Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-03-19
FRIDAY, MAR, l9. 1920.
THAT FREE SERVICE TO SCHOOLS
T7HE State Medical Association and the Stat
i Educational Association make good deal G

i Educational Association make good deal OF
noise about the wonderful free service they
rendering school children in conducting exami-
nations of their eyes, teeth weight, etc. all of which
appears to us to be wide Of the mark and to great
extent money and labor wasted. Practically every
optcian and dentist that advertises at all states that
there is no charge for examining, and inasmuch as
this is as far as the relief extended carries. with adj
vice to the parents to have the eyes of the child fitted
with glasses or its teeth given attention by dentist,
we fail to see wherein greatly benefited.
OF course the chances that the parent will en-
ploy the dentist doctor optician making the exam
nation and giving the prescription advice. since
they. of course know exactly what the condition is
and therefore are better prepared to remedy the de-
fects. To us it appears like propaganda in the
interests of the professional man. who while profess
ing very often to be too ethical to advertise in the
newspaper, does not feel any qualms Of conscience
about thus going out and soliciting work in personal
capacity.
Another phase of our modern education which
does not appeal very strongly to us is the weighing
and measuring of the children under certain ages,
which is widely heralded as remarkable service for
the children, but which when simmered down is found
to be largely bunk. Its only useful purpose perhaps
is for the compiling of records to show the true con-
dton of the children, that the proper government
al departments may be able to render needed aid
when laws have been framed to permit of it. But
II
to send word to the parent that certain child is
under weight or poorly nourished. Is it to be as
sumed that any parent in this country is wilfuhy
starving his or her childp Such thing is not only
preposterous, but its implication insult to the
parent But we have no doubt there are cases of
malnutron insufficient nutrition among us, not
only OF children, but OF grown people as well, and
cannot figure out how it could be otherwise with
flour at $500 per hundred sugar at $780, fresh
EsH e.
cured meat at 40c to 65c., potatoes at &c. to &C.,
butter at 55c to 65c milk at &c. to Oc. per quart.
cheese 45c., and everything else in proportion. There
is not thing reasonable in price that will sustain
life. 10 working man with family of half doz-
en- children the problem is not what is the matter
with his child or what does it need. but rather how
where he get it. or the money with which to pay
for it, If our friends of the medical profession and
our educators could enhghten the people on this
question instead of devoting themselves to the dscov
cry of new needs for the already over taxed parents
to meet, they would confer benefit upon their con-
stituents
While the educators and the medical association
Of America are congratulating themselves upon the
wonderful strides they are making in the rendering of
service to the school Children and are now out with
the announcement that they going to extend this
free() service to parents and other adults as WELL
over in little broken England the state is not only
examining the children but is rendering free dental
optical and medical treatment for the children. Not
only that but it is erecting tens of thousands of new
homes to house the inhabitants One thing the re-
cent has taught them is that the people of coun-
try its principal asset that upon the perfection OF
the race depends the strength influence and position
OF the nation among the countries of the world Ano
since the children Of today are the men and women
of tomorrow, they are worthy of our best considera
ton and care. Empty advice without the means Of
carrying it into execution. is of little assistance That
we could have always for the asking II we wan,
to keep country in the front ranks of citizenship
we have got to go step further than the free adj
vice point and DO something for the children thai
need it.