The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-03-30
Youth IS
Modified For
Cancer Fight

Montana's youth is mobilizing fo
front line duty in the fight on car
Ger. 1t is being prepared to bac
the attack of the Montana Divisio
of the Field Army for the Contre
of Cancer in acquiring and dessemi
mating the knowledge that 'treate
in time, cancer can be cured &C
cording to Miss Inez Ratekin, Lib
bv Lincoln County commander.
At the beginning of the secon,
semester a unit of instruction OF
education for the control of canoe
was introduced in six experimental
high schools, LeWistoWn, Grea
Falls, Helena, Bozeman, Butte ant
Billings. Preliminary to adding thu
cancer control unit to the estab
lished health education courses If
these six experimental schools, {
conference of the school program
counselors' committee of the Fielc
Army was held in Helena, with G
c. Manning of LewistoWn president
of the Montana Public Health AS
ISOLATION, presiding as chairman
Schools to participate in the ex-
pertinent were asked to send repre-
sentatives.
Manning is president of the ele-
mentary schools and principal of
the high school at LeWistoWn, where
one of the most progressive health
development and physical educa-
ton programs in the state, accord
ing to educators, has been under
way for the last 10 years.
That the study of cancer and its
control has already caught the
Imagination of Treasure state youth,
is indicated bn the numerous re-
quests from students coming to state
headquarters of the Field Army,
for additional material concerning
a disease that was known to the
Egyptians more than three thousand
years ago. Who knows but that one
of the Montana students may be-
come so interested in the study,
that in the years to come, he or she
may be the one to discover the
cause of cancer or specific for its
cure.
A specific cure for cancer has
not as yet been discovered nor IS
the cause of cancer known. But the
possibility of curing cancer in its
early stages, through the mediums
of surgery, radium and X-rays has
been satisfactorily demonstrated
and medical records prove that
of lives are being saved
each year by early diagnosis and
prompt, scientific tyeatDfent.
As Montana high school students
in these six experimental schools
and the q other high schools using |
the unit, continue the study Of can !
Ger control this semester, they will |
gradually become aware Of its full
significance: that knowledge Of can
Ger is as essential to the saving OF
life as is the production Of blood /
plasma, as important to the fur I
thering OF the war effort as the
promotion of ADEQUATE nutrition,
Mrs. Peterson predicts
Measured for saving the life OF
a soldiers mother are as important
to the morale of our fighting forces
as are measures for saving his own"
she contends.
ATTENDING the Councillors meet
ing in Helena was Miss Elizabeth
Ireland, state superintendent Of pub
lie instruction, who expressed the
opinion that the study Of cancer
was a valuable addition to the high
school health education program.
Others present were Lowell John +
son, SUPERINTENDENT of Butte
schools. D. S. Williams, superin-
.endent Bozeman; Miss Janefte
Carver representing the Great Falls
system; George Leger, Thomas Ed
wards, and Mrs Mary Hawkes. rep
the Helena system, Miss
Kay Elizabeth Anderson represent
ng the state department Of health;
Mrs. Peterson and Mr.. Manning
The group adopted the study out
inc Fight Cancer with Knowl-
edge" When these six schools have
completed the work, representa-
ives will meet and evaluate the (
'esults and plan for the future of
he project recommendation will (
hen be made through the Field |
Army.
Detectives Of the group, as adopt
I'd are:
a. Place cancer control in its prop
II setting. in the health program !
ind thus build better public con
'ciousness of the Importance Of can
,er control work. !
b. Improve the health Of the in 7
lividual and the nation I
c. Eliminate fear of cancer by in I
knowledge Of Its curabil- /
ty.
d. Bring about more cooperation !
between educators and the medical +
profession and stress the import
'rco of periodic comprehensive .
health examinations :
=. Snow up the futility of
'quacks' and patent medicines asst
ANGER cures. !
I. Encourage schools to assume !