The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-05-27
How Teachers Can Help Crippled
Children. EG@ =

W
The General Assembly recently
passed law which the Chicago Tri-
bune pronounces one OF the most inn
portant constructive measures re-
Gently enacted. 1t is known as the
Perkins bill, and its object is to aid
deformed and crippled children, and
in addition to this, those suffering
from any malady which may prob
ably be remedied, and whose par
ents are unable to provide proper
treatment.
The provisions of the bill may be
thus shortly summed up. Any judge
of district or superior court sitting
as a Juvenile court may, on his own
motion or on information furnished
by probation officer, an overseer of
the poor, regularly licensed physic-
ian, or a public school teacher, of a
child under sixteen years of age suf-
ferng with a deformity or malady
which may probably be remedied, or
der a hearing on the facts in the
case, the parents and the county at
torney being notified. The Judge is
empowered to appoint local physic-
ian to examine the child and report
to him. on blanks furnished by the
state for this purpose, concerning the
condition of the child and whether in
his opinion there is a probability that
he may be helped by proper treat
ment. If it appears to the court that
such is the case, and the parents give
their consent, the child may then be
committed to the university hospital
at Iowa City for treatment, and the
actual expenses at the hospital will
be paid by the state on the order of
the executive council. No fees are
allowed to the physicians for this
treatment. The only expense the
state will be put to will be the actual
expenses Of caring for the child in
the university hospitals
This act will prove a veritable boon
to many children in this state. We
have at Iowa City now one of the
best medical colleges in the coun-
try. 1t is one of twenty-five medical
institutions rated by the American
Medical Association as in the "a
plus class. The medical faculty of
the university contains some of the
most eminent specialists in the Unit
ed States, many Of whom are devot-
ing the major portion of. their time
to clinical work and who make mon
ey-making secondary matter. By
the provisions of this act, the SER
vices of these skillful and conscien-
tious specialists are made available
to every afflicted child within the
borders of this state whose parents
are not able to pay for proper treat
ment in the usual way.
AS We look at it, one of the wisest
provisions of this bill is the one
which permits public school teachers
to take the initiative. Public school
teachers more than any other person
know the needs of the children of
the community in which they work,
and as rule they know the circum-
stances of the parents as well. We
hope that teachers everywhere will
take note of this and if they have
knowledge of children who properly
come under this provision of this
act, they will bring the matter to
the attention of the court in the
county in which they reside, and
thus secure for the children the re-
lief which the bill offers. No other
service they can render. will have
such lasting effect for good.
The law will be effective July LIST,
next.
For detailed information regard
ing the law and the method of pro-
ceedure, we suggest that teachers
with DR.. L. w. Dean,
of the College of Medicine of the
Schools.
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