Evening star., 1942-03-17

cal education in the white schools,
in describing the setup which was
introduced experimentally about a
year and half ago, when Coolidge
first opened its doors. It's success
Is down in black and white in the
records of Mr.. Pearce and the
Health Department.
The story of the experiment
which is also installed to moderate
degree at Woodrow Wilson High
School and Roosevelt High School.
is one of close cooperation between
parents, school teachers, the Health
Department and private physicians.
1t is the story of thorough exami-
nation of pupils by the Health De-
partment, complete follow-up on de-
fects noted, plus the operation of the
best program possible with the
equipment available and building
up of an atmosphere of the impor-
tance of physical fitness.
All Pupils Take Part.
Every pupil in the school-includ-
ing the cadets, who are exempt in
most of the other schools-took part
in the experiment.
Here's what happened:
The 726 boys and girls OF the
school were weighed and measured,
had their feet examined, eyes test
ed and ears tested by audiometer
previous to the full physical ex-
animation and this information was
recorded on individual medical
cards. Then a corps of 16 physi-
clans and 6 public health nurses
from the Health Department, as
sisted by the physical education
staff of the school, made the COM
plete physical examinations. The
students had all been instructed in
the purpose and technique of the
tests and had been taught the value
of the tests.
Of the 726 pupils examined, a
total of sos remediable physical de-
fects were noted. Teeth were the
greatest source of defects, vision
second and nutritional inadequacies
third.
Each student conferred with q
public health nurse who explained
the findings and advised as to con-
sultation with the family physician
and dentist.
tuberculosis Tests Given.
In addition to these examina tions,
ITO students, with the approval of
their parents, took the chest X-ray
given by the District tuberculosis
Association. All students with low
nutritional status, tuberculosis his
tory or known tuberculosis contacts
were urged to take this test and
several of them refused. After
further education on the project,
u of the refusers were persuaded
to take the test at the Health De-
partment clinic. No tuberculosis
was found in any taking the test.
BY June, 428 of the sos defects
disclosed in the fall had been cor
rected. About 20 per cent of the
remainder were under supervision.
Less than 10 per cent of the re-
mainder were uncorrected and not
cooperating.
How was the correction accom-
plished? By followup and physical
education.
AT the time of the examination
each student was given q copy of
the findings for his parents. The
report was returned to the health
teachers with comments and rec
concentrations from parents and
family physicians. The health
teachers and the public health
nurse discussed each case and ar
ranged subsequent conferences
which resulted in clinical care, home
visits and advice from the family
physician. Each student with
remedial defects had three or more
conferences with the public health
nurse and no student is removed
from the active files until his de-
fects have been corrected.
Curbed by Limited Equipment.
OF the group unchanged by the
program, faulty posture and stub
born nutritional irregularities were
declared responsible along with lack
of corrective facilities and lack of
teacher time.
The official report said of the ex-
| pertinent that ~the education OF
parents has been fostered and the
interests of private physicians
scrupulously considered" 1t is esti-
mated that approximately s2,500 was
spent in the services of doctors and
dentists in the month after the not.
| ing of the defects.
Because of the lack OF equipment
In the new school, the physical edu-
cation program during the first
semester was somewhat limited. The