Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-10
LOCAL COMMENT

When thirty -six cases OF contagious
diseases can be found In our public
schools by a once over examination
what would have happened had we al
lowed the nine months term to run It's
course without any examination? Is it
any wonder that epidemics Of children's
diseases run thru the schools every
year? Considering the doctors bills
we have to pay In our homes, the loss
Of life and waste Of the child's health
caused by these epidemics 1t would
seem that more frequent health exam
nations Of the schools even than we
have now would not only save life and
health but save money as well.
a
When $50 children were discovered
with defective vision, forty with poor
hearing. and 139 with defects in either
nose.s or throat the cause of at least
300 cases Of apparent stupidity had
been located which were charged up
to the child in each case when the pa
rent was really more stupid than the
child. Children can't learn when 1t
hurts their eyes to try to read. They
can't keep their places with normal
children when they can't hear what the
teacher tells to them and when debil-
itated with throat and nose affections
they can't keep up in their classes and
in most cases are branded as billiards
with great injustice All of us are much
too careless about our children, never
giving them thought SO long as their
appetites are normal. 1t remains for a
c<shn ~ a
children are sick with contagious dis
eases while others are defective in vi
sion, hearing or otherwise. Let's in
crease the vigilance Of the school
nurse,
This newspaper and it's editors have
achieved a reputation for forwardness
in urging the building of permanent
bridges but for the past year war
prices for all building material No.,
justified a waiting policy in the matter
Of permanent public work and it is to
be hoped that the county board will
husband the countys resources for a
period of lower prices which will
come.
The same policy as to permanent
street paving would be wise at this
time Next year should see nothing
done but the much needed repairs Of
old paving which has worn out. The
cost Of constructing new work is too
high and will become cheaper If we
will but wait.
Road grading and crawling can be
pursued without loss for the cost of
team and man labor is not going to
come down as fast as the cost Of build
ing materials. 1t is going to require
several years after the war to restore
the worlds food supply and until food
goes down in price man and horse la
Dor must stay up.
4
Now that the restaurants and hotels
have been induced to cut out meat on
Tuesdays and wheat on Wednesdays
why not adopt those days for food
conservation in the homes? II some
certain day in each week were set for
the meat substitutes and wheatless
breads the sacrifice would become more
effective and certain. The cold plunge.
and the regular physical exercise and
all other sacrtfcial duties can be ac-
complished best whom one is put under
contract to perform his sacrifice at a
stated time and place.
Z
Amy person fully conscious Of his
own bills for the necessaries Of life
can see the greater demand for char
ity which IL inevitable with a. winter
during the third year Of world war.
However, great many people have
not yet realized that their own ex-
penditures for gasolene and other lux
uries far exceed their expenditures for
necessities even at war prices and it
is these people who should take an in
ventory Of themselves until they can
give up some of the things they do not
need in order that they may contribute
to the charity association for the things
that other people do need very greatly
and can't have without help.
The Y. NJ. C. A. war fund campaign
from claiming any interest therein