The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1934-12-20
Health Subjects As
Taught In Our School
Confined from Page One,

Although the child himself Is OUR
first consideration we must work
through his environment, largely, to
bring about the best results. We
realize that we are working with
the child as whole, not as a bun
die of so many eyes, ears, nerves,
teeth and so forth. The principle
factor in this environment iS the
family. For this reason we look up
on our home calls as a means of
helping to clarity relations be-
tween the family and the school, as
well as keeping a check on conta-
gion or securing correction of de-
fects. One Of our first aims here, is
the awakening of the parents to
the realization that they themselves
not the nurse, the school or the
community, are responsible for the
health and welfare of their child"
In bringing the parents close with
in our health circle, we regard the
assistance and instruction which we
give to them as one Of our best
contributions, to the health Of the
child. In promoting well-balanced,
happy family life we achieve the
biggest step toward individual
health. ,. -
Details of our program include
individual inspection of each child
at least once during the school
year, which comprises testing Of
eyes, ears, teeth, posture, inquiry
into health for individual health i'm
struction; periodic classroom in
spection for communicable disease
which includes inspection of hair
and scalp; dental examinations
once a year for each child; inspec-
ton Of each one returning to school
after illness; exclusion of children
with symptoms of illness, especial
ly of communicable disease; home
calls because of absence and to Sc
cure correction Of defects; admin
istration and teaching of First
Aid. In carrying out these proce-
dures we work closely with the
family physician and dentist, and
look upon their advice as the basis
for our work. We wish our stand
ard to be kept high so we adhere
firmly to- this rule.
The classes, besides First Aid
and occasional talks on health
subjects according to their need,
which we plan to- conduct are
"Mothercraft," course for Junior
High girls on the care OF infants
and young children, and Hygiene"
of the School Child" course for
the normal training department on
procedures which q are used in
health teaching. We are also con-
Quoting demonstrations on the
Home Care of the Sick" in con-
nection with the Home Economics
work given on this subject.
AS in any other service, today,
the question: is raised, does 1t JUS.
tify itself? We submit these facts.
The cost of a years schooling in
the elementary grades, for one
child, is $51.40. What If that child
has poor vision, poor hearing, has
some physical disability which does
not permit him to keep up his
work, and he is forced to repeat a
years work? The loss is $51 40.
Studies made by the well-known
Lewis Terman and John Almack
show definitely that among these
repeaters, and children who do poor
school work, defects of vision and
hearing are almost twice as pre-
valent. In addition to the waste IN
actual money, these children who
do not adjust well at home. in
school or with play-mates are lay
ing the foundation for an unhappy
adult life because Of repeated fail
ures, as well as being cheated out
of that most blessed time of life,
a happy childhood. Who can say,