The Washington herald., 1922-11-05
CITY SCHOOLS
PERIL HEALTH,
SURVEY SHOWS
Continued From Pnqe Que.

il is said. by an unusually heavy
sick list among children in the kim
dergarten and primary grades. In
other cases where the children have
not been forced to remain away
from school, teachers report that
they are nervous and fretful.
"Of course we do not hold the
crowded conditions responsible for
all the sickness in these grades"
DIR. Murphy explained. There is
the usual amount of children's dis
eases. But we are satisfied that
the present schedules are weaken
ing the children so as to make them
liable to disease. 1t is particularly
hard upon the undernourished chill
dren and upon those who are natu-
rally weak
Enrolment figures show there
are more children in the kindergar-
ten and primary classes this year.
+ or this reason school officials have
been forced to form extra classes
for the younger children and use
Railways and rooms not intended
for class use. In many cases the
classes have been arranged to come
during vacant periods at different
times on different days. This has
been necessary, it is explained, III
order to. accommodate the large en-
rollment.
Need Buildings.
While the same policies have been
employed with respect to classes
in the upper grades ana in high
schools. DIR. MURPHY said the effecu
ha
noticeable.
our studies IF indiv't traI chill
dren," he related. has shown that
the danger in the afternoon classes
Is to the younger children. In
dOubtedly the irrcgularit - &c the
morning and afternoon classes are
not beneficial TO ne upper grades.
but there the chi 'Icn are strcn@cr
and are more abla To resist the o.
tiGue without harmful effects.
Il realize the difficulties under
which the administrative officials
are working" Dr. Murphy contin-
ued 1.-The responsibility for the
health conditions of these children
in the lower grades is not theirs in
this situation. 1T is unfortunate,
but do not believe conditions can
be remedied until we have room to
put all young children in morning
classes. Unti1we are provided with
the necessary buildings. the school
children will have to suffer the dan
gers of impaired health.
n S i a Superintendent of
Schools Kramer said yesterday that
the above condition should be
partly relieved by the opening of
several school additions now near
ing completion. Approximately for
ty new rooms will be provided by
eight additions in various parts of
the city. he said. While these will
not remedy the situation, Kramer
said. they will materially relieve
conditions.
Informed of DIR. Murphy's report
yesterday. Mrs. Giles Scott Rafter.
president of the Congress of Moth
ers and Parent-Teachers' Associa-
tions. declared that her organiza-
ton will communicate with school
officials in an endeavor to Coop
crate in meeting the danger. DIR.
Murphy said yesterday that the
danger can be materially reduced
by parents if they will allow the
children to have plenty of sleep. A
well-balanced diet is especially i'm
portant for the child attending
afternoon classes. he said.
1t is also planned to use the Of
fees of the nutrition classes, es-
tablished the schools In co-ob-
Grafton with the Washington Tu-
berculOsis Association, to inform
mothers in the care of the children.
Beginning this week. seventeen such
classes will open in various sec
tions of the city. Clinics wilr be
held in the following schools: Dem
nison. Bowen. Ketcham. Wheatley.
Blake. Wilson Normal. Miner Nor
NAL. Harrison, Stevens. Bell. Mott
and Hamilton.