Evening star., 1942-05-05
Physical Fitness
Continued From First Page.)


program of improvement. The ar
ticles also showed the nearly unan-
imous desire of both school and
District officials as well as men,
bers of Congress to seek the pro-
gram in the 1943 budget.
Citing the alarming experiences
of the Army and Navy" in having to
reject a large number of otherwise
qualified men for physical defects,
the conscious subcommittee
which heard the budget testimony
of school and other officials was
willing to 60 even further than 1t
did but agreed, at the suggestion
of school officials, that further ex-
tension might better be left to a
later year. In this connection, the
committee report declared
'The committee agrees with the
school authorities that while it
would be very desirable to extend
the program to the other schools. it
would be unwise during 1943. With
a years experience behind it, the
program can be adjusted to the
junior high and vocational schools
and the teachers colleges during the
fiscal year 1914"
Physical Defects Corrective.
Despite the need to increase the
number Of pupils covered by physical
examinations, Health Oficer George
c. Rutland failed to seek any addi-
tional medical inspectors, recon-
mending only the dental program.
The committee, however, pointed to
the close relationship between the
physical training and the examina-
tions and provided the II part-time
inspectors.
The series of more than 30 articles
in The Star presented the following
conditions:
Thousands of District youths have
been turned down by the Army and
Navy for physical defects which in
many cases could have been detected
and corrected early and which even
now are being corrected, though at
far greater expense.
The Army and Navy have asked
the schools and colleges of the
country as part of their war effort
to increase the tempo of their physi-
cal training programs to help cor
rect the percentage of reflections
and to place American boys on a
physical toughness par with those
of the Axis.
Although the Board of Education
approved comprehensive physical
training program as far back as
1888. recommending five periods a
week in the senior high schools, it
is now in effect-almost six years
later-completely in only one school
and partly in another.
Less Than Half Examined.
Although there are more than co.
| 600 public school children. the limit
ed staff of "a part time medical in
spectors is able to give only approx
mately 10000 complete physical
examinations in year, and many
Of those examined are not public
school pupils and some are re-
examinations. More than 10000
partial examinations we're given, but
here again the list includes teachers
custodians, cafeteria handlers anc
denominations.
Primary cause for military physi-
cal reflections was defective teeth
A recently completed examination
of all junior and senior high schoo,
pupils showed two-thirds of the
junior and three-fourths of the
senior high pupils with an average
of a half dozen or SO dental defect.
each.
Pointing to the close relationship
between the physical training pro.
gram of the schools and the medica
| and dental inspection of the Health
Department, the subcommittee re-
port declared:
Too much emphasis cannot b.
placed upon the interdependency o
these programs; their functions ar
so dovetailed that the one withou
the other would be futile"
Effective Methods Planned.
At another point the report state'
that the committee had been as
sured "the most effective methods o
training will be utilized"
The committee is ardently hope
full" the report continued, that tn
programs in health, physical educa
ton and aviation as envisaged an
to be administered in the school
of the District Of Columbia will b
a stimulant to school systems in a
parts of the country, not only i
5 preparing our youth for sever
physical requirements in this emer
gency, but also in raising the healt
and physical standards of this an
5 future generations on permanen
c basis"
At still another point the reor
calling attention to the rejection
of selectees, said:
y The health program that tn
4 committee wishes to be inaugurate
1 = -l.,;~