Imperial Valley press., 1923-10-09
A PLEA FOR THE CHILDREN

An insidious evil which menaces our most precious
asset the children springng up in many of rural
communities. Because of its subtley it is all the
dangerous and should be reckoned with definitely and
promptly
We refer particularly to the recent statements of
Mrs. A. w. Swanson, county truant officer, and Mrs
Beatrice Kay, the who has recently come to the
county through the good work of the County Tubercu
oss Association we'll to the assertions of several
teachers in rural schools.
Putting these various findings together, it would
seem that quite few of the school children in val
ley not getting square DEAL And certainly what
menaces the health and welfare of the child be-
comes at once the problem of the entire community
Mrs. Swanson reports that many children, some
only years of age, are burdened with many
home duties that they to school too exhausted to
study and fall asleep over their books 1t is quite
frequent thing tor teachers to take these pupils to
anteroom and put them to sleep cot until they
sufficiently rested to go with their lessons
Mrs. Kay, in the short time that has elapsed since
her arrival here reports an astounding number OF
of malnutrition-due doubt to the fact that
many of the children are not getting sufficient daily
amount of milk Mrs. Kay goes even further in her
denuncation of conditions she has found in certain
homes and declares that in these the children
little better off than those in city tenement districts
except that the valley children have the advantage of
plenty OF fresh air and sunshine.
Certainly this is a scathing arraignment that is
worthy Of our serious considerations coming as 1t does
from authority who has wrestled with such prob
lens IN various parts of the country.
This entire condition has come about SO uncon-
sciously that the offending parents will probably be
the last to be of its existence unless the matter
is forcbly called to their attention.
No parent willingly or purposely plans TO work
hardship his offspring.
But in the stress of farm routine and under the
multiplicity of its demands, the younger
times loaded down with than their share Of the
work 1t is right that they should perform regular
home duties. This is as it should be-every child In
the city the farm should have these daily chores
to handle if he is to develop character and have right
perspective of his relation to the world about him.
But to burden down child with duties to the
tent that he goes to school too utterly fatgued to
stay awake is working hardship that is ntolerable
Much depends, of course, on the Individual child.
Each one is law unto himself. One child might milk
with ease several cows while another inferior phys
caly would be weary after milking
The matter of malnutrition opens up deep and
exhaustive study of food yaueS-calorles vltamlnes
phosphates, etc. However, detailed investigation by
national authorities has developed the simple fact that
to the lack of everyday cows milk in the regular diet
One would hardly expect to find this condition in
airying community but such is the case the country
over as revealed by statistics The milk is Sent of to
market without due regard, In many cases. Tor the
needs of home consumption and in this respect the
clty child rs more fortunate than the rural one.
One school teacher in outlying district here
has announced her intention Of serving milk to her
pupils at recess and is now busy at work trying to
secure the cooperation of the mothers to make THIS
possible. ~
Let's stop moment and take stock of the child
rent
They are too big an asset to be neglected in even
the smallest particular. One thing IS certalnWhat
ever works for their detrmen is sure to be felt
by the community at large later on when these child
rem have grown to manhood and womanhood and are
below par-be it ever SO litte-in physical and mental
qualifications.