Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-02-07
Light on Lazy
Pupil at High
School Meeting

The regular monthly High School
Faculty meeting was held Tuesday
afternoon at AIS in the high school
building. The meeting was in charge
of Mrs Thomas, teacher of history
and MISS R0a Speed, teacher of
home economies. The topic for dis
cusson was: 1.-THE Lazy Pupil" Miss
Speed spoke of the lazy pupil from
the physical standardization of
food upon his activity. She said, in
part, "There are today 15,00O.00O
malnourshed school children and out
of this number 100000 who arc in
so decidedly below the normal stand
ard of weight for their age and height
that their condition demands imme
date recognition. Malnutriton is a
definite departure from health which
should be recognized as much as tu-
bercllosis. but is something which is
preventable and durable, and its de-
lection requires no expert medical
knowledge or careful microscopic
examination. The undernourished
child is always underweight, usually
pale, anaemic, inattentive, listless in
their studies and disinclined to run
and play. They are easily fatiGucd,
both mentally and physically and are
often retarded in their school work,
they are peculiarly susceptible to
disease, catching whatever disease
happens to be making the rounds.
Poverty and ovcrcrowding, bad
home habits, faulty school hygiene,
acute disease all these are common
causes of malnutrition. Careful
training from birth, will of course
help a great deal in nding over the
adolescent years. but. at times ccr-
tain vagaries of appetite may dc
yclop such as the desire on the part
of girls to avoid plain foods and live
on sweets and other highly favored
foods; the insiStcnt craving for foou
on the part of boys, that leads to the
consumption of unduly large guam
titles at one time. Girls. especially
of high school age frequently wish 70
omit breakfast hut this should never
be allowed This fact is surprising
" true in Gardiner High School as
Miss Speed has eXperimcntally dis
covered. She said tho parents ought
to feel the responsibility of getting
their children up early enough IN inc
morning to eat n regular breakfast
instead of a few saltincs and a glass
of water. NERVES" are often the
direct result of malnutrition and IN
this period. the welfare of the child $
nervous system is largely determined.
No student should he set to his even
ing task of studying on 4 meal OF
hot biscuits and honey. TO satisfy
his Youthful needs for energy he VIII
have to eat more of them than VIII
be good for his digestion.
Tie box or basket luncheon is
different problem. 1t is hard t"
plan an appctizing meal with enough
variety to tempt school chlidfch.
The most satisfying combinations
are made from sandwiches. Simple
deserts, Il bottle Of milk ana some
fruit. The maximum amount ~
uourishmcnt may he furnished III
sandwiches made of whole Wh'3I'
oatmeal. brown, raisin or nut hroad.
Mrs. Thomas spoke Of the lazy
pnpil from the mental standpoint;
She said in part. that the lazy plpIi
is a source of worry 10 the teacher.
on account of the time wasted mag
cling at them to keep them busy. Shc
also gave as cause of laZlncSS
malnutrition from overlooking. ndtll-
ccnce in bad habits of oNcrslocpihS
in the morning, late hours. etc. m
sufficient work to keep the pupils
busy during school hoUrS-and these
all resulted in mental lazinoss Wflch
becomes Il disease if persisted in.