Evening star., 1915-02-07

pendent bureaus one Of the most
thorough studies of hygienic condi-
| tions ever undertaken in this or any
other country is being pushed. This
| investigation of the hygienic condi-
tions under which $1,000 government
employees in Washington work will
| later be carried to every office or field
station throughout the United States.
in which there are approximately
415.OOO persons in government employ.
This study of the conditions in the
| buildings where thousands Of servants
of the government have to labor has
| been going on quietly for nearly nine
years.
More than three years ago Mr.. Taft
issued an executive order covering this
hygienic investigation in the govern
ment departments for all branches. ex-
| cepting the War and Navy depart
ments, each of which has a medical
corps of its own. The Taft order speci-
fed that the investigation should be
| carried on by the United States pub
reports of each investigation made in
a department should be forwarded to
the President.
The governments health experts car
rying on this hygienic investigation
are giving close attention to the meth
DDS of ventilating, heating and light
ing the various offices. observing de-
tails of the general cleanliness of the
walls, toilet arrangement and equip
ment, method of cleaning the build
tngs. and many other details.
The investigation has had a stimu-
lating and educational effect upon the
sanitary administration of practically
every building in which government
employees are housed Although some
of the heads OF divisions have been
very Indifferent on health matters.
practically all of them have by this
time been aroused to the necessity
for protecting the health of those who
are dong the governments work and
have co-operated in improving sani-
tary conditions.
the work by issuing an order prohibit
ing the use of the common roller towel
in toilets, a practice which for many
years has been permitted. notwith-
been made to its use. Although there
lhas been no general order prohibiting
the use of common drinking cups at
water coolers in the various bureaus.
the heads of practically all of the de-
partments have issued individual orders
either requesting the clerks to keep
and use individual glasses. or have in
stalled the paper parafi1n cup holders.
A few years ago many of the de-
partments had water coolers which
and often unclean both inside and out To-
day all of the progressive bureaus have
installed glass bottle water coolers,
and each department head wants as
the water supply for clerks as is taken
with the water which is served on his
table at home.
Much attention is being given by the
public health service Investigators to
the study of the lighting of the varf-
GUS rooms and the effect Of light on
the employees vision. Claims have been
made that many employees have had
their eyesight ruined by the inemcient
lighting in many of the Offices. and in
been substantiated.
The first step in extending these hy-
gienic studies outside of Washington
has been made in looking into the san
lightships of the United States. Not
only is attention paid to the health
conditions under which the lighthouse
keepers work. but considerable study
has been made of conditions affecting
the health of members of the families
of lighthouse service employees.
Women are making more rapid prog
ress in educational work, both admin
istrative and teaching,
Women in than in almost any
r.A. other field of endeavor.
""0"'Aon' This fact is brought
out in the new educational directory
issued by the United States bureau of
education for 1914-1915, which gives
the names of four state superintend
ents of public instruction who are
women and lists a large number of
subordinate administrative positions in
are filled by women. The states hav-
ing woman superintendents of public
instruction are Colorado, Idaho. Wash
| ington and Wyoming.
In Montana all the county superin-
tendents are women. In Wyoming
| there are three men and seventeen
| women and Colorado has as county
superintendents thirty-six women out
of sixty-three counties; California has
twenty out of fifty-eight; Idaho, twen-
| ty out of thirty-three: Iowa. fifty
eight out Of ninety-nine; Kansas. one
| eighty-six; Nebraska. forty-eight out
of ninety-three: South Dakota. thirty
| six out of sixty-one. and Wisconsin.
seventeen out of seventy-two.
Women are found as county superin-
| tendents chiefly in the west. Kentucky
is the only southern state with wom-
an county superntendents. having
twenty-five. Tennessee has one. Utah
| mas DuL one woman III Lnc OIIlC0 OF
county superintendent, while Alabama.
Arkansas. Florida. Georgia, Louisiana,
Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey,
| North Carolina. Ohio, South Carolina,
Virginia and West Virginia have none.
| Some of the other states have women
| in Offices corresponding to county
lsuperintendents. Thus Maine and Mas
sachusetts have two woman ''union''
| superintendents. and New York has
thirty-seven district superintendents.
In direct contrast to the situation in
the counties. very few women are
found in the ranks of school superin-
tendents of cities. Only twelve cities
| out Of the 1900 on the federal bureaus
list have woman superintendents. One
| of these twelve is Mrs. Ella Flagg
| Young, superintendent OF schools of
Chicago. The other eleven cities hav-
ing woman superintendents are scat
| tered over Alabama, California, Con-
necticut, Illinois. Michigan, Tennessee,
Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The mining and metallurgical indus
tries of the United States will be off,
l cially represented
Mine Exhibit at with a government
ca, ro,o;.oo mine bureau exhibit
the history Of American expositions
during the months of the big fair at
San Francisco.
In the Panama-Pacific exposition the