HEALTH OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 56, 29 November 1907, Page 5

HEALTH OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION. CONFERENCE AT AUCKLAND. , VIEWS OF DOCTORS AND TEACHKftw (BT TELEGRAM—SPECIAL CORKESPOIU'ENT.) Auckland, November- 28. Tho Chief Health Officer (Dr. Mason): baa advanced an important" step in his" campaign ill connection with tho medical examination of school children by bringing Auckland teachers and doctors together in confereueo, and winning strong support from thorn for his proposals. The meeting was held last, night, and, in the course of his address, Dr. Mason said medical inspection 'of school children was already in vogue on tho Con*incut and in Australia. They all knew that the Stato required n child to spend a fourth of its time in school. Ho , know cases whore teachers had..thrashed the children for not paying attention to the lessons, when,, as a matter of fact, tho children were not in a fit state to learn. A child physically fit was of the greatest'benefit to the State. Hβ'' was. delighted to say that in Auckland a, number of medical gentlemon. had promised to ' assist. - By an examination macto in the South, it had been found that only 11- iier cent, of the children used a tooth-brush. Thero was no better preservative..-of .tho { teeth in tho early years of life than tho, use "of tho tooth-brush'. Throughout tho Dominion teachers were taking tho greatest interest in the children intellectually and physically. (Hear; hear.) ■'.■'. DR. MASON'S SUGGESTIONS, 1 Mason said his suggestions for the inspection of school children would not materially increase their duties. His sug-, gostion was that tho child who persistently showed an open month, who had to be brought nearer tho blackboard to see, or nearer the teacher to hear, or who limped in tho playground, should be marked down, and not only the parents, but tho medical men, should be informed, so that the fault could he remedied. or improved upon. . In Japan there were over 600 medical inspectors, whose duty" it~was to'ihquire"into", the health of thoso attending tho schools. Cards were being sent out to every school in tho Dominion with tho request that particulars as to tho parents qf the child, school attendance, physical exorcise, cleanliness, and 'physical capacity generally should bo furnished teachers. A correct record of the physical and mental condition of the pupils would not be of so great value to them at present, or in their time, but there would conio a time when tho data would'enable' .those who came after them to assess the economic conditions which had, obtained 'in this 'Dominion against those in tho older world, and enablo thoso who followed to see what difference'the climatic and , other economic conditions had made upon a race transplanted from one side of tho world to another. • Dr. iStopford promised his support. ' - DrvGoro GilloirfPresi'denf,"oT.iEo'Modical Association, said that all medical gentlemen would support the proposal. Ho pointed out, however, that too 1 much should not be left on the school teacher, but the parents should , pay more attention to the children.: -.. .."'• ] ■"' Air. O'DonoKliue," headmaster of the Mount Koskill school, said that inowadays when .anything"-required doing 'it was always thrown on tho schoolmasters. The parent? ' should.' bo made to take a greater interest in their children. Tho great trouble was ! that many children .were, up at fivo or six o'clock in the. morning, and set to hardwork, then sent "to school in a. tired condition, and put to work again after school. ■-■ CARELESS PARENTS. Dr. J. S. Purdy,' District Health Offico, said tho child born.of careless parents should not be penalised on that account. (Hoar, hear.) . It was not a child's fault, and jt was such children that the examinations, were, iutondod to. reach and benefit. ■ Mr. Scott, of tho. Parncll school, remarked that ho had -noticed that the sight of children was especially had nowadays. (Hoar, hear.) .'He'liiid,"" ifriWflVef," letters'from parents objecting to , their , children being examined. " ' ; '' Dr. A. C. Purchas said he had communicated with the Education Department, but was advised not to meddle. Bater, Mr. Hogben sdvised him not to do anything because 'some'thina was''-being done, by Dr. Mason. It was Bhameful, he contended; that a boy with bad sight should bo treated differently from a boy with good sight, because o'f the ignorance 6f a teacher. ; ■ Dr. J; Moir believed tho parents would soon recognise the benefit to be derived from such an inspection. He knew of one caso in which a boy had. boon forced to attend school when not in a fit physical condition to/do so. The lad died, and tho cause .was' afterwards , ' found to bo a- tumour- of the PHYSICAL DETERIORATION/Mγ.' W. H. Draffin, of the Chapel Street school,; considered there was no doubt that physical deterioration was set-ting in hero in New Zealand, and something should ho done. What , was worth doing, however, was worth doing well. , * ■■-.•• .- .■' Dr. Purdy said his original scheme was that statistics should be compiled regarding 10U0 school children in Auckland, and thu dato be compared with results in Wellington,. Christchurch, and Dunedin. In/tune, they; could bo compared with similar statistics compiled in Great Britain and oth?r' countries. The support he had received, however, would enable. 5000 children to be inspected. Tho three medical gentlemen s< t the Thames had agreed to make an examination there. Dr. Sharman said children doing gymnastia -exorcises should bo under moro control, especially the younger children. He had thrae cases of children who would shortly require ■■ .t0 , .h0 operated upon on account of gymnastic exorcises. ATTITUDE OF EDUCATION BOARD. ' Mr. Bagnall, speaking; oil behalf of tho Education Board, said tho members of .the Board welcomed any' movement which would tend to the .improvement of the conditions under which'children in the school did their work. Notwithstanding what Mr. O'Donoghue had said, he felt sure the teachers would assist in any reasonable way in bringing about hotter, conditions. This was ii matter which could- only be done with the State's'assistance, and the State should inaugurate and carry it out. '.. Dr. Buck, Native Health Officer for the Northern Maoris, said he wished to see something similar done; for the. Maoris.- In his ollicial capacity he hod already taken some stops towards taking the measurements of school children in the Maori districts. This would givo some idea of what effect environment, and education, etc.. were having 'upon tho Maoris. "We could then seo whether our boasted civilisation and superiority of the pakclia in physical and other matters stand good," concluded the Native,medical oiiicer. NO COMPULSION. • Dr. Mason, in reply, said there was no compulsion whatever about the inspection of tho children. It was optional. Teachers wore doing a large amount of the work at present, but it was proposed that some at this work should be taken off their shoulders. Regarding the reported carelessness of paronts, lie pointed out that it was not always tho wnnt of care of the children, but that the paronts did not see tho child under the same conditions as.tho teachor did. His idea \vas that four inspectors should eventually be appointed for Now Zealand, and that their whole timo should bo occupied m the work. Out of 127,000 children attending the schools in tho Dominion 10 or 12 par cent, of them wero really below tho average standard of health. This percentage could bo set aside for tho medical officer to see. He was delighted at the general support promised him, audhfc v anticipated good results.