Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-19
ALL TEACHERS
ARE ENROLLED
Battle Against tuberculosis Is
Declared to Be Every
body's Fight

This is everybody's fight" writes
DIR. Thomas e. Finegan, State COM
missioner of Education, in appeal
ing to $4,000 school teachers in
Pennsylvania to bring the tubercu-
losis fight and the attendant Christ
mas seal sale to the attention OF
their pupils on Red Cross Seal Day
in the schools on Friday, December .,
THE fight particularly concerns
the school of to-day because its sue
cess or failure is of first importance
to the community of Tomorrow.
declares DIR. Finegan.
The Commissioner also urges ex-
animation of children and proper
treatment for youthful victims of the
white plague.
DIR. Finegan's letter to all school
superintendents follows:
Hon. William G. Sproul, Cover
nor of the Commonwealth, has desig-
mated Friday, December 5, 1919, to
be observed as tuberculosis Day in
the schools of the State. The Gov
ernor suggests in the statement made
by him that the schools give special
instruction in regard to the white
plague menace and that the teachers
should explain how the public can
aid in preventing the spread of this
disease and in ultimately stamping
it out altogether. The Governor says:
"'Only when the public is fully
Informed concerning its part in the
fight against tuberculosis will it be
possible to cause the reduction in
the annual tuberculosis death rate
that those now engaged in tubercu-
losis work confidently hope for.
No state in the Union has been
more aggressive than Pennsylvania
in the fight it las made against tu-
berculosis. The fact that Nation
wide observance of tuberculosis Day
ure, due to the influence of the tu-
berculosis program in our Common
wealth.
1T would be entirely proper to
make a powerful appeal to the per-
sonal interest and public duty OF
children in the school and to bring
home to every individual some per-
tinent questions, for example:
Are you going to be one of the
1000 Pennsylvanians who die in a
year of tuberculosis? Are you will
ing to be one of the $4,000 sufferers
from this white plague? Or are you
going to be one of the 100000
Pennsylvanians to help stamp out
tkis menace to human happiness in
the next ten years?
This is everybodys fight. The
person who is so negligent or so un-
fortunate as to contract the disease
does not suffer alone. He threatens
the life and happiness of his family
and his friends. He is a menace TO
the public on the streets, in public
conveyances, in school and church
and at the movie or other place Of
amusement. The fight, then, par
ticulariy concerns the school of to-
day because its success or failure is
of first importance to the commu-
nifty of tomorrow.
One thing they can all do at once /;
that is, use the Red Cross Seal of
1919. Let us present the cause of
good health. with particular refer
ence to the antituberculosis cam
paign, at this Christmas season when
the spirit of good will is dominant in
our thoughts. The Red Cross Seal
of 1919 has a particular appeal to
children. Santa Claus, printed in
red with white fringes on his out
fit, and a white beard, stands with
full pack at the top of a chimney
good health movement is a fine
exemplification of the spirit of
Christmas.
This is a proper time to have an
examination of every child who has
any of the usual symptoms of this
disease. The medical inspector of
your district should be requested to
make an examination of each child
who shows any of the symptoms of
such disease. Provision should be
made for supplying each of these
children with proper treatment, and
in all cases where the home may
not be able to provide such treat
ment the nurses and school visitors
should follow up such cases."