Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-05-13

to assist parents who are finan
cially unable to have the de-
fects remedied.
The importance of this work
cannot be overestimated, as
practically all defects found a.
mong children may be easily
remedied while in later life
they may cause serious trouble
Every voter should realize the
importance of this matter as it
is only fair that the children of
every community should re-
, ceive the benefit Of any mea-
sure which has much a great
effect on their later life.
Section 1919 of General Law
provides that a special meeting
may be called in a town on ap-
plication of six voters of the
town, and as the expense of
such a meeting is very small
and since the question is such
an important one, it is earnes-
thy urged that all towns who
have not voted on this matter
do so at once. This must be
done if the Schools are to re-
ceive the benefit Of Medical
Inspection during theh coming
school year.
The advantages may be sum-
married. as follows:
The health of the growing
child determines largely the
health and bodily vigor Of the
grown man. The community,
therefore, can take no more
important step to insure the flu
ture efficiency of its citizens
than the growing Of healthy
children. In the present stage
of society and intelligent super
vision of the health of the child
rem during the period of school
life is probably one of the most
potent measures for this pur-
pose and is recognized by Law
in an increasing number Of
States of the union.
Intensive studies of the phys
ical conditions of children in
many places have shown large
numbers of them to have phys
ical defects which wer pre-
viously unrecognized and un-
suspected. Many Of the defects
thus shown are preventable
and remediable. Their persis-
lance results not only in re-
duced individual efficiency but
also, in the aggregate, in re-
duced national efficiency, as is
so clearly shown by the high
percentage of those found I'M
fit for military service in the
physical examinations con-
Quoted under the selective SER
vice law.
The conditions under which
children assemble in school
and not the school itself, are
largely responsible for much
of the sickness contracted du-
ring the period of school life,
and forthe persistence of phys
ical defects.
The control of adverse caus
es during this period not only
exercises an immediate bene-
fetal effect on the health of
the children, but serves most |
effectively to teach the princi-
of personal hygiene the nom
observance of which is now be-
lieved to be mainly responsible |
~cr the large annual increase
in the number of deaths from |
degenerative disease that oc-
ours in later life.
EXperienceshows that the
failure to prevent and correct |
impairment Of hearing and vi
sion and to detect abnormali-
ties Of color perception, to- Sc
cure dental attention, to ale
late postural defects, to place |
the normal child in an environ
uent best suited for physical
Development, greatly restricts
The range Of industrial business
and professional opportunity !
in adult life. Moreover, a num-
Der of defective children are
unable to take full advantage
Of their educational opportuni
ties. They fall behind in school |
work, become discouraged be-
cause unable to keep pace with |
normal children In their classes
and ultimately"quit school"
poorly equipped for useful cit
izenship. It is of prime import
aron In Tho oox>o ~, ~, ~, ~ o,.o