The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-08-03
EYE TROUBLE
MOST SERIOUS
CHILDREN
MISS MekiNNA, SOCIAL WELFARE
WORKER, HAS FILED MOST IN
TEREsTINc REPORT FOR PAST
MONTH OF JULY.

Eye trouble is the most serious de-
feet found among the school children
/ of Escambia county and what is need
ed is free eye. dental. ear. nose and
throat clinic, asserts Miss Agnes Nc
Kinna, social worker for this county
They could be had for comparatively
! little expense" affirms Miss McKinna.
How would we get them? That is
easily answered. To begin with. all
| the best specialists are doing a large
amount Of charity work already, so
1t would be an easy matter to get
them to set aside one half Ia day twice
each month to hold a certain kind of
clinic. IT would become the social
workers duty to see that all the peo-
pie who are not able to pay for their
work come to the clinic to get free
treatment. The county commission
ers should agree on a reasonable price
to pay these specialists for an after
moons work.
Yes. 1 was told by the board this
morning that they had employed the
county physician to serve also as
health officer. 1t seems that he is
given fund to use for medicines for
the poor. The board informed me that
he would treat all children who could
not pay for treatment, but when
asked him what would be done about
defects OF the eyes and teeth, which
sare the most dangerous to be found,
they were not quite able to answer
me. OF course, the hookworm is a
great menace, but we get all those
examinations and the treatment
through the state board OF health,
free, and hundreds Of parents have
had their children treated during the
summer.
The school board only employed
me for six months. 1 began the work
as social worker the first of March.
SO the first of September will end my
contract with them. 1t was generally
understood that the board Of county
commissioners would continue the
work during the remainder of the
do this. But. as have stated before,
/ will not be an applicant for the
place. If the board, after getting ac-
quainted with the work have done
in the county, offers me the place
as social worker for the remainder
of the year, / will consider it before
accepting work in any other county
I was asked Saturday morning by
some of the members of the board not
to arrange to leave the county until
they have had time to go further into
the matter"
Miss McKinna has filed the follow
ing report Of her activities for the
month OF July, with the school board
and board of county commissioners:
Dear Sirs: Following is a report of
social service work done among the
school children, as well as children
pre- school age, of this county during
the month of July:
Moline. visits to school children
and business calls ........... Is
Bluff Springs, visits to school
children and other calls ........ s
Burnville, visits to school chill
dren and other calls .... 8
McDavid visits and aid given
to children ....................
Gull Point, visits to school chill
uren ...-..-.-..
Cottage Hill, visits to children -. 10
Olive and Fig City, visits to chill
dren IL
Century. visits to children ... %
Myrtle Grove, visits to children -. J. IA
Total SO
Well attended community meetings
were held at Fig City. Brent. Cottage
Hill. MolinO and the Red Cross class
now being conducted at Myrtle Grove
had me explain the work to them. I
was also permitted to address the city
council in Moline along public health
lines. Much interest was shown by
the city fathers at this meeting.
One eye clinic was held at Century,
at the Turberville hospital. where As
children were treated for trachorna.
1 must say that / have never worked
in a county where better cooperation
was given me by the parents
The Red Cross has assisted with the |
treatment of many needy children
during the month.
Eye trouble is the most serious de-
feet found among the school children, |
and it is hoped that some very def
mite steps will be taken by the county !
commissioners to hold some free eye |
clinics.