The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-04
RURAL SCHOOL SANITATION.

RURAL SCHOOL SANITATION.
In 1911, the national council of ed
ucation Of the National Education
association appointed a COMMITTEES on
health problems in education. At the
same time, the council on health and
public instruction OF the American
Medical Association appointed COM
mittee to cooperate with the Nation
al Education association ON this sub
ject. These two committees, acting as
Ia joint committee, have for three
years been working in this field. The
significance and practical value OF
the coordination Of the efforts OF the
teaching and medical professions of
the United States is apparent. The
possibilities of such cooperation can
hardly be overestimated. After careful
consideration, the committee was
unanimous in feeling that possibly the
most important and certainly the most
neglected field in school hygiene was
the problem of rural school SANTA
ton. When an effort was made to
formulate plans and remedies. how
ever. it was soon realized that al
though every one was agreed as to
the paramount importance Of this field,
there was little, If any. definite infor-
nation available regarding actual con-
ditions. 1t seemed necessary, there
fore. that before any remedies were
proposed or even discussed. a reason
able amount of data should be secured.
Fortunately, these conclusions were
completely in harmony with the views
and policies OF the United States bu-
reau of education. AS DR.. p. p.
Claxton.' the commissioner was a
was possible to develop a plan for the
study of rural school conditions in
which all the forces interested could
unite. During the spring of 1918. a
field secretary employed by the joint
committee made a careful statistical
and Photographic survey of about one
hundred rural schools in four eastern
states. At the same time, Prof. F. b.
Dresslar OF the Peabody College for
Teachers of Nashville, Tenn, special
agent of the federal bureau OF educa-
ton. was collecting a large mass of
material on country school houses in
was secured from various sources,
principally through state boards of
health. ALI OF this information has
been carefully collated, with the re-
suit that Bulletin IL of the United
States bureau of education. entitled
Rural School Houses and Grounds"
contains in it's two hundred pages
probably more information on this
subject than has ever before been col
lected. For the details of this survey.
the large number of Illuminating facts
brought out and general conclusions
drawn therefrom. the reader is re-
ferred to the report itself, which can
be secured from the bureau of educa-
ton at Washington. AS a result Of
this study, the joint committee of the
National Education association and
the American Medical association has
prepared a statement Of minimum re-
quirements for rural schools, being a
summary of those conditions of loca-
ton, construction and equipment
which are the very least that should
be tolerated in rural schools. This
pamphlet can be obtained from the
from DIR. Thomas d. Wood of Column
bia university. New York City, or
from the American Medical assOcia-
ton. For the first time in the history
of education and sanitation in this
country. a reasonably comprehensive
collection of facts regarding the sani-
tary condition OF rural schools has
been made and q standard of mini
mum sanitary requirements formu-
lated. Parents, teachers, school boards,
health officers and the general public
have now been given a standard cas-
lily applied and within the physical
and economic possibilities of any COM
munity. Adoption of this standard,
says The journal of the American
Medical Association. is the very least
that can with decency and fairness to
its children be expected of any COM
munity. AS this standard becomes
recognized through the distribution of
these pamphlets, it will in few years
be possible to estimate the relative
degree of development in any state by
the condition OF its rural schools
There are many other questions to be
considered in solving the health prob
lens in education, but persons inter-
ested in the sanitation of rural
schools may feel gratified at the SUBJ
stantial and definite progress which
has been made through the joint COM
mittee' in the last three years in this
| field.
WHY WOMEN CHATTER.