Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-16
LOCAL COMMENT

The best investment ever made by
any school board was the employment
OF someone competent to examine
school children for physical defects
which would interfere with their school
work and retard their growth Parents
in the best families in town have been
prompted to consult specialists regard
ing their children and have been able
to correct eye, ear and nose troubles
that were unknown but which were a
serious handicap to the development of
the child. When we learn that 161
children We're found with defective eye
sight most OF the delinquency in classes
has been explained. The forty children
whose hearing is impaired We're not
getting a square deal in the class room
for they would not hear half what the
teacher said. The III with nose or
throat trouble We're uncomfortable and
ailing most of, the time, and in no con-
dition to do school work. No wonder
there were lagards in nearly every
class. Even the 200 with bad teeth suf-
fered pain or stomach distress and
they were not in At condition for the
school room. A physical examination
which disclosed 81 per cent of all chill
dren physically impaired for school
work certainly vindicates the wisdom
of the policy of examination. A govern
ment which insists upon physical ex-
aminaton OF It's soldier recruits and
it's police force is merely consistent
when it examines children as to their
fitness to do the work required in pub
lie schools
The work of the school nurse ought
to suggest that parents have not been
as careful as they should he in looking
after their children's health.
80 :
While the people of this community
are struggling in a campaign to raise
100000 hospital the people of Vinton
are preparing themselves to welcome a
$4,000 hospital as a bequest in the will
of a former citizen and the boosters Of
the commercial club Of Newton are
putting on campaign. for all the funds
necessary to build a new hospital there.
The town needs hospital in order to
grow and to make Newton desirable
place in which to live so they think.
The people living within thirty miles of
good hospitals in Marshalltown must
raise $4,000 more to complete their
fund Who has been sighted and over
looked? Let him speak up.
Property owners WHO want paving
next year should petition the city coun-
Gil now. Prices are bound to be higher
next year. but whatever they are the
lowest figures can be obtained on colf-
tracts in the winter time, so as to give
the contractor the full summer season
in which to complete his work and OBJ
tain his material. If he had his con-
tract signed in February he would be
buying and storing gravel long in ad-
vance of his needs. The city itself
could afford to buy and store gravel
thru the winter to be sold to the paw
ing contractors in the spring.
Now is the time to organize the snow
shoveling squad for the winter cam
paign. Why not district the city, ap-
point captains and authorize them to
employ boy patrols or horse plows for
every square block. Property owners
should not be given to exceed one day
in which to clean their sidewalks and
most Oh tneIn would ,De WllllnR 10 COLI
tract with the patrols in advance so
the work could begin at once when
snow falls. sssva
There is only the one week left for
Christmas shopping and the stores are
sure to be congested. City people
should have some consideration of the
rights Of other and plan their shop
ping before II a. m. From that hour
until 5 p. m. the out-of- town people
will crowd the stores. shop early now
takes on an added injunction to shop
early in the day.
When the Christmas savings funds
are dispensed this week many n person
will wish that he had been as provident
as his neighbour who can go smilingiy
about his Christmas shopping without
fear of the bills that are to be paid.
However, nobody ever made much out
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