Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-02
MISS E. LOUISE JOHNSON
On School Nurse Service

D EQEESTS for the expansion Of tn"
~ existing school nurse service in the
public schools are received daily from every
section of tho city, according TO Miss e.
Louise johnson. head school nurse.
Few Philadclphions realize what Is
being done for tho children requiring special
care" Miss johnson said. "Arcndy" VIC
have special classes for those with defective
vision. other classes where crippled chiI"
dren are taken care Of and specially built
furniture provided. classes for those suffer
ing from defect in speech and sections for
children whose intelligence IS not up TO
standard. We employ four motorbuses to
carry the crippled children TO and from
school Then there are our open air classes
for tubcrculOus children and tho open
window classcs for those whose weight Is
below normal And yet we consider the
field is barely touched. We have developed
our resources to perfection in tho limited
field our finances will permit. Tho next step
must be moro funds for expansion.
I'VE have at present run by the Itcallh
Council under our supervision. seventeen
clnsscs. OF these. the Child Federation cares
for two: the home economies dVelon OF
State College, three: with seven OF our own
regular classes in tho open window division
and three in the open air section.
13 Per Cent Under Weight
DO you know that at least l3 per cont
Of the children sent 70 our open iudow
classes are under weight? Some OF these
children are as much as 80 70 40 per cent
below normal when they come to US They
nre sent TO lis as the result OF examinations
made periodically by the school physicians.
When we take charge Of them they are
classified according 10 their defects. Then
one Of our nurses visits the HON" Of each
child in order to become acquainted with the
social background responsible for the "hild's
condition. II the parents cannot afford the
medical service necessary to restore the child
10 normal health the nurse personally takes
it TO a dspcnsary.
After entering the class the child is
weighed weekly and n report of the progress
made in weight gaining Is furnished the
parents. If the child loses weight the nurse
again visits the parents 10 ascertain the
cause. The children themselves arc turned
| into helpers by the uso of n wall chart. upon
which n gold star appears after their names
! If they arc improving. blue star is the
symbol that tho child is tnking no interest
in its development and is considered n
! mark Of disgrace by the pupils We have
even had them go out md buy a gold star
Ia pnSie over the blue star when We are
not looking, so keen is their desire to show
! progress
''Spcciul food forms an important part Of
! tho program for the open window and OPEN
| air classes In the latter classes, where
| ouly tuberculous children are admitted. each
| child drinks quart Of milk daily. The
open window children drink q pint. The
Philadelphia Dairy Council gives us 400
quarts free daily. If amy more is needed it
| is supplied by the Junior Red Cross. This
| organization also provides two part time
| nutrition workers, cuploys tho cooks and
| matrOns for the open window classes and
gives us blankets. perishablc foodstufs and
| supplies in general.
Spending $500 n Month
1--WE now spend on nm average Of $500
! r month, which rcpreEents the limit Of thh
funds supplied per annum by the Junior
, Red Cross Wc have received daily sppnals
from many schools asking for more mn.
| triton classes. Each class costs nbout $50
Il month to maintain, al least during the
present period Of unemployment, when the
| children have no money to paw for tho
milk. Tho milk item forms an item repro-
senting more than half the expense Of the
classes.
"The branches of the work are numerous.
For instance, in addition 10 providing food
we 500 that tho children have ndcnoids and
tonsls removed, teeth attended to. vision
corrected and Hat fcrt Giyon proper atton
lion. Our classes arc located in KCnsing-
Ton. South Philadelphia and tho Industrial
section Of North Philadelphia. In some OF
the Schools "f those sections we hnvc found
30 per cent Of the entire school undcr
weight Those NJ us who come in doilv
contact with the situation feel the crying