? You will see that Il
is q very different tree from its brother
which grows I'm d crowded forest The forest
pine is q tall. slender tree The tree out In
the field gets all the sunshine and sir that
IL needs without any effort Sunshine tust
pours down on il from the blue heavens,
But the pine in the forest Is not so fortunate.
II must struggle IoI all the sunshine IL gets
IL must push its way up above its neighbors
in the fight 20 got the sunlight that IL must
have I'm order 60 live.
or course the pine never thought Of this
Trees do not think: Nature lust forces them
TO DO things FOR their OWL good. But they
tell us won ierfu stories II VIC know where
70 look and how To listen. And this story
OF their struggle for llfc- giving sunshine in
the crowded forest Is one o. their mos. Won
derful tales.
All summer Ions YOU pupils Of the schools
tree out iu the fields You have had sun
light and good pure air given YOU by kindly
old Nature without YOUR thinking about II
any more than the trees think. These good
things just came TO YOU. You we're like the
pine tree out in the field. With winter COM
ing on. however YOU become more like The
tree iu the forest. You must get indoors
and stay there for a large part Of the day
either iu your homes or IN the school II
f. not possible TO have "a room Tor every
pupil 50 you must be crowded together, as
are the trees in the forest And, like the
trees iu the forest. you must now DO some
thing for yourselves TO get the sunlight and
air thai your bodies need even more than
the trees. You must have the windows open
10 Jet u In, and you must get out Of doors
as much as you possibly can. You cannot
struggle up through tho roof Of your school
house as the pine struggles up through the
forest. bon YOUR search FOR air and sunlight.
Some Of our tightly closed schoolrooms
were like trees, If they began to grow out
through tho windows in their struggle for
Nature fresh air.
The animals also teach US fresh air les
much alike. but which are really very DIFF
ferent animals. one or them IS tho rabbit
the other d. tho wOodchuck. Tho rabbit has
house burroved out away down into tn,