The Detroit times., 1915-10-21
CHILDREN
NEED MORE
STATE CARE
DR.. Clara Davis Urges
Practical Efforts
to Aid Youth
SOCIAL SERVICE
WORKERS MEET
Conference of Chart
ties and Corrections
Held In Lansing

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. Oct. 81.
IF We wish TO get anything more
worth while from this subject than
set OF amiable resolutions, We
must turn from generalities 10 par
ticulars, from ideals to methods"
declared DR.. Clara NJ. Davis, of
Lansing, discussing THE commun-
ity's care of the child" at today's
session OF the state conference on
charities and corrections. now meet
ing here. She urged that immediate
steps be taken TO provide for thor
ough medical inspection In the
schools. free medical ci,Lics and
dental services for children of poor
parents and instruction Of all chill
dren in the principles of personal
hygiene.
Recognizing that, inevitably, chill
dren must live under a benevolent
tyranny, II becomes the community
duty to see that that tyranny Is tru-
ly benevolent and that no child shall
I'm this helpless state suffer loss,
damage, or handicap that will tend
TO make him less free and less equal
in relation to his fellows when he
energies from a paternalistic govern
ment into a democratic state" DR..
Davis declared
I'm the largest sense, community
care OF children involves planning
for the physical, intellectual and so.
cial development of all children.
The intellectual development has
been planned for in the public
school system. Their physical de-
yelopment is being increasingly
planned for in many ways and OF all
health work, child welfare is the
best paying investment.
Naturally. to secure proper and
eiiioieni community care of the ply.
steal welfare of children requires as
carefully planned sEG executed.
though far less elaborate, a system
as has been worked out for their in
telloctual welfare.
1T means a we'll organized. COM
potent. non political, sufficiently paid
health department, properly correlat-
cd To and working with the public
school system and other city de-
paTtments and | believe there is no
more important question for Michi.
gan cities at the present time than
how such health departments may
be best organized and manned I'm
der the direction and responsibility
Of such a department VIII naturally
follow:
"First--Medical inspection in the
schools
"Second--Follow up inspection
and instruction in the home.
"Third-Free medical clinics and
dental services for the cure of the
children
Observation-Disclosures OF all chill
dren In family groups, one member
of which has tuberculosis or
syphilis. diseases which are especial
ly group diseases.
administration OF all c'~.'en
IL personal hygiene and simple and
nursing measures.
"As a result. no child will suffer
physical damage or mental handicap
because the particular benevolent
despot who fathereo or mothered
him is stupid and doesn't realize
that he has edenoids or is fanatical
and believes that trust in the Lord
will obviate the necessity OF glasses
for astigmatic eyes; or is stingy and
does not want 10 spend money on
the dentist.
What | have attempted in these
few minutes is brief survey Of the
main points in a subject as vast "a
Ia constitute In its entirety a whole
department of life. II we wish to
get anything more worth while from
this subject than set OF amiable
resolutions, we must turn from
generalities to particulars, from
ideals to methods"