River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-12-25
$50 Biddle ST., Apt. a.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Dec. Is. 1919.

Milwaukee, Wis.
Dec. Is, 1919.
Dear Friends at Home:
Last year at this time the people at
Home looked eagerly in the paper for
letters from those Of us who were in
the service-now you are not expect
ing such things, for the service some
of us are now in is just one of the
common, ordinary activities" y
and not especially interesting.
I've been longing, however. to tell
all my friends about my work. If
was in the Army Nurse Corps last
year at this time, consider it pro-
motion this year to be student OF
Public Health and to be associated
with just as active an army as the T..
S. Army, namely, the Wisconsin Anti
tuberculosis association, or w. A. t.
A. as it is termed, which, by the way,
is entirely supported by the Christ
mas Seal sale.
We are being trained for active
service in the eight for Health for
by actual experience. Aside from our
lectures given us by learned men III
the medical profession, and our tech
nical training, and review work, we
have field work to do. This consti-
tutes our regular curriculum and
keeps US on the jump most of the
time.
Such men as Drs. Barth. Brum-
baugh, Dearholt, Cohn. all we'll known
throughout the state as asso lated
with the w. A. T. A., have been
among our instructors. Miss Foster,
a we'll known Social Service worker,
has also lectured to us concerning the
legal side of the work which we mean
to do in the future.
Our field work so far has consisted
of actual health supervision Of schools
one or more schools being assigned
to each member of our class. I have
had two schools. Our duties are to
inspect the children, weigh and meas
ure them, record defects found, and
report to the parents and the County
Nurse, then do the follow up work
and make the "home" q unit thru
the schools.
The inspection part is mild colupar
ed to the follow up work-in some in
stances, l mean. Needless 20 say,
doors are slammed in our faces some
times, but most of the time we are
cordially welcomed. Some home CON
ditions are deplorable. / have sent
children home who have been affected
with pediculosis and upon visiting the
home have not wondered at the filthy
condition of the Door children, and
have almost despaired of such thing
as cleanliness ever being possible Tor
them. However,, through coopera-
ton of the truant officer the children
have returned to school much i'm
proved and apparently much happier.
You may be interested to know that
/ have had an experience in Civil
Court-in fact spent my Thanksgiv-
ing vacation there. /. had to act as
a witness in law suit, and had to
present my records of inspection of
a certain pupil who had
been injured during school attend
ance while an addition was being
built to the school house. The father
of the boy sued the contractors and
the School District for $4,000. | wit
messed on the side of the defendant.
q felt that would prove to be min
or one) Incidentally / earned S15.58.
The poor father lost the case, and
rightly so. l consider the incident a
very valuable one in my public health
training. l at least learned that it is
a necessary thing to keep definite rec
ords in my work. The other day we
had very pleasant time at this same
school, when, at my instigation, a
Parent Teachers meeting was held
and health program was rendered
by the children. The room was dec
grated with pretty picture posters
made by the children all advertising
health songs were sung and recita-
tions and dialogues We're given. One
little drill by the First Graders was
given which was amusing as well as
attractive. / think will have to tell
you about it. Eight little girls APP
peared on the stage and going thru
the various motions, said:
1--WE wash our faces, ears and neck,
Our hands clear to the finger tips
Before we go to school,"
Then they start off the stage and
suddenly come back and say:
90, my. We pretty near forgot
We brush our teeth before we stop,
For that's one good health rule"
Then they produced handkerchiefs
and held them up before them and
said.