The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-01-04
PLEA FOR MEDICAL INSPECTION.
In Public Schools, Made By Vermont
Federation of Women's Clubs.


Mace for them to exert their influence at
the present time is for the pupils IN our
schools. TO make the money which ~
put into our public school system count
for most, the scholars must be In the
best physical condition.
Professor Mcfarland says: "A low in
dex of efficiency of school is due prob
ably more to defective physical and ma
terial conditions conditions that can be
remedied or alleviated-than TO any oth'
er cause
Humboldt says: Whatever you
would put in the state, you must frst
put into the schools" To us this means
if we wish healthy people IN TINS state
we must see that the children OF the
state make good start toward health
| II means that the sooner we can reduce
the number Of epidemics that run
through our schools, the less deaths ana
diseases following such epidemics we
shall have. Every physician can tell OF
lung troubles, kidney trouble, deafness
poor eyesight, occasional dumbness, 10
say nothing of the innumerable cases OF
ladenoids and throat diseases coming from
A run of the measles and scarlet fever
| To overcome this. we must handle our
medical treatment from the new stand
point that of prevention instead OF the
| old way of curing il possible what might
have been warded off.
| How are we to bring about a changer
| Some few states, but only very few,
| think they have found way. In l9lo
there were only three of these, Massa-
chusetts. New York and one other which
| cannot name. Probably now there are
more. but am told there are not many.
They found compulsory medical M
spection of schools was great check 70
| the entrance of disease. Here is the
reason Massachusetts gives for her law
"to ascertain whether he 1.-THE pupil Is
suffering from defective sight or hear
| ing (this examination made by the teach
erl or from other disability or defect
tending to prevent his receiving the full
benefit of his school work, or requiring
modification OF the school work in or
| der to prevent injury to the child or TO
obtain the best educational results.
| We have to-day a law which says
"The school directors OF any town or
| city. or the school committee of any in
corporated district, may appoint one or
more medical inspectors for their schools,
provided the legal voters OF such city,
town. or incorporated district at their
annual school meeting by vote instruct
said directors or committee so to do. IL
has been found that in some OF the larg-
er places, where people were alive to the
need of this inspection, it has been done.
But the practice is not general.
Vermont is not a state OF many cities,
nor OF large proportion of large places
hence this inspection is not reaching the
majority OF its people. Is it fair thing
| that. because a boy or girl must live IN
a small place, he should be debarred from
| the same kind of medical care, which
NAV mean a fair start in life, that the
boy or girl Of the larger place has given
him? We talk much Of keeping our
Young people in Vermont and at home II
we can. Can you expect the young man
whom we want and need, 10 look across
the border line into Massachusetts,, see
ling the advantages of better care OF his
Ichildren in the schools in the impression
able years OF their lives, and be content
to STAY where he thinks a state is be
hind the times -
| II ought not TO be necessary to make
such thing as this inspection compul-
sorry. but the millennium has not yet ar
| rived. and we have not come 20 think OF
| il as a business proposition, to the ad.
vantage of the state. as we shall some
day grow to do.
Again let me quote Professor MeFar-
land. who SAYS: There are few cases
where economy in money affairs should
outweigh economy in vital power. The
state eompels attendance at school under
certain ages. IL ought, therefore, TO pro
vide adequately for the conservation OF
vital power in the case Of every pupil
who comes under its jurisdiction
The word compulsory refers only to
insisting that each child be examined a
certain number Of times during the year,
Except in the case OF contagious or in
/ fictitious diseases, this does not mean
that any parent can be compelled 70 fol-
/ low the advice OF the school physician.
lie has no right TO prescribe, but sends
message TO the parent that his child
has a certain disease OF tendency toward
! il. and ought 90 have medical attention.
But no one has the power 10 say that
adenoids must be removed or a spinal
Icurvature Strengthened. However, il
amounts 20 an examination that might
cost quite a sum Of money, given to each
child. and in most cases, the parents
would come 10 see that the comfort Of
the child in after wears 10 say nothing
81 HE value as q wage-earner, would be-
advanced Il the advice Of the physician
were followed
SIN Switzerland. that model republic,
the delicate or backward children in the
public schools are examined by the school
/ physician every 10 DAYS, and wherever 4
I i needed. treatment in sanat0riums, food
or clothing are furnished by the state
/ And the Swiss tax PAYERS have harmed
that this o. economical"
i n New York state II has been found
that % pcr cent ~ The children IN the
truaut schools were IN need Of medical
care. 1T be- not forget here IN Vermont
that there NAV D. children who are ~
nolrished or have defects that. ii taken
in time. can h. renedied. and the doing
al this may save some from wrongdoinp
and ~ an actual money saving t. The
state 81 they are kept from . reform
school ~ prison
+ H. the bll which the federation in-
tends b present % the legislature Il a
provision which should make f easy
financially for the srnan places 70 have
tlr same care that TIRE larger places can
better afford This provides tilat one
Inspector mav Pc employed ~ several
touus inst as sehaoi supervisors are Oft