The Washington times., 1924-04-03
FEW EYE TESTS.
GIVEN IN i. {.
SCHOOLS
Survey Shows That Nations
Schools Are NsgIecting
70 Give Proper Care.
! nv CosInopolItan News service.

NEW YORK. April D. Only
4.227. 1902 of the 24.00O,0O0 school
children m the United States re-.
ceived eye tests In 1923, according
To q preliminary report assured by
the Eyesight Conservation Council!
Of America enbOdyfng the initial
findings Of 81 nationwide survey ot
eye conservation In education and
industry. SIS
The survey, which covers the re-
suit Of testing the eyes Of more
than 10000, 900 students extending
over q period Of sixteen years,
discloaes. It Ii asserted, that the
eyesightA of children In the public
schools Throughout the nation Is
being nekiected.
The eyesight Of children In the
public schools throughout the United
States Is not being given proper
attention, = says the report. Even
simple tests to detect the most evi.
dent cases Of detective vision are
not made generally. A very low
percentage Of the total enrolment
receive eyesight. tests Of any kind.
In the schools where tests are made
there are wide differences in the
results obtained. Il This indicates that
In many schools the tests are made
very superficiaily and that a uni.
form procedure is not observed in
making the tests"
Data From Many Sources.
The data from which the coun-
ellis report was prepared was gath
cred from widely different sources.
Including reports Of State depart
mentS Of education and State boards
OF health since 1907. covering
$500, 600 eye examinations, and mu.
nicipal reports since 1907 covering
S,5O0,0O0 examinations. The most
recent statistics were obtained
through q survey Of the public
schools Of 247 cities.
Only a small number Of school
children receive periodic eyesight
tests" continues the report. "The
council has verified this statement
in two ways, first, by a summary
of replies from State officials. and
second by a summary Of replies from
city school superintendents.
According to official statements
made to the council by State depart.
naents only 4.227,702 school children
received eye tests in 1928. Because
OF the inadequacy OF records Of
many States, many. State officials
could only estimate the number Of
year.
Therefore, this figure Of 1927 ,T02
is more likely overstated than under.
stated. Assuming that the number
- approximately correct, less than
IL per cent of the total school en-.
rollment OF $4,000, 900 school children
In the United States in 1928 were
given eyesight tests
Accurate Records Lacking.
Even though sixteen States pro.
vide by law that State records Of
the results Of tests be kept. acc,I.
rate records that can be used for
comparative purposes are almost
wholly lacking. -.
The returns from the survey Of
z47 city schools contain further evi.
dence that very few school admins.
trative systems include an adeuuafn
eye hygiene program. The survey
Of city schools covered g, total en-.
rOllment Of $780,, 6S3 school children.
The returns indicate that only PISA.
l4S, or 80 per cent, enrolled in these
2H city schools received eye tests
| In 1928"
There is, no uniform method for
testing eye sight, says the report,
which continues:
The reported percentage Of total
corrected and uncorrected eye de.
fects vary all the way from 3.5 per
cent go to So per cent. A city in
New Jersey reported only 3.5 per
cent Of 1856 school children with
corrected, and uncorrected defective
vision, q city in Missouri only 7