Evening star., 1938-10-12
JOINT PLAN LAID
FOR |NSTRUCT|NG
MA|MEDCH|LDREN
School, Health and W. P. A.
Officials Map Program of
Cooperation.
SCHEME TO AID OTHERS
KEPT FROM CLASSES
Relief Agency Is to Provide
Visiting Teachers-Project
Seen as Permanent.

School, health and w. P. A. Off
cials decided today to cooperate on
a plan to provide visiting teachers for
all children able to study, but physi-
Sally incapable of attending regular
school.
While the attention of the confer
ence was directed mainly to crippled
children, it was suggested that chill
dren excluded from school either tenn
porarily or permanently for other rea-
sons should also be included in the
project.
Representatives of the Board of Ed
ucation, the Health Department and
the W. P. A. were present at the
conference held in the school board
Office.
At the suggestion of Mrs. Henry
Grafton Doyle, president of the School
Board, committee of three, repre-
senting the three interested groups,
will be appointed to collect data on
the various problems involved, with
the goal of a project authorized by
(. a.
Board of Education and the Health
Department.
w. p. A. Aid Seen Solution.
Mrs. Doyle pointed out that the
School Board has been trying to in
Gude an appropriation for visiting
teachers in the budget for three years
and so far has been unsuccessful. The
W. P. A. visiting teachers project, she
said, would be temporary solution
that might lead to visiting teachers
authorized by Congress as a perma-
nent part of the school program.
Ross Haworth, assistant administra-
tor of District w. P. A., said the prob
hm would necessitate an extension of
an existing project or the addition Of
new one. While he expressed the
desire of the District W. P A. to lend
material assistance, he said he would
have to confer with Federal w. p. A.
officials before giving definite answer
He asserted, however, that he could
promise cooperation from Federal
authorities.
In discussing the health clinic for
crippled children, started at Galilnger
Hospital on August Is, DR.. Daniel
Seckinger, assistant health officer. sug-
gested that visiting teachers might be
provided for children attending the
clinic.
Transportation Inadequate.
I'VE are able to take care of the
medical needs of crippled children" he
said, "and other space at Gallinger
might be provided for school for the
children If the board thinks it wise"
He admitted that transportation
facilities for children attending the
clinic were not satisfactory. Although
the fund provided under the Social Sc
curity Act for the care of crippled chill
dren includes transportation, the
Health Department is not allowed un-
der the law to purchase bus.
The same problem, faced by the
School Board in the case Of seven
crippled children who are unable to
attend school through lack of trans
portation, has not yet been solved,
Mrs. Doyle said. She expressed the
hope that private individuals or groups
will volunteer their services to get the
children to school, but pointed out
that the visiting teachers would con-
tribue greatly toward helping the chill
dren with their studies until trans
portation is found.
$4,000 Available.
Visiting teachers were also con-
sidered In connection with the
projected children's ward for crippled
children at Gallinger Hospital, for
which $4,000 allotment recently
granted by the United States Children's
Bureau.
Robert L. Haycock, assistant super
intendent of schools, reported that
Children's Hospital also has asked re-
peatedly for teachers for its con-
valescent children. It may develop
that other centers for handicapped
children face the same problem, he
said.
Mrs. Doyle suggested that the chill
dren temporarily excluded from school
because OF social diseases would be
benefited by visiting teachers so they
wouldn't have so much work to make
mp when they returned to their reg
t1lar classes. It was stressed that in
the cases of all children taught by
visiting teachers an individualized
program would be employed.
Attending the conference were Mrs.
Doyle, DR.. Seckinger, Mr.. Haycock,
Mr.. Haworth, DR.. Frank w. Ballou,
superintendent of schools; A. X. Savoy,
assistant superintendent of divisions
10 to 10; G.. c. Wilkinson, first as
sistant superintendent of the same
divisions; DR.. Joseph A. Murphy, chief
OF the school medical inspection serv-
Ice, and DR.. Ella Oppenheimer, in
charge Of children's work in the
Health Department..