Evening journal., 1920-05-07

uotAul ciliAcuo lot many years 10
come.
"Our Health Department falls under
a dual classification. The Legislature
established a State Board OF Health.
but made no provision for an oxecu-
tive officer. Mr.. Chester II. Wells, |
who came TO Delaware during the I
war period under the State Council |
OF Defense, was taken over by the |
Service Citizens, and we have placed /
him at the disposal OF the State Board /
OF Health During the year he has /
been cooperating with that body In /
the matter OF the recording OF vital |
statistics: communicable disease con- |
troll; milk control. preparation OF ma
terial for a monthly health bulletin
conferences on the preservation OF
public health; revision OF general
regulations Of the State Board Of
Health; medical inspection in the
schools and the establishment OF the
Delaware Public Health Association.
Mr.. Wells brought 10 the attention N
the Service Citizens the problem of
guaranteeing pure milk for public
sale and we appropriated to the slate
Livestock Sanitary Commission the
sum Of $500 for experimental hlber-
culin testing Of dairy herds. Within
six months the Legislature, in special
session, made an appropriation OF So
900 for the costs Of tuDerculin testing
4 and Il has been said that this State
action would not have been under
taken but for our exoriment.
AT this point the activities OF the
Service Citizens fall mainly under the
bead Of experimentation in the POSI-
| bilnies Of democracy. ] have men
toned Mr.. Wells work In connection
with public heath and medical in
spection Of schools. Very few people
realize the deplorable condition OF the
rural districts OF America IN matters
OF health. Or. George z. Vincent,
president Of the Rockefeller Founda-
i tion, In a recent address on better
health for rural communities, makes
some astonishing statements. Recent
investigations OF city high school
pupIls and OF the pupils In typical
rural schools show that 50 CT cent OF
the rural pupils give evidence OF mall
utrition while only i-2 per cent
OF the city pupils so suffer; 81 per
cent. OF the rural pupils suffer from
eve defects while only per cent Of
the city pupils show similar defects
II per cent. OF the rural pupils are
subject to ancmia while only 20 per
cent. Of the city pupils show a like
weakness: only 10 per cent. OF the
rural pupils use tooth brushes as
against 50 per cent. OF the city pupils ;
the illness rate Is higher among rural
pupils than among city pupils. A
startling statement such as that OF
Dr. Vincent opens up vistas OF the
many needs OF the rural communities.
All OF our cities are over-crowded ;
there Is a famine OF houses. In the
rural districts all over America and In
Delaware, there are farms without
tenants crops that 90 10 waste for lack
OF farm labor, and a general discon-
tent with the conditions OF country
life. This migration 20 the cities Is
not due entirely 10 the higher wages
paid In the urban Industries; it Is very
largely because OF the loniiness and
isolation OF life IN the open country
During the past year the Service Citi-
zens has been studying the question
OF community and neighbOrhood or
/ ganization for the rural parts OF Del
I aware The State Is providing bettei
roads, which Is one OF the FIRST essen
2 tisls School houses are being plan
/ ned for the State OF such a type thai
= they may become genuine community
centers; but something more Is need
, cd 30 give all OF the people, no mat
4 ter how widely scattered, the ful
! benefits OF modern civilization. or.
; ganized recreation and amusement
) ought TO be as possible in the country
( as In the city: the people should be
able 10 get together. not simply foI
their own economic benefit, but foI
\ the satisfaction OF their human needs
. Practically every State in the Union
/ through its State University, is ex-
= perimenting In the direction OF en-
hnrtafrtar NN. NsI fr.N ~
l values OF the rural residents. DIT
! | Cooper, the head Of our EducatiOna
= Bureau, is formulating a plan for sim.
liar work in Delaware and is waiting
: only the word 20 begin. Last winter
/ we financed a course OF lectures II
y Dover by members Of the faculty Ol
: Delaware College. hut This tOuche.
I only one phase OF the problem. Also
we secured Mrs Friedewald for
o period of six weeks TO interpret mod
e ern English literature and drama, anC
+ she did very acceptable work In th'
: meeting OF the Farmers Institute.
d and in the public schools.
+ "'rhe Octavla Hin Committee OF VII
mingtOn is composed OF an eQua
= number OF members OF the Contra
y Labor Union and the Service Citizens
I Through an appropriation OF the Ser
y y vice Citizens this committee obtaine,
= the assistance OF the New York Blu
reau OF Municipal Research 10 max
a study OF the housing conditions an,
\ possibilities OF Wilmington, and IL
a report showed that 1900 dwelling
= were needed Immediately In this city
: We printed and gave wide circulation
Il TO the report, which received consid
y erable attention from the local pres
4 and from national magazines such a
o the Survey. Many cities in the c0un
o try have requested copies OF thi
y pamphlet, which have been gladl,
J. sent. 10 has not been within tn
n power OF the Service Citizens, as a
% present organized 10 create a hous
, financing corporation such as the on
y which Is operating 90 successfully 4
Is Detroit. The Detroit corporation ha
S3,000,O00 capital stock subscribed b
~ Detroit employers on the basis Of 81
~ per empi0ye for concerns having u
= 10 500 on the payroll and a decreas
IN ing fund down TO $40 for concern
r employing 20000 or over. Il Is not
- charity, but returns per cent on al
10 money put into t. This c0rporatio
di backs responsible builders so tina
they can erect houses rapidly. As 500
ls as a builder finishes a house or
ls block OF houses, he can get all Of nj
money out OF them through IN
le House Financing Coronation and so 2
right on building. The price Of IN
"a houses TO buyers includes only built
~ ing price plus a reasonable builder
=, profit. Also the House Financing Coz
- pOration advances 10 individual OWL
~ ers up 10 four-nfths OF the value {
M their land and prospective home