Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-08
WELFARE STUDY REPORT
MADE AT SESSION HERE
CONTINUED from page -

NCOnIlnueQ from pdSe ~
land pay patients. X-Ray, laboratory,
c~hildren's ward with fourteen beds.
The report advocated a dental clinic
for the last year. 2,022 pupils in the
school were found to have defective
teeth.
The children in the %parochial
schools are not receiving the benefit of
medical inspection and school nursing
and it is believed that there is a gen.
uine demand on the part of the par
ents of these children for these bene-
fits. The work of the Anti-tuberculo-
sis league was spoken of and the fact
that last year in the county 457 pa
tlents were placed in the sanitorium.
The low typhoid rate was also pointed
out as this speaks much for the
: health of the city. There have only
been two cases of this disease In the
past five years. The infant death rate
had decreased since additional nurses
had been installed. D~iphtheria has
years the report showed and that q
mild epidemic was now being expe-
rienced in the city again. The report
spoke of the need of bringing the
nurses of the schools and Board OF
Health together so hat they could
hold conferences and do better follow
up work. The report advocated the
4 DUllulHE OIL IL COlIlltluiAly uAAoA
where all clinics could be housed, and
an open air school.
The report on Housing and Santa
ton shows In part that the city coun-
ell is arranging to employ an expert
on city planning who will help lay out
streets, parks and building sections In
q way which will insure beauty, health
and greater usefulness. The housing
is fairly typical of a city of this size
ox1 4ha yrnrprnwdnd conditions a re
caused by the increased need for peo-
pie to come here during the a Due
to these overcrowded conditions, there
are instances Of dark rooms, use OF
Easements, improper disposal of gar
bage, etc.
The city has splendid water, the
streets are electrically lighted and a
large portion well paved. The city
health office is working hard to see
that food Is prepared >under clean,
healthful surroundings.
The report on recreation follows in
part: The success of a city is meas
ured largely by the happiness of It's
citizens. Their happiness of its citi-
itizens. Their happiness depends large
ly on how they spend their leisure
time. We have tried to determine
how and where people play In Perth
Amboy, by a study of ~recreatlonai
Churches; all give annual picnics.
They should provide monthly soclals
or dances. One church hi q full re-
creational program another n tWen-
ty-two organizations and is now con-
templating q thoroughly equipped
gymnasium with proper space for all
kinds of modern recreation. n
| lodges give annual celebrations and
dances.
The study made by the Boy Scouts
| reveals the boys own attitude as to
suitable play space. The scouts made
r. schedule of SiXty-slx vacant lots n
stated hat approximately 800 children
were playing on them between the
hours of 4 to 6 o'clock one AFTERNOON
last week. The scouts think that only
one lot is really q fine place to play
and only one out of five are fit to play
in at ell. The reason given as to the
four out of five Unsuitable lots is that
they are either near dangerous rail-
road crossings or are filled with rub
bish. 1t is possible to draw some very
telling conclusions from these facts
and the fact thai 500 children were
brought before the juvenile court last
year. 1t was found that the school
grounds are closed after school hours.
The work of the Y. M. c. A, Boy
Scouts, X. of c.. and Y. M. II. A. were
cited as providing wholesome recrea-
ton for hundreds of boys. The Y. M.
H. A., The International Institute n
the Girls League are doing wonderful
work for the girls. The Elk n
Yacht Club are in another~cl and
do fill O very great need for adult~re-
creation.
Many cities have planned a
playground system, providing an
equipped play space In every half
mile. located whether in the school
yard or on ground purchased for this
purpose. Play in such cities Is super
vised and the best results obtained
both in physical development and the
building up Of good wholesome citi-
zens for the future.
The theatres are clean, licensed, in
spected and give good programs. On
the whole much better than most
cities of Its size and kind. A survey
was also made by this committee in
connection with the pool rooms,
dances and prize fights, but aside from
q mention of them In the report no
fault was found with them. 1t was
pointed out the city provides q park
commission and a play ground COM
mission. The playground commission
1T was found, has placed some equip
ment on -four school grounds and in
two parks. Seven supervisors for two
months a veal rave been provided.
The equipment is limited, but accord
ing to the report popular demand and
support must provide more money be-
fore larger playground activities can
be INDUCED in.
1t was found that the park COM
mission has purchased five tracts of
land, two nave had considerable i'm
provement. In that shacks were re-
moved and dump grounds improved SO
that there is a terrace in one and
flower beds, sidewalks and a pier in