The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-14
TO EXAMINE EN-.
Miss Mcfarland Advocates
Physical Tests for Children.
Before They Leave School to
Enter Industry.
To OBSERVE Child LABOR DAY
Day VIII Be Observed in
Churches January 20.
Equipped to Make Scientific
Study in Kansas.
TO OBSERVE CHILD LABOR DAY

Physical examination of all Kansas
children before they are permitted to
leave school and enter industry is ad-
vocated as a necessary protection for
Young workers by Miss Alice McFar-
land, director of women's and chill
dren's work in the Kansas court Of N
dustrial relations. This need will be
emphasized on child labor day which
is TO be observed Saturday, January
%, in synagogues; Sunday. January
%, in churches and Sunday schools;
and Monday, January 80, in colleges
and civic bodies.
kansas is one of the twenty states
having no provision for physical ex-
animation of working children and
one of the twenty-one states having no
continuation schools" said Miss Nc
Fariand. Our laws permit children
to leave school because OF i'll health,
but yet child labor inspectors find
these same children working in en-
Payments hazardous to health.
To Correct Inconsistencies.
"A little Kansas girl" Miss McFar-
land said. was excused from school be-
cause of extreme nervousness and then
procured a work permit for employ
ment in a bag and paper factory to
This is always possible where there is
no provision for physical eXamina-
ton before entering employment. The
Kansas children's code commission
stands for measures which would cor
rect such Inconsistencies"
Stating that the Women's division of
the industrial court, which has charge
OF the child labor work of the state,
is not equipped to make scientific
study in Kansas at this time without
the assistance of some other agencies,
Miss Mcfarland continued:
I'VE would like to be able to de-
pend upon the staff of the newly
established child research bureau at
the University of Kansas. This would
be of great assistance whenever study
of the physical condition of young
workers and the effects of certain en-
Payments upon their physical, moral
and mental welfare is needed as a
basis for new legislation"
To Examine Children.
After a study of 1900 children in
the continuation schools of Newark,
N. J., DR.. H. II. Mitchell of the Ma
tional Child Labor committee came
to the conclusion that physical exam
nations should be required before per-
hitting children to work and should
be repeated periodically. The system
he advocates would include medical
vocational guidance, instruction in in
dustrial hygiene and safety, training
in health habits. and opportunities for
wholesome athletics and recreation
Doctor Mitchelrs study showed that
out OF 1900 children examined, per
cent of the boys and 8 per cent of the
girls were suffering from malnutri-
ton. Among the children who had
gone to work with no dental defect,
sos per cent Of the girls were found
to have defects at the time of Doctor
Mitchelrs examinations. The doctor
found that 81 per cent of all the boys
and 1875 per cent of all the girls had
tonsilar diseases or defects that re-
CURED attention, while SO per cent of
the boys and 5.4 per cent of the girls
had some organic heart condition
which should have been under the OBJ
servation of a physician