The Little River news., 1921-06-29
DIR. YORK InSTRUcTS
 TEACHERS INSTITUTE
 ON SANITATION, HEALTH

By special request of the teachers Dr. w. w. York permits News to pub- fish his paper, which was read at the County Institute at Foreman. The pa per follows:
 Health Largely Matter Of Habit.
 This statement was not bulletined as a sensation; in fact, it passed almost unnoticed. AS today the hum of an air. pla1e attracts almost no attention, so doesA declaration like this coming from the governmental agency which has most to do with the education of young Americans, pass without notice. Yet, two decades ago, the theory that health is habit would have received no more credence than one that a machine weighting two tons would rise in the air and fly.
 Everywhere there is a demand for instructors who can teach health. To those teachers who are ambitious, who want to get ahead in their calling, the great opportunity lies in capacity to stimulate belief in health, to create an attitude of mind favorable to health, The Bureau holds that the nation has experienced an awakening as to the value of health, has come to the belief that health can be taught. It believes that in the past and the present gener- ation there were and are many peo- pie with the habit of illness; that the illness idea was so consistently din- ned into them that they were branded with it for life. Now, the program is to be changed, and the schools are to be the medium. The Bureau of Educa- tion has recently printed bulletins and charts on this idea. There is one en- titled. Make Health Habit, Auto matic in Youth" One on the Summer Health and Play School; One on Diet for School Children, which is very im- portant; another, Wanted, Teachers to Enlist for Children Health Habit" The school children of today, who re- present our nation in the future are endangered. The physical impairment of the coming generation is one of the most disastrous by-products demon- strated by the great war, and the after effects, once established, can never be fully undone. The ending of the war does not end this danger. These after effects can, however, be prevented, and the teachers of the country can make big contribution to this work of pre- vention. It demands immediate acti vity; hence, this call to you for ser vice. You may be the teacher of a rural school, in charge of squad of perhaps only twenty members of the creators of the future; or, you may be a superintendent, responsible for 20 regiments of children. In either case, you will have an opportunity this year to serve in instructing them regarding their health. A little energy at this time, wisely applied, will accomplish great results Your opportunity is one which only you can develop. The teaching should be positive, not nega- tive. The command, Thou Shalt Not" shall be changed to "Thou Shalt" It . shall not be said. Don't fail to brush your teeth, because if you do they will decay, fill your system with poison and spoil your digestion" On the cont rary,, the advice shall be: Brush your teeth, enjoy the feeling of fresh clean mouth let them glisten when you smile; let them do efficient team work with your stomach, that you may enjoy strength and beauty" The child shall not be told, not to get his feet wet for fear it will catch it's death of cold, but to wear rubbers that it may be strong and healthy. It shall not be told to eat certain food for fear Of the somach ache, but eat certain other food that it may be husky enouth to play foot ball and have good time In the world. The donts all along the
 
 ness and calamity, shall give way to positive commands, which suggest al- ways happiness. joy and health.
 The new health fact that is thus coming into official recognition is that continuous suggestion has its effect on the well being of the individual The teacher or parent who constantly suggests illness is actually inficting illness on the child. Suggest health
 It has been over hundred years since the story was told of a man be- ing blindfolded and dying under the impression that he was bleeding to death from the severing of an artery at the wrist, when in fact all that real l ly happened was to allow warm water l fO triclx1o dOwr ouar hic bond Wb |