Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-18
GOVERNOR APPOINTS
BOARD OF 0PTOMETRY
Five State Examiners Created by
Last Session Of General
Assembly.
TWO RICHMOND MEN NAMED
V. B. Gilbert and C. Barringer
Smith Among Selections-AllP rac-
titioners Must Now Secure Certiti.
Gates and Pay Fees to State.

Commissions were issued yesterday
from the Governors office to 1--WE OPP
| tonetrists of recognized standing who
viii form Nirginias first State Board
of Examiners i'll Optometry. The Gre
alton of the board was authorized by
the last General Assembly. and the ap-
pointinent of it's members marks the
end of struggle of many years OIL the
part of State opticians for a statute
placing their calling on a professional
footing.
The terms of the I'VE members of the
raw board date from yesterday, and
arc as follows: V. B. Gilbert. 73l Fast
Main street. Richmond. three years: II.
ID. Jackson. 223 CRANKY Street, Norfolk.
and j. Douglas Watkins. ASA North
Sycamore Street. Petersburg. two
| years; II. l.. Lang, Staunton, and G.
Barringer Smith. 400 East Franklin
Street. Richmond, one year.
All or these are members Of the Vir-
GINA State Optical Association. Tho
appointments were made by the Gov
ernor from a list of names submitted
! by THIS organizations. The board Ia
required to make an annual report 10
the Governor, including the names of
! All persons who have been registered
and have license in force. and an ac
count OF all moneys received and dis.
bursed by It,
The new law defines the prsctie. q,
|
any means other than the use ~
| drugs. for the determination of natural
and functional deficiencies of the eyes
ana the adoption of lenses for the a Id
theTeof The act makes 1t unlawful
Tor any person to practice optometrv In
virginia without first procuring from
the Optometry Board Il certificate OF
regis tration obtainable only upon the
passing OF satisfactory examination
ana Tie payment of $40 for the exam
nation ana certificate
Having once obtained the ccr+i6.,,
an oPtometrist is duly qualified to nrnc
tice and is required thereafter only to
renew the certificate annually at a cost
vi %, the money to be payable to the
| secretary OF the board and. with all
other income. to be applied TO the ex-
penses made necessary by the act. Op
tlcians furnishing the board with salts
factory proof that they have been en-
gagged In the practice of optometrv In
permanent location in this State for
more than one year prior to the PAS
sage Of the act. are exempted from tha
requirement of standing an examfna
| ton,
Unless exempted under this provision.
every applicant for a certificate must
ne AT least twenty-one years old, OF
good moral character, must have a
preliminary education equivalent at
least to two years in public high
school. and must have studied at least
three years In registered optom-
e'r!sts office or have graduated from
a school Of optomctry maintaining a
standard satisfactory to the board of
examiners.
The optometry bill was bitterly op-
posed at succeeding sessions of m.
Legislature by commercial interests.
whose traffic In cheap spectacles the
/ new law threatened and also by rem
utaoie physicians and oculists who
sa" In the act an attempt to give a
professional dignity to business
which they regarded as primarily COM
mercial The bill was introduced at
the last session by Delegate w NJ
! Myers OF Richmond. and passed in the
/ face of sharp opposition
one OF the effects of the law will
be 10 drive from the State the itiner-
ant venoer OF cheap spectacles who
plies his trade chiefly In the sma II
towns and rural districts that have no
resident oculists or opticians