The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-15
Bad Eyesisht in Schools.
FROM one OF. our great advertising firms com,
r. the perturbing statement that more than

TROM one of. our great advertising firms comes
- the perturbing statement that more than so
= per cent of American industrial workers are
sufferers from defective vision, the figures being
taken from a recent report of the Hoover commit
tee on elimination of waste in industry. Going
further, is declared that surveys in Philadelphia
and other throughout the nation prove that
IS per OF school children are similarly afflicted.
The tabulated causes and remedial results set
forth by the agency we'll worth noting.
The principal causes of near sightedness, the
most prevalent eye affection, thus characterized:
Its beginnings, primarily, are due to congeni-
tai astigmatsm and the subsequent strain upon the
accommodation of the eye in the effort to
at usually msnifests itself seriously during
school life.
"Its development is still further encouraged by
the hours of constant daily application in reading
and writing at that period in life when the tissues
are plastic and easily moulded.
at is not, however, always associated with
over-use of the eyes, for it arises after Illness is
present in literaes and its predisposition is known
to be strongly hereditary"
Of remedial results it is set forth: Nineteen
States have enacted laws requiring the testing of
school childrens eycsight Their requirements vary
both in the frequency of tests and rules governing
them These States, in the order OF enactment Of
such laws arc: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Color
ado, Maine, Indiana Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Utah, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, North Dakota, West Virginia, Maryland,
Delaware, Virginia, Wyoming, Nevada.
"Sixty-four conservation of vision classes have
been established in thrty-seven cities. Eighteen
classes located in Massachusetts,, twenty-seven
in New York, twenty-one in Ohio, eight in Michi-
gan, six in Wisconsin, four each in Minnesota and
Pennsylvania, two in Louisiana, and one apiece in
Connecticut, Illinois and Washington
But FIVE cities in the United States have eye
clinics in the public school system. These are New
York, Minneapolis Cleveland, Milwaukee and Ro-
chester. The New York clinic corrected eye defects
of $3.50 children in one year by refracton and
glasses.
an number of States it is possible to proceed
against parents or guardians who fail to comply
with orders regarding children with defective vision
Only three States-Colorado, New Jersey and New
York-haye specific provisions, however compelling
parents or guardians to have examinations and
treatment made.
Ton" The remedial steps most generally approved
and adopted in all cities which have, specific rules
regarding defective vision, are as follows:
a. Instructions from board of public health
given to normal school students and teachers
b. Preliminary examinations by teachers of
c. Accurate examination by qualified eye
expert. -
d. Notice to parents that child has defective
vision. ~
e.'Follow-up by nurses to see that notice is
complied with. -,-.'
{. Continuous eye tests and complete record
maintained for each pupil, tests to be made
semiyearly If possible.
g. General supervision Of all knowh case,
by medical examiners.
- b. Financial aid through specific funds or
local charities for parents guardians too poor
to have childs eyes given proper attention
Summarizing, the statement says:
From the above, it is apparent that much re-
mains to be accomplished if the menace of defective
vision is to be cobated successfully in the United
States. The logical procedure to be advocated
would be:
ADDICTION of satisfactory systems in school
districts to comply with existing laws governing
defective vision.
Enactment of laws compelling parents or
guardians to comply with notices to provide re.
fractory aid for children with poor eyesight.
Extension of eye-clinics and conservation of
vision classes to all cities and into the rural schools
"Codi6eation and unihcation of all State law,
regarding defective vision.
Enactment of sane measures, compelling eve
tests in public schools, in the remaining TWENTY
nine States"