Conscious
effort is continually made by all doctors and nurses to inspire to
right living all of the children with whom they come in contact."
Looking somewhat to the future, it can be affirmed that the school
physicians and nurses are the ones who ought to give the teaching in
this subject. After giving the preliminary ideas in the classrooms,
they alone are in position to follow up the various matters and see
that the ideas are assimilated through being put into practice both at
school and at home. At present, however, 16 physicians and 27 nurses
have 75,000 children to inspect, of whom more than half have defects
that require following up. It is a physical impossibility for them
to do much teaching until the force of school nurses is greatly
increased.
For the present certain things may well be done:
1. A course in hygiene and sanitation, based upon an abundance of
reading, should be drawn up and taught by the regular teachers in the
grammar school grades. This course should be looked upon as merely
preliminary to the more substantial portions of education in this
field. The physicians and nurses should select the readings
and supervise the course to see that the materials are covered
conscientiously and not slighted.
2. The schools should arrange for practical applications of the
preparatory knowledge in as many ways as possible. Children in relays
can look after the ventilation, temperature, humidity, dust, light,
and other sanitary conditions of school-rooms and grounds.
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