Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-05
Child Health
Steps to Improve Conditions
i'm District of Columbia
Schools.

Steps to Improve Conditions
in District of Columbia
Schools.
Health conditions among children
in the public schools of the District
of Columbia are regarded as so alarm
ing that the Health Department and
Congress Of Mothers and Parent
Teacher Associations are taking steps
to improve them.
investigations disclosed that ma.
jority of the children entering the first
grade schools were physically defec'
tive. In fact, In the first grades dur.
ing the past school year more than
81 per cent OF the children were found
to be suffering from one or more de-
fects. Those who were found to be
physically perfect were less than 8
per cent.
This condition prevails not only
in the District of Columbia, but in
| every State of the Union. This is
brought out through an investigation
| made by the Children's Bureau of the
Department of Labor. 1t has developed
| that of the % 900, 900 children attend
| ing school last year 10 900 900 were
physically defective.
X II
The disclosures in the District OF
Columbia came to light through an in
vestigation by Dr. Hugh Davis, head
of the Health Department, Bureau OF
Child Hygiene, and a>committee OF
the Congress of Mothers and Parent
Teacher Associations, known as the
pre-school committee, which is head
ed by Mrs. G. w. Lady of 514 Il
street northeast.
District school officials received re
ports from the Bureau of Child by
giene, while the committee headed by
Mrs. Lady reported 10 the Congress
| of Mothers and Parent feather AsSo-
Citations. At each of the meetings OF
| the latter organizations, during the
| last few months of the school term
addresses were made calling atten-
| ton to this alarming condition.
There are 81 organizations con
nected with the Congress of Mothers
and Parent-Teacher Associations, and
nearly every one is represented OF
this pre-. school committee. These
members, in turn, have members IN
their various bodies working in their
neighborhood calling the attention OF
parents TO the. necessity of having
their children who are about TO enter
school next September examined by
their own physician or by member
Of the staff of the Health Depart
ment.
r X
DR.. Frank w. Ballou. superintend
ent of the public schools, has taken
considerable interest in the matter
He recently issued letter TO parents
of children about to enter school and
also for those who are now in schoo
to have them examined.
The re-school committee, in coop
Grafton with DR.. Davis, has arranged
| for children who will enter schoo
next September to be examined al
any one of the six health centers ir
| the District. They are located at goo
Maryland avenue northeast, 925 Twen
| ty.second street, $50 c street. 430 Z
| street southeast, 1870 Twelfth street
| southeast and at the Children's Hos
pital. Arrangements can be made fol
examinations through Mrs Lady. She
| makes the engagement for the parent
| to take the child to the center on 9
| certain date. Already a number OF
such examinations have been made
| this Summer.
Examinations OF the children dis
closed that the principal defects are
adenoids and diseased tonsils. Many
| of the children, however. were found
| to be suffering from bad teeth, defec
| tive eyesight. malnutrition and ir
some cases their hearing was found
to be impaired.
Mrs. Lady believes that through
| the work Of the Health Department
and the pre-school committee. which
| she heads, the children in the District
schools will soon rank above those OF
other cities regarding their physica
| condition.
| OF the 100000 physically defec
| tive children in the public schools OF
| the Nation the Children's Bureau Of
| the Department of Labor believes c
great ma jority can be cured, as it is
| estimated that Is ,000,0 900 are suffering
from preventable diseases. The de
| fects of these children most numer
ously present develop between the
| ages of 2 and 6 years, it has beer
disclosed. 1t is during this vital periot
| Of growth that the ''runabout" child
| should receive watchful care and also
be taught properly to take care o.
himself
| The difficulties and dangers of baby
hood are generally admitted, said Mis-.
Winifred Mallon Of the Children's Blu
| reau, Department of Labor. but after &
| child more or less safely reaches the
| age of 2, or 3, the family is likely
| to take the attitude that as long
| as he looks and acts much as othe,
children of his age everything is al
| right with him and no further specia
care or attention is required.
| X X x x
He has been brought through baby
| hood. mothers time is likely to b
| absorbed with a new baby, and lit
| tie first-born drifts along somehow
| until he reaches school, and a physi
| cal examination which reveals sc
many defects that mother is indig
nant. and thinks and says that it il
all nonsense-these ideasr' said Miss
J Mallon.
| Not only should the 'runabout
| child be watchfully cared for durin,
this vital period of growth, but h,
| should be taught during these i'm
questionable years, when lifetime hab
| its are formed, properly to take car,
| Of himself. No little child is interest
| ed in health, but he is interested il
! what happens to him, and he is NOR,
| interested than he ever will be AGAR
! in everything he sees father anC
mother do. Memory is strong during
these years. and the initiative faculty
| acute, often to the point of embarra IS
! ment to those about him. The daily
bath. the brushing of the teeth. care
! of the ears and eyes and hair ant
| hands. in short, the preference fol
cleanliness of person. must be instill
ed during childhood. Hygienic stand
ards may be attained during maturity
| but they will not be habits, and nei
| Their will they be the prevention tina
| is better than cure of many ills.
I'm all matters of health, the indi
vidual child's reaction to conditions
is the only safe guide. not that o.
a neighbours child, or even of a near