St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1916-01-29

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
the children from homes
with better sanitation excelled in a
total of A averages, while children
from homes with poor sanitation ex-
celled in % averages.
In the lung capacity test, Doctor
Stiles states, "In the case OF both
boys and girls, children from homes
provided with better sanitation,
Group S, have a tendency (total 10
to 9 estimated in year groups) to
greater lung capacity than the child
rem from homes not so sanitary, Ito
tai to 15).
In determining retardation, s was
used as the legal age for entrance
to school and l year as the theoretl-
cal time allotted each grade-that is
10 years including the four high
school years for completion OF the
school course. Not to weary you
with too many figures, of 1862 boys
examined, 1872 lived in homes pro-
vided with sewers, 1874 at homes
with privies tof 80 data was lack
ing). The .22 boys of Group S ay-
eraged a. retardation of LOS grades
and they made only S1.1S per cent
Of their theoretical standard. BY
contrast, the 1874 boys OF Group p
averaged a retardation of 1852 grades
and made but 6S.03 per cent of their
theoretical legal standard. The av-
erage boy of Group S was 13 per
cent nearer the standard than the
average boy of Group P, or the ay-
erage boy of Group P was 16 per
cent behind the average boy OF
Group S. The girls (814 of Group
s. averaged 0.95 grade retardation
and attained only 1888 per cent OF
their theoretical legal standared
while the girls Of Group P averaged
a retardation of 1.61 grades and at
tanned only Ill per cent of their
theoretical legal standard. The fig
ures demonstrate that the average
girl Of the one, Group S, was Il per
cent nearer standard than the aver
age girl Of Group P, or taking girls
of Group S as a standard, the aver
age girl Of Group P is about IA per
cent behind the average girl of
Group S.
In the memory tests, the conclu-
sions are, SO far as it is possible
to Judge. on basis of 1886 children
(751 boys, 834 girls) studied, the
children from severed homes aver
age q higher memory span than do
the corresponding children from
privy homes Calculated on basis
Of total year periods, the children
from homes OF better sanitation can
reasonably be expected to excel in
memory span those from homes de-
fective in this respect, approximate
ly in the ratio Of IA to 10.
1t goes without saying DR.. Stiles
does not give the sanitation Of homes
as the sole cause of vitality or men-
tally below the standard. He re-
iterates in each study that while the
home sanitation is an index, many
different factors must be considered
in explanation of the differences IN
the groups of children, S and P. He
points out that it is legitimate to
assume that more cases of soil pol
luton diseases may be expected in
the unsewered homes, therefore,
more absence from school with con-
seQuent greater per cent of retard-
alton.
l invite your attention to the con-
illusions of DR.. Stiles as being peril
nent to the success or failure OF the
school. | am sure you will agree
that the most important factor in the
school problem is the health of the
child, and, while the teacher may not
be able to accomplish much in the
actual improvement of the home, the
school itself in it's environment can
be made a practical lesson in by
GENE and to this extent an element
Of protection from disease in the
daily life of the child. We get many
in the office of insanitary
conditions in homes and schools. In
following up these | am often amaz-
ed at the sanitary evils tolerated i'll
schools seemingly without protest.
OF many individuals no standard OF
C1SaAuuCSS VI SS&ulldLaOu Is G4p6Cl0u,
but that a teacher will continue from
day to day for an entire term to
permit such conditions as exist in
many schools is unexplainable.
There is in this part of the state
a school bitterly complained Of by
one of the citizens. There are no
toilets and the conditions reported
are inexcusably revolving. The sup
has informed me that
tlere is no ground belonging to the
school on which to build convent
ences but that for next term there
will be better building with other
/ am not familiar
with details Of your financial diff
culties; no doubt they are legion;
therefore. If a superintendent, l am
not sure that the closing of school
2(0y $