The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-21

, hold. Before allowing a child to set
foot over the doorsill for school. she
inquired If his teeth were brushed
his nails AMI ears clean, his shoes
polished and his hair combed. Even
then he might not be able to ESCAPE
il time for q game of tag before
| school. If father CHANGED TO spy a
| bread crust uneaten on his ~break-
| fast plate. Many time, in those
days. was child uncaremoniously
recalled to the table by an irate par
/ ent and told, not to stir out of this
house for school until all that mush,
or oatmeal, has been eaten up"
But conditions have vastly al
| tered. Many mothers are becoming
absorbed in other interests, not 10
| say jobs. Others are so taken with
| rev ideas of allowing little Alger-
non to develop his own individual
| ity that they sigh resignedly when
he whines, 'Oh, mamma, but 1 don't
want it, and hurry him off 20
school. The modern father who
sees two-th.rds of his family at the
breakfast table is a rare individ-
ual.
Now it is teacher with her much
ih6u Vi ANU usually
enjoying the state of single blessed
ness, to whom falls the additional
duties of seeing that some 20 or 80
little Algernons and Susies brush
their teeth, have their lunches IN
the right kind of boxes, comb their
hair, sleep with the windows open
and do various other things, both
at home and at school, that are for
their physical good. The Trenton
Normal school of Trenton, n. J., is
among those most active in teaching
| teacher how to wheedle Algern)n
and Susie into such good habits IN
a way that will get results without
calling down upon her head the
wrath of the parents who, regard
| less of their own neglect in such
matters, resent what they please to
term the unWarranted interference
of outsiders.
A Vegetable Race.
The method of teaching the health
game is in the teachers own hands
and considerable ingenuity and or
iginality have been eVinced in the
way the work has been handled ia
various schools. Some teachers en-
courage the cutting out of pictures
! illustrating health habits and the
making of posters. This work and
neat printing can be taught during
the painting lesson. One teacher
! devised a vegetable race on the
! blackboard, all the vegetables good
for children being lined up on Mon
day, and each vegetable moving a
step ahead as child reported ea:-
ing 1t.
Health education Is finding its
way to the child mind through Al
most all of the courses of study.
Arithmetic problems deal with
quantities of milk, cereal or the
proper spacing for good ventilation:
English lessons, written and oral,
/ may be guided along health sub
jects; little plays and verses are
devised by the children themselves
and presented at paTent-teaChcrs'
meetings.
AS far as possible school autho-i-
ties secure the cooperation and IN
terest of parent-teachers' OrganiZa-
tons and women's clubs. The COUl-
Gil of Federated Women's clubs has
shown great interest in the work
Many clubs have been of materill
assistance il furnishing the schools
} with scales to weigh the children
toethbrushes and equipment for get
ting warm lunches for the children,
= and in numerous other ways. The
. women's clubs of Knoxville, Tenn,
have helped physical education
make progress in their state. The
Women's Community council OF
Minneapolis has also done sOme
splendid work, cooperating with the
: University of Minnesota. All over
the country civic and educational
organizations are combining th5ir
forces into teamwork for playing
the health game.
Our work with physical education
is also interesting foreign countries.
CZecho-Slovakia has made inqu!r-
les as to methods pursued along this
line, through the medium of the
American Red Cross. A well known
Australian club woman has carried
enthusiastic ideas of the work to
!her native country. Japan has had
compulsory physical education N
her schools for more than 80 years
and Japanese students in the Unit
ed States have shown eagerness IN
watching our progress.
Ambassador Jusserand of France
states that, poor as the Freneh
people are after the war, the gov
eminent has found them eager 10
have appropriations set aside l2r
this work in their schools. At the
: present time it is conducted mainly
under the supervision Of the Mill
tary authorities.
England gives national aid to 10
: cal communities for providing ply
steal education Sweden has had
universal physical education in her
high schools for many years. Ger
many and even Russia are taking
progressive measures along ths
line. Evidently, the mother #ao
used to pride herself on the delicate
| constitution of her child is going
: out Of fashion all over the world.