The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1914-05-04
Rural School Conditions
In The United States.

important appointed by the Council
Public Instruction the
that cooperation with the National Education Association
This committee appointed has been working with
similar committee appointed by the National Education Association
the subject of school hygiene The first year the
devoted largely the field and consideration
what activities should be first undertaken After
sicn the committee decided the
and than the city school, Then question
to the amount of available information concerning rural schools
and schoohodses Surprising found that little
known of the actual conditions of rural schools
preliminary accordingly undertaken with
remdyng this defect Through United States Bureau
Education, Professor Dessr of Nashville Tenn made careful
study of large number of country school districts the South
Special surveys Connecticut Vermont and New York. we'll
general investigations which gathered statistics from
the Unon and special of Idaho
ehuses Pennsylvania New Jersey and Virginia. resulted the
cumnlaton OF large OF information which being digest
ed and drawn the form of report Professor Dressars work
will he made public through special report issued by the United
States Bureau of Education While the work of the committee is
only begun enough has been learned show that the sanitary
on of schools by any satisfactory gen.
orally supposed any satisfactory generally
posed In the New York Times, March s. appeared lengthy
Gle based statement by Dr. T. D. Wood of Columbia University,
chairman of the education committee
After describing the organization of the the
which has undertaken Dr. Wood sad eve grew up the
ton that the schooren the country bound be much
healthier than the children of the cities Our parents always
ed the little schoohouse their excellent
years. however, has good deal suspicion
little red schoohouse have begun this day of sanitation
and medical inspection doubts unqualified
benefits"
Dr. Wood then gives few specific instance in proof Of the gen.
e proposition that the country schoochld from Is per
defective than the city child In Pennsylvania study
rural school districts made the health of children
districts conasted with the health the schoochden
rsbug Pittsburgh and Altoona The percentage of defective chill
dren in Altoona SO Pittsburgh 1912 while
the districts studied the aggregate defective children
per This
try schoochdren Pennsylvania need of special
treatment, while in New York City only per
dren all defective.
investigation specific gives results For
instance comparison of the schoohdren Orange County,
gua with those of New York City, shows 6a with all
roundngs and disadvantages city life the number New
schoolchldn with lung trouble only fraction per
while of all the scoolchden in Orange County,
Virginia. suffer from affection the lungs When the
schoohdren considered supposed that
of course, the country child would greatly urpa the child
city, yet the Of manuon the schoochren
New York City % per while that Of rural chooen
the districts investigated 81 The startling
found when the figures for mental detectives
tscs from twenty cities from rural districts
Massachusetts, New jersey Idaho and Virginia compared
that the of mental defects among children
per while the average among rural schoochden per
cent Heartdsease twice prevalent country children
among city schoolchden City schoochren only per
of of the spne while rural shoochdren
cent Ear troubles five times and troubles four times
frequent among country children Adenods found city
schOOhdren per cent but the the percentage
The children cities showed average percentage
of enlarged tons of 8S while similar of country
showed 80 and Idaho the
Discussing the for these amazing and startling conditions
Dr. Wood finds that the sums where the pinch of
the shapest the food better prepared than is the country
while the distance ocuss clinical advantages
counts for the large number of defects sight hearing and teeth
Country houses often dafy and oveheated The chances
house infection and children exposed cold
and dampne The schoohoues old carees built
and have insufficient equipment In states there regulation
OF the sanitation of country schools Heating generally
stove and bad ventilation is usually the result Seating
aaons bad ard general sanitary conditions unspeakab
uueny the only for cleanliness pail water dirty
basin and common towel Drinking arrangements bad aud