Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-05-16
More Attention
To Health in
Schools Urged
Survey Calls for
Division of Duties
To Develop Program
By Harold B. ROGERS

SS~ NAAS oAASA3 OAAS 1lCdlUll VI
gram of District public schools
the Metropolitan Health and
Hospital Survey today recon-
mended that responsibilities OF
the two overburdened directors
of health, physical education and
safety be lightened and health
and safety matters be turned
over to other officials.
Without going into personalities
or mentioning names, the sixth
chapter in the survey asserted that
these individuals at present must
give SO much time, effort and at
tention to matters relating to
physical education and athletics
that they have little time or energy
for developing the school health
program. They also lack the
clerical assistance necessary for
such program"
The present directors are Hardy
Pearce for the white schools, and
DR.. E. B. Henderson, for the colored
schools.
Would Split Set-Up.
The Board of Education was urged
to "redeflne" the duties of the di-
rectors. Responsibility for the ad-
ministration and supervision of all
the school health and safety activi-
ties the survey said, should be placed
In the hands of lone person for the
white schools and one person for the
Negro schools, delegating the direct
control of the physical education
program to some other officer
presumably one for the white and
another for the colored schools.
The present directors, the report
suggested, might be appointed 'di-
rectors of physical education and
athletics" and independent "direc-
tors of school health and safety
might be appointed for each group
of schools.
ITO expect one individual to be
well informed and to give leadership
in such diverse areas as physical
education, athletics, health, health
education and safety is to expect the
impossible" the report declared.
More Reports in Prospect.
The analysis of school health in
Washington and the adjacent five
political Jurisdictions was made for
the board of three surveyors by DR..
c. c. Wilson, who is professor of
health education at Teachers Col
lege, Columbia University, New York
City. The three surveyors issuing
the comprehensive survey are DIR. c.
A. E. Winslow, professor emeritus of
the department of public health of
Yale University; Dr. Ira v. Hiscock
chairman of the Yale department of
public health; and DR.. Claude w
Munger, administrator of st. Luke s
Hospital, New York City. who is
president of the American College
of Hospital Administrators. Several
more chapters of the surrey still are
to be issued by the Metropolitan
Health Council of the Council of
Social Agencies, and the compre-
hensive study finally will be pub
ished as a book.
The District was praised for
much progress" in school health.
Several recommendations for
strengthening the school health pro-
gram were advanced, however, in
the chapter issued today. In general
the tone of the report was far less
critical than that of some previous
chapters which had scored econdi-
tons of sanitation, slums, hospitals
and certain phases of health here.
The survey urged the title of the
Bureau of Medical Inspection of the
District Health Department, which
conducts activities of that depart
ment among the schools, should be
changed to the Bureau of School
Health. DR.. Joseph Murphy now is
director of that bureau.
The director of this bureau, the
survey recommended, should be re-
lieved of routine examinations and
treatment procedures so that he may
devote his time to supervisory work
and to comprehensive planning of
the total school health program SO
as to make it most effective.
I'm each of the smaller areas
(nearby political Jurisdictions some
one individual should be designated
jointly by the Board of Health and
the Board of Education as director
of the school health program re-
sponsible for overall planning and
coordination.
One criticism was directed at the
alleged lack of sufficient examina-
ton of pupils by psychologists.
THE service of psychologists to
give intelligence tests and other
tests" the survey said, sis essential
In any complete school health pro-
gram, for the results of such tests
are needed by teachers and admins
traitors in adapting programs to pu-
pills abilities.
Unless such adaptations are
made, serious mental health prob
lens may be created At present,
such Service in the District of Co.
lumbia schools is inadequate"
Touching on the related prob
lem of the feelings" of a pupil, the
survey declared, protecting the
pupils from unhealthful emotional
conditions is just as important as
protecting them from unhealthful
physical conditions. In fact, the
pupil who develops anti-social feel
ings or feelings of Illustration and
inferiority because of experiences
at school may be harmed more seri-
ously than the one who develops
measles or suffers eyestrain.
Need to Be Wanted"
Pupils need opportunities for
achieving success, for expressing
themselves, for making friends and
being wanted individuals in the
group, for experiencing joy, hap
piness and achievement. These
emotional needs should be met
while, at the same same time,
pupils learn to respect the rights
of Others
This factor, the report declared
was closely related to the personali-
ty and health of teachers, adding.
teacher tenure, provisions for sick
leave, attractive restrooms, retire
mont provisions, periodic medical
examinations and helpful construc-