American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-05-27
HEALTH TALKS
TO CLUB WOMEN

Os De 0Dblt hEAL LII SEN 'lSE
STATE SANITARY AND PURI
FOOD DEPARTMENT AND AGRI
CULTURAL EXTENSION WORE
INTERESTINGLY PORTRAYED.
D. J. Elrod Talked of Sanitation ant
Health Work of the State Pure FOOD
Department, w. 7. Potter on the
Agricultural Extension Work Of tht
State University and DIR Paine Oi
Investigations by the Government
Relating to Spotted Fever.
The civic section of the American
Falls Womans club had the pleasure
yesterday of listening to three good
addresses dealing with public health
and civic pride. The addresses, in the
order named, were delivered by d.
J. Elrod, deputy state pure food and
sanitary inspector, w. T. Potter, OF
the Agricultural Extension department
of the University of Idaho, and DR..
Paine, in the government service, who
Is making a study of spotted fever in
Idaho and Montana.
Mr.. Elrod's talk dealt with condi-
tions confronting the state pure food
department and how they were trying
to meet them. The department, he
said, was trying to cooperate with all
the people rather than to punish a
few, in order to get results. Harsh
measures were resorted to only where
conditions demanded a resort to them
and where no other course would
serve the same purpose. Considering
the limited funds at the departments
disposal the only way to secure salts
factory results was to enlist the sup
port of the public spirited citizens of
the state, and that the best results
came from the womens clubs. In ev-
cry town it was the purpose of the de-
partment to appoint deputies to serve
without pay, who would be clothed
with all the authority of the regular
paid members of the department, to
keep conditions sanitary. He paid
compliment to the citizens upon the
general conditions he found, but let
1t be understood that we did not have
a spotless town. Some things he found
were far from being as they should
Ind he intimated that as soon as he
deodOrized few small spots in Poca-
tello he would be back and would stay
as long as he was needed. At the
close oe his remarks he passed around
a number OF Kodak pictures taken at
Pocatello to illustrate what conditions
should not be, stating that he found
1t necessary to return to Pocatello in
order to help the Judge listen to ex-
plantations that would be offered
in extenuation.
Mr.. Potter's address fitted in very
nicely, much of it being devoted to
the work of the garden and back yard
clubs organized and encouraged by
the extension department OF the uni
versity. This department is for the
benefit Of the very little ones, and
quite often gives them their first les
sons I'm civic pride. Their work con-
sists In keeping the back yards of
their homes free from old cans, and
all kinds of rubbish, and the growing
of four kinds of vegetables or flowers. |
To stimulate the children prizes are
given for the best kept back yards,
club women usually acting as inspec-
tors and judges. He told of the begin
ming OF the club work by Miss Shep-
herd, former state superintendent,
without funds, and of how it was made
possible only by the personal contribu-
tion of Senator Brady. The work has
now been transferred to the state uni
versity and is being directed by Pro-
lessor O. ID. Center, director of agri-
cultural extension work. The last leg
lslature did not make appropriations
Tor the carrying on of this work suffi-
cient to enable the publishing of bull
Ietins TO stimulate and guide the chill
1ren in their work, but bankers and
other public spirited men had come
70 the rescue and we're supplying nec-l
sssary funds to keep it going. The
objects and purposes of the boys and
sirls club work as outlined by him
we're: To offer in a measure, at least.
'ural opportunities to boys and girls
n towns, throughout the summer va
'ation period. To develop in the city
,oys and girls a love for the soil, |
'lants, and the out-of-doors; to teach ,
economy and develop habits of thrift /
through the home garden; to cultivate 1
love for home and home environ
nentss, and a common interest In |
eautifying not only the front yard |
ut the back yard to teach a wider '
sc OF fresh vegetables I'm the daily |
let and more complete balanced G
alton by not only using fresh prod 8
cts but by canning the surplus for I
inter use; to encourage the correla- T
ion OF the home project work with Il
chol activities; to give boys and girls I
lanly and womanly jobs, a chance to II
OF only understand, but to feel and r
ppreciate the cost OF real achieve n
tent, which they best learn to do by n
Ding. s
All who heard his talk appreciated a
new the value of the work the uniyer- n
ty is doing through its extension de- Il
artment One Of these is the opportun s.
y 1t affords for direction and super Il
sion in creative and constructive y
ork, offering in a definite form voca- d
onal guidance and systematic and VI
ractical instruction in soil and plant te
Such work helps to
1Se more intelligent and successful
sducers and better citizens, and to \
evate agriculture to its proper place W
! the most useful and honorable of te
I callings. W
Mr.. Potter, in closing, paid a tribute d,