The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-10-24
STATE CONTEST FOR Bn BIES.
examination Will be Made at State
Fair Of Infants Between Six Months
and Six years of Age.

anu S9tH, ana 10 DrlnS with them
their little children between six
months and five years of age.
For the first time. the State Agri-
cultural Society OF South Carolina
will judge babies as we'll as pigs, hens
and horses. For the first time, the
state Of South Carolina will attempt
to show parents what are the weai,
points In little children and put into
their hands wise literature showing
how children should be cared for. SD
tina. they may be as fine as Ii is Dos
sible for children to be.
The Woman's building on the State
fair grounds has been turned over to
the Public Health Department of the
State Federation of Women's Clubs
and Winthrop College for Better
Babies Contest. The doctors of Co.
lumbia are interested in the move
ment. They will give the children en-
tered In the contest a critical medi-
cal examination and score them ac-
cording to the score cards Of the
American Medical Association. The
nurses of Columbia are as much in
terested as the doctors and have
agreed also to serve the little children
of the State.
There will be a room in which q
preliminary examination will be held.
20 that no child with contagious
Idisease can enter tho contest and
SO unw'ttingly injurc another child.
Children who pass this preliminary
examination will pass on for q medi-
cal examination and from thence, to
an examining room in which they are
weighed. their height measured and
chest and abdomen also measured.
Then 1t Is easy to sec whether a child
OK a given age measures UP to the
standards which have been stablish-
CD by the American Medical Associa-
ton after most careful examination
and measurement of the many chill
dren.
Next, the child's mouth, teeth and
throat are examined. If there are de-
fects. they are carefully noted. When
the examination is completed, the
score card is carefully computed by
. scoring committee and duplicate
of 1t Is mailed to the mother of each,
child examined. Into the hands of
each motncr is put literature telling
her how the bslsy should bc cared sor.
during the first i've years Of its life.
These are The most critical years cf IL,
iiie.
On both of these days there will be
lectures at 1880 a. m. by physicians
on various phases of the care of chill
dren.
In addition. there will be a room fit-
ted UP to show what is needed for the
care of young child and some of
the things in common use which
ought, for the sake Of the child, to be
avoided. There will be balanced
meals. for children of various ages,
on exhibit. There will be a trained
nurse or dietician in charge of these
exhibits who will confer with par
ents concerning questions on which
the parents wish to be enlightened.
We use the word parents advisedly,
for, In many instances. fathers as we'll
as mothers come with the babies, and
why shouldn't they?
The whole movement is construc-
tive. 1t seeks to center the attention
OF grown-ups upon the children, i'm the
belief that it constitutes practical
means for disseminating knowledge
concerning the child.
Many n farmer knows today FAR
better how To care for and feed his
stock than he knows how to care for
and feed his child.
Mothers and fathers do not often
possess definite. scientific knowledge of
the needs Of children. Two and a.
half million babies are born each year
In the United States. Onc-cighth Of
them, that Is, 100000, never reach
their first birthday; one-fourth OF
them. namely, 10000. never reach
their fifth birthday. a vast number
or these deaths arc prcvcntab'c and
much may be done to help delicate
children. 80 that they can become
healthy.
When the farmer feeds his stock uD
on balanced rations. and surrounds it
WIN the most sanitary conditions. the
result Is, finer stock. Expert knowl-
edge should also be applied to the
care OF children, I'm order that this
great loss of life may bc prevented.
Thcn. IL YOU are u Columbia moth