The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-27
Saving the Nations Eyes.

INDUSTRIAL, engineering and educational agen-
Il cies are linking their efforts in nationwide
niotement for conservation of eyesght, it has been
announced Heavy economic losses, actual and
potential have been uncovered by the American
Engineering Councils committee elimination of
waste in industry in its investigation of the
and results OF defective vision among employees OF
large industrial plants.
Physical examinations of students at leading
universities have shown that poor eyes chief
physical defect Prominent athletic coaches OF wide
experience fear deterioration of athletic ability
unless greater attention is paid to correct vision in
secondary schools. Big industries have taken up
the question with serious concern in effort to
minimize accidents and reduce the number of the
nations industrial blind placed at 1900. Some
big plants are insisting on the wearing of goggles
in hazardous employment.
q. The United States Bureau OF Education has be-
come and active agency in the coordination
movement with the election OF DIR. John J. Tigert
, Limited States commissioner Of education, as
Der of the board of councillors OF the Eyesight
Conservation Council OF America. Commissioner
Tigert will work with a group of leaders in eye
sight conservation, including DR.. Arthur l. Day,
director Of the geophyscal, laboratories of the
Carnegie Institution, Washington; DIR. Thomas D.
Wood, OF Teachers College, Columbia University;
DR.. Allan J. Mclaughlin, United States Public
Health Service Washington; DR.. Frederick R.
Green, secretary OF the Council on Health and
Public Instruction of the American Medical Asso-
citation, Chicago; and Dr. w. S. Rankin, State
health officer, of North Carolina.
Commissioner Tigert emphasizes the import
OF the work in these words:
, The approach to the problem of the backward
child is fundamentally psychological AS matter
OF scientific fact the failure of boy or girl in the
public schools is fundamentally a failure to appro-
pirate those nstrumentalities o. education provided
for the normal mind. So the mental condition is
the point of departure in the study of backward
children.
The study OF backward school children has
steadily grown since Superintendent Maxwell of
New York. published his report in 1904 showing
that 80 per cent OF the pupils in his schools
were retarded, that is, above the normal age
for their respective grades Researches by Thorn
dixie. OF Columbia, and l.. P. Ayres among others
have exposed the enormous amount of retardaton
existing over the entire country. One investigator
found average of retardation for the entire coun
try OF 50 cent with about 100000 school chill
dren altogether affected
Investigations have shown that defects OF hear
ing arc seldom known to teachers and often not
sven to the parents and the detectives themselves
Vision has received by far the greatest amount of
attention in the investigation of so-callcd physical
defects. at any rate attention than any other
form OF sensation The Investigations have led to
some great surprises and much speculation on the
part OF students of retardation.
"All Investigations show that vision which is
defective tends to increase in the amount of defec
tiveness with advancing age, while all other defects
show tendency to decrease with advancing age"
In directing their efforts to the schools and by
replacing investigation with scientific treatment, Dr.
Tgert and his associates will insure future genera
tons against the eye troubles which it is stated are
so prevalent today. No greater work for humanity
could be undertaken and every aid and support
should be given by all agencies which may be of
any assistance. .-.