The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-12-19
ParenETeachers

! meeting in the auditorium of the
high school Thursday evening and
there was very good attendance. AT
+, 7.30 business session was held at
which several subjects were discussed,
among them the question of providing
for needy families.
At eight o'clock the regular meeting
was called to order by president Smith
and piano solo, very beautifully rem
dered by Miss Waronker was greatly
enjoyed by the audience.
Miss Emily Halsey Suydam, of
Elizabeth, was the speaker of theeve
ing. Her subject was Personal clean
liness.' Miss Suydam has been called
the splitting lady" because one OF the
many "don' is" she insists upon is
don't spit" tuberculosis is COM
municable therefore don't spit is a
rule that should not only be practiced
by all but it should be called to atten-
ton by placards and the rule should be
local board of health. Infection of
tuberculosis takes place in early child
hood, but with proper treatment it can
be cured. State and county sani-
forums have been established for this
DuEDOBC anu ab RACcSAS eANAc 40 INV
state sanitorium, with eight county in
situations of the same character. Plen-
tv of rest. fresh air and proper food are
of great benefit and fewer children
have tuberculosis who have the advan-
tage of these three items. The play
ground is a very great adjunct to
community. Through it child gets
fresh air and exercise. Miss Suydam
earnestly advocated open-airschools for
tuberculosis children. Everybody can
help in the fight against this dread
disease and can do it with little ex-
pense or outlay OF money. The selling
and purchasing of red cross seals adds
to the treasury of the society that is
doing such good work towards stamp
ing out a disease that is not only pre-
ventable but durable. Miss Suydam
is an interesting talker, devoted to the
subject which she speaks on and she
held the attention of her audience for
an hour.
At the conclusion of the address the
COMMUNICATIVE committee took
the floor. At the previous meeting it
was decided to give this subject further
consideration if time warranted and as
there seemed to be q disposition to
hear what was to be said on the ques-
ton the chairman called for reports of
committees. The Business Mems As
ISOLATION reported that there is q popu-
lation of 1857 in Mount Holly SO per
cent. being Americans and two per
cent. foreign. The committee made
some recommendation which they
thought were absolutely necessary for
the welfare of the town. They were:
compulsory sewage; new water plant;
rest places especially for people who
visit the town and are compelled TO
spend some time here.
This was followed by, the report OF
the committee on health and santa
ton. A written report was handed in,
but 1.-THE chairman of the committee
asked DIR. Elmer d. Prickitt, the health
officer, to make some statements. He
complied with the request and said
the board of health is hampered by
two factors. Zone is an incomplete
sewage system. The other is lack of
civic pride that is not confined to the
poorer classes. In order to get new
sewage system it will be necessary to
expend 500, 0OO. Moorestown has paid
for its system by a direct tax, some
thing that is not in effect in Mount
Holly. On the water question DIR.
Prickitt said the water had not been
polluted for q number Of years, good
filtration and chemical treatment over
coming all impurities that get into the
water. He asserted that the present
water company will never go to the ex-
pense of installing artesian water. II
the citizens want it they will have to
get it under municipal ownership. The
recent outbreak of typhoid fever was
traced to one dairy and was due to a
carrier.
The local board of health puts forth
great efforts to keep lots clean, to fight
the mosquito, to fulfill its duty with
regard to contagious disease, and to in
spect all diaries and milk depots.
Professor Sullivan called the atten-
ton of DIR. Prickitt to the fact that the
law grants the board of health the
right to compel people whose homes
are filthy to clean up. DR.. Prickitt
thought this came within the duties of
the truant officer, but such is not the
case.
1t was finally decided that there are
already enough organizations in town
to be supported without increasing the
number. 1t was suggested that social
service committee might be formed to
Cooperate with overseer of the poor
Dolan and the board of health, and it
was finally decided that twelve persons
be appointed committee with power
to call meetings at any time to carry
on welfare work.
Patrick Dolan, overseer of the poor,
said he would be glad to give any in
formation that would look towards aid
ing deserving families, and he would
also give substantial aid where he
knew the cases were worthy.
This ended the meeting and here we
take up few thoughts suggested. Ow-
ing to severe cold we were not able to
be present and express thoughts pub
licly, but make them now. We will
deal mainly with the report of the
health officer. The subject of imper-
feet or incomplete sewage is certainly
one of importance, but whose fault is
it that the system is incomplete How
are not connected with the sewage
plant now in existence The laws gov
erning boards of health are very gener-
GUS and the subject of sewage is espec-
tally referred to. The suggestion of a
uAAoot INA w pa III al improvement
ia not popular one just at present
with the tax bills of this year before
us. The water question is another
thing that may be touched upon. If
the water is, as DR.. Prickitt said, abso-
lutsly pure, and has been so for years,
why the agitation of municipal owner
ship or artesian wells ? What is the
milk in the cocoanut in this PROPOSE
break of typhoid fever was traced to q
certain dairy is certain, but how often
before the outbreak were the diaries
and milk depots inspected? There is
no set of laws that give more power to
a body than those which govern boards
OF health, and there is probably not a
municipal subject that receives less at
tention and real energy than the pub
- l.