The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1920-11-05
BETTER BABY
CONTEST WAS
GREAT SUCCESS

Oceoper lotn IN connection with the
Jersey Show and under the auspices
OF the Oktibbeha County Chapter.
American Red Cross was planned
and directed by Mrs. Harry Critz.
Miss Minnie Walker, Mrs. Kenneth
Jones, Members of the Home Ser
vice Committee, and Miss Lily E.
Mitchell Acting Executive Secretary
OF the Home Service Section, Amer
lean Red Cross.
1t was originally planned to hold
the contest in the courtroom but be-
cause of continued sessions of Cir
cult Court, the place of the contest
was moved to the Masonic Hall.
Here was an admittance room in
charge of Misses Julithene Sudduth
and Katherine Slaughter, where the
mothers presented cards of enroll
ment, mailed them a few days pre-
vious, admitting them to the contest.
In exchange for these they were
given Score cards to be taken to the
examination room. Next was Bet
ter Baby Exhibit room in charge of
Mrs. Harry Critz, where mothers
could look over Better Baby Posters,
a Bath Exhibit, Layette and Bas-
sinet, while awaiting their turn to
enter the examination room with
their babies. In the hallway con-
Meeting the Exhibit room and the
Examination room Miss Minnie Wal
ker had charge of Better Baby lit
erature which she distributed. Miss
Walker also notified each mother
when to enter the room.
In the Examination room were
the doctors, nurses and clerks. Here
babies were examined according to
age groups from 9 to IL a. M, and
from 1 to p. m. Children of Di-
vision 1, ages ranging from 1 to 6
months, were examined from to
10 a. m. Children of Division 2,
ages ranging from 6 to IL months,
from 10 to IL a. m. Children of Di-
vision 8, ages ranging from IL to "a
months, from ! to, 2:30 p. m. The
tests on Score Card given each child
were five in number: Mental or
Development Test; 2-Measurement
Test (height, weight, chest measure
ment, etc) 3-Physical Examination
4-Oral and Dental Examination;
5-Eye, ear, nose and throat Exam
ination.
With children of Division 1, ages
from one month and under six mo,
only Test for Measurements Test
was used. This was for two reasons,
: first, because the score card used
was for children over six months of
age, and second, because Division /
children were too young to qualify
for Tests a and 5 and /. With Div
isions 2, 8 and a children were given
all five tests. Three doctors, three
nurses, and three clerks were work
ing at the same time, each child
being examined by each of the three
doctors, one of whom gave Test2;
one Test 3; and one Test 4 and S.
AS each child was examined by the
physician giving the test, the clerk
marked his record of normal" or
defect" on his Score Card as di-
rected by the physicians.
The physicians making examina
tions were DR.. F. E. Barr, DR.. C. R.
Dodd, DR.. Hunter L. Scales, and DR..
j. w. Eckford. The nurses were
Miss Irene Cross and Mrs. Tullie
Dean, assisted by Mrs. H. C. Stiles,
and Mrs. E. l.. Parker. The clerks
were Mrs. Gus Hogan, Mrs. Kenneth
Jones and later, Mrs. Stiles and Mrs.
Critz.
During examination of children of
Divisions 2, 8 and a, there were 9
mothers and babies in room at the
same time, three babies being on the
tables, three being prepared for ex-
animation and three being dressed
after receiving. examination. Not
only was there no room for specta-
tors in the examination room, but it
was requested that no one be ad-
nitted to this room save necessary
zhelpers, mothers and children as the
presence of others looking on and
talking had tendency to make the
children and mothers nervous and to
make fair examination di cult for
them and for judges. Hence it was
necessary to bar all others from the
room.
From the examination room the
Score Cards were taken to the Scor-
ing Committee who computed scores
of Divisions 2, and A according to
Especial Instructions for scoring"
furnished with the Score Cards. For
Division 1, pamphlet from Children's
Bureau, Dept. of Labor, Washington
was used in computing scores. This
was necessary--as well as limiting
children Of Division to Test 2 on
CONTINUED on Page Ten.)