The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1922-12-22
EYE SIGHT CONSERVATION COUN-
GIL IN THE SCHOOLS


Aided by representation from President
Harding's Cabinet federal and state
officials, university professors, engineers,
industrialists and civic leaders, the Eye
Sight Conservation Council of America,
with national headquar tiers at And Street
and Broadway, New York City, has set in
motion movement for the observance
throughout the country of Eye Sight Con
servation Day in the schools.
Defective vision among children and
workers in the industries has, recent sur
veys in numerous towns and cities have re-
vealed, caused enormous economic and
physical losses, which, authorities declare,
can be wiped out by proper and systematic
application of the principles of eye by
giene.
With the cooperation, among other lead
ers, of James J. Davis, Secretary of the
United States Department of Labor, Guy
A. Henry, General-Director of the Eye
Sight Conservation Council, is directing
the campaign, which aims to accomplish
vast savings in health and money by carry
ing the message "First Health Then Wis
dom" to every city and hamlet in the land
where children are taught
Every school in Vermont will be asked
to join in establishing the new semi annual
custom of Eye Sight Conservation Day,
a.
contribution to the American system of
education.
The Eye Sight Conservation Council is
enlisting the assistance of commissioners
of education in every state, and of super
intendents in every county and school dis
trict. Vermont school officials have been
provided with a complete Eye Sight Con-
servation Day program. To execute this
plan Clarence H. Dempsey of Montpelier,
state commissioner of education, and dis
trict school superintendent in Orange
County will cooperate in the Eye Sight
Conservation Day movement, including
D. b. Locke of Bradford, for Bradford,
Fairlee, Vershire, Corinth, Coolville, and
Topsham; NJ A. Outland of Williams
town, for Chelsea, Williamstown, Wash
ington and Orange; and Geo. W. Patterson
of Randolph, for Randolph Brookield,
and Braintree. District school superin
tendents in Orleans County will also coop
crate, including O. L. Dugan of Newport
Ctr, for North Troy, Troy, Jay, Westfield,
Lowell, Coventry, lrasburg, Newport, and
Newport Ctr; Edwin S. Boyd of West
Charleston, for Charleston, Holland, Nor
gan, Bloomington, Westmore; Clayton; L.
Erwin of Barton, for Barton, Orleans,
Glover, and Albany; and Clarence L.
Cowles of Craftsbury, for Hardwick, Stan
nard, Craftsbury and Greensboro.
t"The object of an Eye Sight Conserva-
ton Day in schools is to discover the fact
that child has defect of vision or syrnp
toms Of defect, rather than to determine
the degree of def ciency," it is stated in
the suggested program which the Eye
Sight Conservation Council is taking up
with the Vermont officials.
"Eye Sight Conservation Day should be
observed semi annually, shortly after the
beginning of each school semester, and
should be an integral part of the general
school program. On this day the educa-
tional program should be omitted until the
tests and observations have been con-
pleted."
Every teacher in the country, according
to the Council, is potential crusader for
better vision. Teachers everywhere are
being given instructions for visual acuity.
Success of the movement, according to its
sponsors, will mean a definite physical
advance in future generations of Ameri-
cans.
Leading universities are taking up eye
conservation. Columbia was the first to
make it part of its regular summer school
curriculum, and the results attained were
8 , satisfactory that the course will be con-
tinued. The University of Chicago, New
York University, Ohio State University,
Teachers College, Columbia; and the Col
lege OF the City OF New Y ork have, through
members of their faculties, identified them
selves with the movement. Other active
participants are L. w. Wallace of Wash
ington, executive secretary of the FEEDER
ated American Engineering Societies, and
president of the Eye Sight Conservation
Council of America; DR.. Morton G. Lloyd,
chief of the Safety Section of the United
States Bureau of Standards and vice.
president of the American Society of
Safety Engineers; John j. Tigert, United
States commissioner of education; Allan
J. Mclaughlin, United States Public
Health Service; and Arthur L. Day, direc-
tor of the Geophysical Laboratories of the
Carnegie Institution, Washington.
The Hoover Committee on the Flimina-
ton of Waste in Industry stressed the i'm
portance of eye care, revealing heavy eco
nonin losses bacouSa of moor vision Poor |