The Washington times., 1917-02-07
Or. o. n. Benson Declares Chill
dren Should Work At Useful
Occupation.
LONG IDLING PERNICIoUS
Says Summer Months Destroy
Good Results Achieved Dur
ing School Year.

What the small boys OF the nation
probably will regard as a vital blow
was struck by DIR. o. H. Benson, OF
the Department of Agriculture at yes
terdays meeting OF the Parent-Teach-
ers' Association.
DR.. Benson said the youth of the
nation should not be allowed to loll
around, go fishing, and swimming
during a three months vacation
period every year. but should be
made to do some useful labor. The
fact that the boys and girls OF Amer
lea do devote themselves exclusively
TO having a care-free good time con-
stitutes waste. he said.
THE long summer vacation now
given our boys and girls Is one OF
abe most serious handicaps for the
building of good men and women.
was the emphatic statement Of Dr.
Benson.
Good Work offset.
There is a great opportunity for
good or evil in this relaxation OF
Eearly three months, but under the
usual conditions all the good sc-
complished during the nine months
of the school year is neutralized.
A program for vacation has been
outlined and tried out in Boz Scout
circles which has proved q wonder
full stimulus toward the making of
better citizens. he declared. The US
usl relaxation at the beginning OF
vacation has been replaced by a sys-
lem Of speeding up.
Achievement Club.
DR.. Benson then told of the work
OF a summer achievement club, and
illustrated it with photographs of the
diary OF the summer kept by one of
the boys. Eleven tasks were assign
ed to each of the boys and a certain
marking given for the degree OF
achievement. The boys who captured
The highest markings for the summer
were the recipients of prizes
The tasks included such things as
being kind TO some old person of the
neighborhood, taking care of the
baby. doing some housework, moving
the lawn, making money, producing
something, self-denial. careful atJen-
tion to tooth-hrushing, bathing. etc.
There were inculcated in these boys,
DIT. Benson pointed out, , standards
necessary to the making of useful
men.
DR.. Benson also emphsSfzed the
point that the schools should be con-
sidered as the distributing point OF
all community efficiency" There
was an abnormal sentimentality
abroad at present. he said, which in
sisted too much on the school as a
social center"
Neglect of Teeth.
nr A MurnhU he
was formerly in charge OF medical
work among the Indians on the Gov
ernment reservation, and spent some
eight years visiting and observing
the Indians in these places. He said
that all his experience inclined him
to think that one of the greatest
evils of community life is the neglect
of the teeth among the growing
population.
Among the Indians the necessity of
oral hygiene has been one OF the
most difficult lessons to teach. And
in the schools of Washington, Dr..
Murphy said 30 per cent of the chill
dren had defective teeth.
Like Charity Institutions.
The cost of getting enough To eat"
said DR.. Murphy. lis so great at present
that the majority Of parents absolutely
can't afford necessary dental work for
their children. And the free clinics as
carried on at present smack too much
of charity"
Speaking for the Mothers Congress,
Mrs. G. s. Rafter said the women
sought some definite thing to work for
this year, and a resolution was passed
that the congress should endeavor TO
have established a regular public dental
clinic