Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1920-12-16
SURVEY REVEALS CONDITIONS
Miss Skov, Public Health Nurse,
Finds that There Are Many
Urgent Needs i'm County.

There is an opportunity for a
great deal OF improvement in health
conditions in the rural schools OF
the county. That fact has been
brought out in the survey of the
schools that has been made by Miss
Anna Skov, public Lealth nurse. In
fact her findings indicate a greater
need for a constructive health pro-
gram amongst the children than
even the best informed persons in
public health work had anticipated.
From a sanitary standpoint many of
the rural schools fall short of the
essentials of good sanitation. Ac-
tual uncleanliness and inadequate
ventilation stand out as the most
universal shortcomings of rural
schools. In many cases the school
patrons in some OF the districts have
realized that their schools are be-
low the standards but have not seen
fit to make the improvements be-
cause they are looking forward to
consolidation eventually. In other
cases the evidence was that the con-
ditions have grown UP through the
failure of the patrons to take inter-
est in their school.
Some of the shortcomings as put
down by Miss SkOv are:
Many have no hall and inadequate
ventilation.
Rooms in many schools are too
small for the number of pupils.
Walls and woodwork so dirty that
in some cases the original color can
not be determined.
Toilet facilities bad, both unclean
and inadequate.
One wash-basin furnished regard
less of the number of pupils.
In instances where che public
health nurse finds any OF the above
conditions they are called to the
attention of the directors and the
part she plays in correcting them is
wholly advisory.
An examination of the school chill
dren disclosed facts which call for
concerted action on the part of par
ents and teachers for their correc-
ton.
Out of $50 children examined IS
! per cent were found to have defect
i've teeth, 3S per cent defecta, per
cent defective breathing because of
nasal distractions, per cent de-
fective vision, l " per cent defect
weight. While these conditions are
probably not worse than elsewhere
they show clearly ione thing-the
need of health education for both
parents and children. All cases are
reported to the parents, who can
take the proper corrective measures
IL they see fit. In most cases, the
child had never had an examination
. nd t.
known to large number of parents.
If the public health service did moth
ing more than discover these defects
in children in time 20 correct them,
1t would be worth it's cost a dozen
times over. Needless to say, there
are some parents who are not in
sympathy with the plan to help
their children but in most cases
when Il is explained to them that the
welfare of their own child is the sole
aim OF the public health service they
are ready to cooperate with it,.
While the examination of school
children is the fundamental part of
the work OF the public health nurse
she has organized the county for Sc
curing better heath conditions
among all persons. The county has
ing around Viola, Gray, Audubon,
Hamlin, Extra, Brayton and Kim
ball. In each school district there
is a committeeman of the public
health service who keeps in close
touch with the nurse and makes
monthly reports of cases and condi-
tions which demand attention. Free
clinics at several points in the coun-
nj RaI 60, CT, l.a
organization of the modern health
crusade among the school children
through the practice OF simple rules
of hygiene and sanitation. Then,
too there is now being installed a
public rest room at the Red Gross
headquarters in Audubon. at which
persons interested will at any time
be given information on health mat
tiers by the public health nurse or
the home service secretary. II Is
the wish Of the public health service
that women and children avail
themselves freely of this rest room
when in town. There is of course
no charges attached to any service
rendered by the public health serv-
ice, whether it be international or
otherwise.
| FREE meulCdl anu ueUldl Cll0lCS
for the public are still in the future
but an objective of the service. A
survey of the county will be made in
January by tuberculosis experts.
Hot lunches in schools will be a
reality in many districts in the near
future. Fifty one-burner oil stoves
have been bought which will be CIV
en- free 70 the schools making appli-
cation for them. When funds are
available the charter will buy
enough more to supply every school
in the county. The experiment has
proved so satisfactory in other coun-
ties that most of the patrons and
teachers are eager to start them in
their own school.
These stoves are furnished by the
local committee of the Iowa Tuber-
culosis Association, funds furnished
by the sale of Christmas seals