Evening star., 1939-05-02
Two Factors Vital
To Child Health,
Dr.. Ruh|and Says
Nutrition Is Linked
With Psychological
Training

Celebrating May Day as Child
Health Day, synonymous programs
In the Districts inaugural of Child
Health Week, representatives of 81
organizations met yesterday for
luncheon at the Y. w. c. A. and
heard Health Officer George c..
Rutland emphasize the Importance
of nutrition and psychological train
ing in the success of any child well
fare program.
DR.. Rutland said a proper COM
bination of the two elements was
necessary for the childs physical
and mental development and that
neither, alone, was sufficient to
normal health. While nutrition is
being emphasized during 1939's an
nual national program, DR.. Ruh-
land pointed out that the psyche
logical aspect was equally important.
He said the District has not begun
to meet adequately the need for
child guidance and he urged further
steps in that direction in the future.
The luncheon was to celebrate
the achievements in child health
development in the District during
the last year. The speaker COM
plimented various public and pri-
vate agencies for their work in
health development and voiced his
confidence that future efforts would
be equal to past results.
DR.. Oppenheimer Presides.
DR.. Ella Oppenheimer, director of
the Bureau of Maternal and Child
Welfare and May Day chairman
for the District, who presided at
the luncheon, emphasized the need
for a consistent day-to-day cam
paign, pointing out that results
came only through daily efforts
rather than from the stimulus of
one day, or one weeks emphasis
annually.
The program was opened by Ray
H. Everett, executive secretary Of
the Social Hygiene Society, who
read a poem he had written especi-
ally in celebration of Child Health
Day. DR.. Oppenheimer then intro
duced heads and representatives OF
various agencies present.
Cooperating with the Health De-
partment in observing Child Health
Week are the Boy Scouts, Girl
Scouts, various drug and depart
ment stores, dairies, the home eco
nomics department of public schools
and the public Libraries. Also active
on the program is the District Con-
gress of Parents and Teachers,
which has launched Today edu-
cational program to convince par
ents of the need for tuberculin tests
for their children. Mrs Alma Hud-
son, chairman of the summer group
roundup, said the examination, to
be held at 81 schools, would in
clude medical, dental, visual and
orthopedic checkups. Twelve schools
were visited yesterday.
A mass dental examination of 200
members of the Metropolitan Police
Boys Club is included in the spe-
cial demonstrations and lectures on
child health this week
Organizations answering yester-
days roll call of the friends OF
child health" were District 1uber-
culosis Association, Congress of Par
ents and Teachers, District Medical
Society, Kiwanis Club, Instructive
Visiting Nurse Society, Board of
Trade, Girl Scouts, Council of So
cial Agencies, Council of Jewish
Women, League of Women Voters,
District of Columbia Women's Med
ical Auxiliary, District Medico- Chi
rurgical Society, Boy Scouts, Chill
drens Hospital, Health Depart
ment, Southwest Community House
Washington Housing Association
the Robert T. Freeman Dental So
ciety, the District public schools
Washington Heart Association, the
District Dental Society and the Dis
trict Playground Department.