Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-09-22
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Medical Inspection in Schools.

Mr.. Editor: Since the new law COM
polling medical inspection of our pub
lie schools more directly affects the
residents of Norwich than any other
community in the state, q few words
concerning such legislation. its origin
and progression may prove timely. II
is vitality important to. first. the par
erits Of children attending our schools:
second, the taxpayers, who are required
to foot the bills, and, third, to the citi-
zens. who by it's action are robbed OF
all right to criticize effectively or in
any way control by their vote as
citizen Of free country the conduct
of our public school system A few
words concerning the opposition to
this medical control of schools and how
it originated will not be amiss and
| may be of interest to those who per
| haps have given the matter little or
| no thought or who have taken IL for
granted that, on the principle that the
king can do no wrong, such legislation
| ostensibly in the interest OF public
health and protection to the rising
/ generation is ~both laudable and
| proper:
Prior to the opening of our schools
| in September 1902, an edtct was issued
| by one of the local health officers that
| no unvaccinated child could enter the
| schools of the town. An order from
| this source was soon discovered to be
| Illegal and a few of our citizens. teal-
| of the consequences resulting from
| such unwarranted interference with
their children's health, placed their
| children in their respective seats in
school and prepared to defend their
action in court II necessary. Thls SET
tied the controversy for q time.
A few of our citizens, noticing the
fact that such tactics on the part of
the medici political doctors had sue
ceeded IN other towns. realized that
ha
before we could feel secure in the en-
joyment OF our political and medical
rights, or be sure that the health OF
our children would not be made the
plaything of designing medical poll
t!cians, resolved to form permanent
. organization to keep in touch witt
proposed medical legislation and COM
bat as far as lay In their power, any
. tendency to force compulsory vaccina-
ton in our public schools. This or
ganization, composed Of less than two
, score OF the business men Of Norwich
: has since that time maintained ar
active and watchful interest in al
med legislation affecting our public
school system, and in cooperation
with q state organization OF the sam'
nature has repeatedly endeavored 4
: effect a repeal OF the laws compelling
vaccination. especially OF school chill
dren. Up to the present time. while
l Il has not succeeded in effecting I
: repeal of the obnoxious vaccination
, laws, 1t has managed to secure
l degree of freedom from medical inter
! ference with our schools which NJ
town in the state of equal size has en-
joyed. Efforts have from time Z
] time.s however, been made to force tn
adoption of medical inspection in on
: public schools through various chan
nels, such as the boards of education
I board of trade. and at last by direc
> | appeal to the voters at the annua
!, town meeting October, 1918, where
met with signal defeat, and our tow
5 was saved the sum of two thousan
dollars asked for to put the measur
!. into effect.
!, Now I would kindly ask the taxpay
!. ers OF Norwich to consider for mo
> ment the financial results attendin
the self-sacrifcing efforts OF thes
= citizens who, by the way. have PAL
: their own expenses. Judging from IN
= experience of other towns which hav
. been forced in one way or another {
a adopt medical Inspection in their ow
y schools. own town, IL we had adopte
this innovation when first proposes
would have already expended at lea.
the sum Of twelve thousand to hftee
thousand dollars, without any pros
: pect OF financial return or beneht
J. anyone but the medical schemers WI
J. have been ceaseless in their efforts X
Is many years to saddle this burden Q
1t the town treasury for their own SELLS
ot purposes.
N Now, Mr.. Taxpayer. let us for a mt
l. ment consider the probable amount
u money which will be expended by q
Id town in the future when this has b
rs come the settled policy in our scho
al management No thinking citizen w
: call IL an extravagant estimate wht
OF say that II once IL becomes a permi
er pent. mart Of nI1r school axnanaa IL nri