Evening star., 1921-11-27
INGENIOUS DEVICES
FOR MOTOR SAFETY
Contributions of School
Teachers and Pupils Aid
in Movement.

Many ingenious safety ideas are
being advanced as result of the
national safety campaign being con-
Quoted under the auspices of the
highway and highway transport edu-
cation committee. These suggestions
come in lessons and essays being
prepared by teachers and pupils as
their contributions to. the two con-
tests which form part of the move
ment.
Organizations sponsoring the cam
paign anticipate an appreciable de-
crease in the number of motor acci-
dents and fatalities which annually
take a toll of 10000 lives. due to the
educational work being conducted in
United States. 1t is estimated that
more than half of the 100000 teach
ers in the country and large per-
centage of the 100000 pupils are
interested in the committee's pro-
gram. Many of these. it is believed.
will have submitted their essays and
lessons by the time the contest closes.
Suggests Giant Pantomime.
One lesson submitted by a teacher
provides for a giant pantomime. in
which all the pupils of her classroom
participate. This pantomime will be
executed in her school as part of the
Observance of national safety week."
December to 10.
Another lesson devotes part of each
day to a particular phase of safety
work. On Monday the children are
taught how to cross the street car
tracks, on Tuesday how to avoid
automobiles while crossing streets.
on Wednesday the fact is emphasized
that they should refrain from cross
ing in the middle of the block. Noun
tain roads form the subject for
Thursday. while danger signals are
discussed at the Friday lesson.
Toy models, said to be especially
appropriate for teaching children in
the Junior grades, are used in this
lesson.
New slogans are coming into exis-
tence. 1T pays to play safe" Gross
and similar phrases are among those
suggested.
Boy Scouts Aid.
Officials of the committee report
that the Boy Scouts are taking an
exceptionally active part in the safety
campaign. Mayors of cities are issu-
ing proclamations setting aside the
week of December to 10 for special
observance. while Kiwanis Clubs, Ro-
tary Clubs, women's clubs. and
others are planning to devote their
weekly luncheons and meeting to
discussion of the problems of safety
as they apply to their respective COM
munities.
DR.. John T. Tigert, United States
Commissioner of Education, indorses
the program of the committee in an
open letter to the schools of the
country. In the November issue nf
School Life. the official publication
Of the bureau of education. Doctor
Tigert says:
THE loss of life of school children
on our highways has reached such
proportions that it now competes
with fire as our great national dan
ger. This tragic development which
use of the motor vehicle for business
and for pleasure lays a responsibility
on teachers. as we'll as pupils, for the
protection of life.
Accidents Can BE Cut.
THE work of educators in cities
like Detroit, Cleveland and St Louis
shows that accidents and death may
be reduced fully one-half by teaching
selves. -
1T therefore behooves our teachers
and parents to give more attention to
the training of boys and girls on
how to conduct themselves on the
contests under the idirsction of the
highway and highway transport
education committee will serve as an
incentive to great effort on the part
of the teachers and pupils In COM
batting this new danger. AMIDST is to
be hoped that by these means the
lives of many of our children will he
saved who otherwise might. be
MANNED and killed.
9TH ebureau of education also
heartily approves of the observance
of safety week" with special ref
erence to safety on the highways. as
has been planned by. the t. several
states" - a'@ - :,