Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-08-05
EXTEND WORK
FOR CHILDREN
Health Plans for Older Children Grow
out Of the Baby Weighing and Meas.
uring Tests That Have
- Been Carried On.
PLAN PATRIOTIC PLAY WEEK
Plans are Under Consideration In Web
ster City, Though Nothing
is Done Yet.
PLAN PATRIOTIC PLAY WEEK

Six million three hundred and eight
thousand record cards for the weigh
ing and measuring test Of the health of
children under six have been furnished
by the children's bureau of the United
States department of labor to the local
committees of the child welfare de-
partment of the women's committee OF
the council of national defense in all
parts of the United States.
The interest aroused by the test has
resulted in extending and promoting
permanent work for children in Web
ster City and many other communities.
and the chairmen are responding to
the demand created by the test for
more simple, practical help in the care
of children by the establishment Of
public health nursing services and
child, consultation centers Through
which mothers can secure expert per-
sonal advice and authoritative printed
information.
Test For Older Children.
For the older children entered in
the test and for their big brothers and
sisters the child welfare departments
of the woman's committee, in collab-
Grafton with the children's bureau of
the u. S. department OF labor, are now
endeavoring to provide wholesome rec
reation to increase the health and
strength of the children. The plans
for the recreation drive and for the
patriotic play week in which 1t will
eliminate will give older boys and girls
a test of their physical vigor. Ger
tain standard tests have been devised
"a standing broad jump Of five feet
nine inches, a run of sixty yards in
eight and three-ffths seconds. and the
ability to chin himself four times, en-
title boy to the first certificate OF
physical fitness. Second and third
certificates for increasingly difficult
tests can be won later. A girl can
win her certificate by demonstrating
her ability to throw basket ball into
its goal twice out of six trials at a
distance Of fifteen feet; by walking "a
feet balancing herself on the narrow
edge of q fixed scantling two inches
wide and four inches thick, while
carrying book on her head; and by
running a potato race in AZ seconds.
For girls also, the tests are progress
sive, and a year later the girl who
qualities for the first certificate may
compete for second one. The tests
have been proposed by the Playground
and Recreation association of America
sor the patriotic play week. Com
n. tees are urging children to play the
games that develop certain muscular
ability in order to help them qualify in
the tests.
For Play Week.
The plans for the patriotic play
week include exhibits of many other
things W. Oh occupy the interests Of
children during the summer. The
health and vigor acquired in out of
door exercise and games will, it is ex-
pected, increase the energy and en-
thusiasm for the canning, stock and
poultry raising, and war garden work
of the U. s. department of agriculture
boys and girls clubs and the U. S.
bureau of education war gardens.
Drills of the athletic organizations al
ready established among boys and
girls, folks dances of different nation
alities. SINGS" and pageants, all are
planned as part of the community de-
monstration of what it is doing to
make the leisure time of its children
worth while.
Plans for the play week and rec
reation drive in Webster City are I'M
der consideration. although nothing
definite as to the form they will take
has as yet been determined.
Jewell Chapter Sends Supplies.