Milford chronicle., 1926-09-17
STATE SCHOOL HEALTH
AIMS ARE ENLARGED
CONTINUED from first pagel

tention she gives to her pupils
health. A good health program
should also materially aid in MAIN
tanning a good attendance record. If
we can get our school children
throughout the State to practice
daily, good health habits, we will
not only cut down disease, but we
will have better attendance and bet
ter progress in our school work. The
health of the children is national
enterprise. 1t is Americas first line
of defense. The strength of ma
ton depends on the children. Let
us all strive to make a good record
in Delaware this year.
There are many good methods of
teaching health, one of these is the
modern health crusades. We believe
this health program will aid the
teachers in carrying out the health
aim. We know that children learn
by action, and the Modern Health
Crusade has this most fundamental
basis. The child does things. He
lives his health teaching. He applies
his hygiene course. Action is the
keynote. The crusade program is
unique in it's equal to the child's i'm
agination, another basic instinct of
child life. The knight, the pageantry
and the picturesQueness of the cru
sade, arouses the child's love of imi-
tation. 1t thus supplies the play in
stinct.
Competition and rivalry are vital
factors. Children will learn by
competition what they will never
learn from precept The recogni-
ton that the child's standpoint is
the main factor of consideration ac-
counts for the success of the crus-
ade. Activity, pageantry, competition
and awards, these are the four great
factors in the Crusade program,
everyone of which is most vital in
its appeal to a child's interest.
1T has been generally found that
where a teacher will undertake the
work with even moderate amount
of enthusiasm, she will get results.
"Any health program to be sue
cessful, must be living vital part of
the whole school curriculum. 1t
should be closely tied up with the
other lessons. The stories of King
Arthur and his knights are found in
the reading lesson, and give fine
background for the health crusade.
Arithmetic lessons offer an OppOr-
tunity to work on problems of per-
centage in gains in weight.
after the chores have been care
fully discussed, the daily recording
should take only few minutes, but
the opportunity to teach fair play, |
accuracy, neatness and loyalty |
should not be overlooked. If the !
chores are developed gradually; if
plenty of time is given in practicin3 |
the recording and if the spirit of re-
cording is worked up correctly, !
there should be little trouble about |
falsifying records.
"The child does not have to do |
impossible to win his re-
ward. The chores. are simple and |
it is not necessary to have a perfect
record. The first year the title of |
Squire" and the Squire buttons are |
given to the pupils who, for twelve
weeks do 3-4 of the chores, or 81 .
chores per week. The second year
the title of Knight is given; the third .
year Knight Banneret and the fourth
year, Knight Canneret Constant.
The crusade is most successfully
used in the third, fourth, fifth and !
sixth grades. In the rural schools |
all the pupils may be enrolled if they
so desire. At the end Of the crusade |
the pupils take their cho-e folders |
home for the parents signature. In
bestowing the titles, an impressive
ceremony may be easily worked up,
and if given at a Parent-Teacher
Association meeting, it enlists the
interest of the parents and impresses
the pupils with the dignity of their
new office.