The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-12-03

Conservation Of Vision aud Health
OF School Children was the subject
OF an Interesting address delivered by
Dr. L. A. Grigg before the state
meeting of school trustees.
DR.. Grigg said;
1t gives me much pleasure To he
accorded the privilege OF addressing
such distinguished body as tnls
the convention of schuol trustees Of
the state of Montana, here assem- nled
Your efforts should De commended
and lauded by all good thinking pe0-
pie In this state. 1t is a move in
the right direction and one that will
rebound to the hetteFmeut uf the
schopls OF Montana.
by your kind permission | am
here to say a few words in behalf OF
the tardy, mentally dull and defect
I've pupils of our public schools
Tnese WHO aIe handicapped ny one
afiiiciioO or another and therefore
are unable to make their grades on
this account.
"Of the 20, 600 600, school children
In the United States, IS per cent are
more or less defective, from one
cause or another. Most of which are
remediable and curable; 500, 900
school children are suffering froni or
gauic heart disease This in mrst
cases Is incurable, but not as rule
fatal to life. Many people 20 through
life with leaky heart by knowing
how to maintain the compe nsation OF
this organ and by dispensing with
athletic or other violent exercise.
These cases are being cured in mauy
parts OF tile country b. the open air
schools. over 1000, 900 have spinal
curvature. This Is often developed
while in the schnol room by having
to sit In faulty positions, because
the seats and desks are not the proper
height and position for the scholars.
One million have defective hearing.
As the hearing IS one Of the special
senses most needed in school to alb
soTb knowledge, to learn to articulate
and pronounce correctly, any scholar
thus afflicted is at a disadvantage In
proportion to the deafness. Most
cases OF deafness in the young can be
improved and cured. Five million
suffer from eye troubles and defective
vision, which as you know is q seTi-
Gus handicap to the pupil. Five mil
lion ere afflicted with malnutTition
ana are weak and delicate; therefore
cannot stand confinement or much
study Six millions have adenoids
and enlarged tUnsils. THIS is a seri-
Gus impeachment for those thus atfiict-
ed. There is partial or complete
filling up OF the p0sterior or back
part Of the nasal passages that pre-
vents breathing through the nose
which is the natural method. This
cOmpels what is known as mouth
breathing with its train Of disagree
able complications, gawkish ap-
pearance, stunLed intellect and dull
ness due to absence Of oxygen and an
excess of carbondioxide in the blood.
This Is durable ny an operation.
I'm addition to the above fully
onehslf Of all school children in the
United States are annoyed with de
fectiye teeth.
1.-The 260, 900 school buildings in
this country are valued at $3.50, 900,
900 and it costs $500, 600, 900 per an
mum TO maintain them and pay the
475, 900 teachers their wages, who re-
ceive an average OF $40 per month
throughout the country. Many of
these so-called schools are totally un-
fit for the purpose. They are poorly
lighted, improperly ventilated and
heated. The plumbing is defective
and they are unsanitary. Notwitn-
standing this, nillions Of scholars
and their teachers are required TO
spend their best days In defective
buildings, In many cases the atmOs-
phere being laden with foul gases
aud disease hearing germs.
son account OF physical defects
80, 600 children are taken from our
schools annually. OF the IS per cent
nf defective children ia our public
schools about 30 per cent can be inn
proved and cured.
There are over 800, 600 blind peo-
pie in this country. A large major
ity of them went blind at infancy or
in early life. More than a half of
these eyes could have been saved by
proper preventive and curative meas
ures at the time they became affect
ed. The blind of this couEtry costs
$50, 600 annually to care for and edu-
cate Is il not high time thaG the
conservation Of vision we're being
more thoroughly guarded and cared
forF
"Of the school children in New
York city 80 per cent, or 1875, 900, are
TWO years behind their grades Fig
uriny the cost per child at S25 per
annum this MAKES an added cost to
the city of 81, s75, 600, because OF de-
fectige scholars. To illustrate, in
one of these schools alone $50 marked
detectives we're found who we're back
ward in their studies, also mean in
disposition. OF these I37 suffered
from adenoids and enlarged tonsils,
the other I3 from defective vision
and eye disease Within SIX mrnths
after removing these defects IS per
cent OF them showed marked i'm
prOyement in their studies They
not only made their grades but kept
up veil in their classes. Like Eise
their general dispositions bad
changed noticably for the better
'In the state OF Minnesota IL has
been Shown that 400 school chill
dren annually have adenoldS that r.
tard them one rear In their studies
Tne cost for schooling in tins state
per scholar is S25 per year. There
fore the extra cost 10 the stste foT