The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-19
HYGIENE OF RURAL SCHOOLS.

HYGIENE OF RURAL SCHOOLS.
In a short paper in the health re-
ports issued recently by the United
States Public Health Service. the need
of proper medical and sanitary super
vision Of rural schools IL emphasized.
Despite the fact that the necessary re-
quirements of school hygiene are
known, rural communities have been
slow to take advantage of this knowi-
edge because the element of expense
and the want OF trained sanitary adj
visors. The lack of sanitary super
vision in the construction and main
tenance of rural school buildings and
Of medical supervision Of the pupils
was revealed during the recent investi-
cations carried out by officers OF the
public health service during which q
total of $50 schools in nine states were
inspected by service officers engaged
in the work during the scholastic year.
In a number of rural communities 1t
was found that the school attendance
was small although the child popula-
ton of these districts was relatively
large. 1t is believed that due attention
to the proper construction. equipment
and maintenance of school buildings
and the the proper adjustment OF the
curriculum to the capacities OF the
child will largely prevent such alb
sences from school and will reduce
juvenile delinquency. The neglect OF
sanitary supervision OF schools in these
communities results not only in in
jury to the child through inability to
take advantage Of the opportunity for
nj <roi piv, bx,r nj .fhA
presence of otherwise preventaDle
and durable defects. but also in actual
calculable monetary loss through loss
of time in school attendance.
The duty of the state with respect
to safeguarding the physical and men
tai health Of the school population is
patent. The necessity OF this protec-
ton to rural communities is great be-
cause. according to the 1910 census.
there are over 100000 more chill
dren in attendance in rural schools
than in urban. Furthermore medical
inspections in this and other countries
have revealed a high percentage Of
physical defects among children that
are largely preventable and durable.
There are numerous children In rural
communities who are suffering from
defects of this nature. by reason of the
want of skilled medical advice.
In the course Of these investigations
one officer Of the public health serv-
ice found more than 10 per cent Of
the pupils in Fl rural schools suffer-
ing from trachoma and more than 20
per cent in IL schools. The neglect
Of sanitary precautions will favor the
continued spread Of this disease and
the only hope for complete eradication
lies in the education Of the. rising
generation.
1t is the exception to find sanitary
privies provided for the use Of rural
school children. In a number of in
stances no privy accommodations
were provided and soil pollution in
the vicinity Of the school house was
evident. In one county, II cases of
typhoid fever with two deaths were
traced to the infected wells of two
schools in the year preceding these
Investigations.
The paper concludes with the rec
ommendation that wherever full-time
health officers are not available be-
cause of Jack Of funds, the rational
combination Of the duties Of health
officer with that of the medical super
vision of schools would make the en-
ployment of such an officer practical
BILE and profitable.