USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1922-1923 > Part 16
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We must therefore of necessity begin with the child, and there is no better place for this campaign of education and investigation than in the schools throughout the United States."
The examination of pupils in our schools showed that there are thirty-two who have abnormal heart sounds. These cases were studied and classified as above with the following result : Class I, 8; Class II, 2; Class III, 0; Class IV, 22.
For Class V, those who show no signs or symptoms of the disease, but have had diseases which are known to be capable of producing it, we have no figures. It is, however, a large class for it includes all those who have had such diseases as rheumatism, chorea or St. Vitus dance, and ton- silitis. Those who have given the problem the most careful study believe that tonsilitis or sore throat is capable of causing heart trouble. It should therefore be considered as a serious disease and the child given the best of care and attention. It is especially important that he or she should not be put to work or sent back to school too soon after having been ill with a severe sore throat.
The sane way to deal with pupils with heart disease in the public schools is that advocated by Dr. Halsey of New York City whose successful handling of the problem in the public schools of that city is well known. He believes that as far as possible these children should be allowed to enjoy a normal school life. Much harm is done them he contends,
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by the morbid fear of exercise entertained by many pa- rents and teachers, for such children need the exercise as much or more than their normal companions. Dr. Halsey therefore lets them take physical exercise with the others, allowing them to be the judge of what is enough for them. The result is that many who begin timidly and fearfully gradually extend their activities until they are doing the full measure of work comfortably, without undue effort. Who can estimate the good it does such a child to take his place beside his fellows rather than be compelled to stand aside as a weakling.
DENTAL CLINIC
The activity and efficiency of our dental clinic has quite naturally attracted attention and in some quarters criticism. All the work may be placed under one of two heads, either Educational or Corrective.
Through talks on oral hygiene, tooth-brush drills, in- spections and the awarding of attractive buttons, Miss White carries on the educational propaganda, but of all the methods which she employs nothing brings home the advantages of a clean mouth quite so forcefully as the thorough technical cleaning which she gives their teeth.
The Corrective program is carried out in the dental clinics held two mornings a week by paid dentists, Drs. Donovan and Dyer.
In view of the numbers who need the assistance of the clinic our policy is a preventive one, i. e. instead of turning out a few children with perfect mouths we do those things which will save the maximum number of useful teeth and eliminate possible sources of trouble for the greatest num-
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ber of children. By doing some of the work that is most urgently demanded in their mouths we try to teach them the advantages of dental correction and implant a desire for it which will lead them to follow it up themselves.
The principals of the buildings, Miss White, and the den- tists are watching to see that the clinic is not taken ad- vantage of by children whose parents can afford private treatment, and no child is treated without a statement of the family income. No doubt some do get in who should not but we feel that we are taking every reasonable precau- tion against it.
There is danger that we may be led into giving too much of our time and attention to the more brilliant and striking results of the operative program as carried out in the clinic, whereas I believe much the most important and vital part of our work is educational, for the educational propaganda reaches many more children and produces greater and more far reaching results. We shall therefore for the present at least, have the school dentist on duty give but one morning- a week to the clinic, the other morning being devoted to ex- aminations in the schools. In this way the dentists will come in contact with a far greater number of children and their parents will receive a detailed statement from him as to the exact condition of the teeth of the children.
Early in the year with a view to making the educational side of our work as broad as possible we obtained films from the Department of Hygiene of the State Board of Health, teaching some of the truths of oral hygiene in a very striking and interesting way and these were run for a week at the Old Colony Theatre by courtesy of the man- agement; also we are indebted to the Plymouth Cordage Company for showing them at their Saturday afternoon performance for the children.
As there have been difficulties in the way of getting children in from the north part of the town to the clinic
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rooms, Miss White, the dental hygienist, has been giving one day a week to cleaning at the Hedge school. The equip- ment there, however, was unsanitary and the old foot- power engine which she was obliged to run made her work very difficult. Recognizing the necessity for it the com- mittee has purchased a fountain cuspidor and electric en- gine. Both are second hand but have been put in good con- dition and when installed will not only make the work of the hygienist easier but enable her to do more and better work.
REPORT OF SCHOOL DENTAL CLINIC, 1922
Dr. J. Holbrook Shaw,
School Physician, Plymouth, Mass.
Dear Dr. Shaw :
I hereby submit my report of the work done at the School Dental Clinic during the year 1922.
1. Number of patients examined 1,000
2. Number of temporary extractions, 355
3. Number of permanent extractions, 127
4. Number of pulp treatments (temporary), 4
5. Number of pulp treatments (permanent), 45
6. Number of fillings, 224
a. amalgam, 105
b. amalgam with cement base, 64
c. Cement, 94
d. porcelain, 8
e. gutta percha, 3
7. Number of "cleanings" 1,019
8. Number of operations (total), 3,066
9. Number of patients, 1,468
10. Number of new patients, 514
11. Number of dismissals, 125
12. Number of operating hours, 554
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Much has been done this year not only to remove dental defects among the school children of Plymouth but what is more worth while to teach the children the importance of the care of the teeth.
As there are so many children needing dental attention we are unable as yet to treat any teeth, so must, if a tooth is badly decayed, extract it. I wish to urge the parents to keep watch of their children's "back teeth." The first permanent molar tooth comes at the age of six years. At this age it is the last tooth on either side of the jaw, upper and lower. If this tooth is lost it will never be replaced and as it is the "key stone" to the dental arch, causing the other permanent teeth to come straight, it is necessary to preserve it. We have to extract this tooth for a great many children because the parents deeming it a first tooth, have neglected to attend to it. Parents should watch the children when they are brushing their teeth and see that they brush the back teeth as well as the front. All children have had the tooth-brush drill and understand how to brush their teeth. It is necessary that the teeth should come regularly to their proper positions so that they may come together accurately and allow thorough mastication of the food. If any of the permanent teeth are lost the food can- not be as thoroughly prepared for the stomach and digestive troubles may arise.
In order to stimulate interest in the care of the teeth, I have used charts and awarded buttons, brushes, tooth paste, etc., to those children who brush their teeth regularly every day. Each child is examined once a month by me and given credit due him or her. I find it necessary to use these methods to obtain the best results. Children will not work for a distant goal called "Health," there must be some im- mediate reward in view as an incentive. I can honestly say that there has been a great improvement in the mouths of the school children of Plymouth.
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At the annual convention of the National Dental Asso- ciation at Los Angeles, California, the Plymouth School Department's Dental Clinic was favorably commented upon by a worker of the Mass. State Department of Health, as one of the best and most up to date for municipalities of its size in the country.
We are glad to know that those who are best qualified to judge approve of us but we must not let that approval make us too well satisfied with ourselves to do better. To those of us who realize how little all we do really is compared with the great need, a dentist working two mornings a week does not seem enough. May the time soon come when there will be a dentist at work in the clinic every morning.
EXPENDITURES OF DENTAL CLINIC, 1922.
Telephone,
$21 96
Electric Light,
19 78
Rent,
280 00
Laundry,
52 70
S. S. White, supplies,
95 81
S. H. Reynolds, supplies,
37 38
G. Crimming, supplies,
2 30
Mr. Steidle, janitor,
88 00
Tooth brushes,
80 70
G. White, miscellaneous,
8 60
Repairing,
21 20
Cooper Drug Co.,
4 62
Printing,
29 70
Towels,
5 00
Curtains, Adams Co.,
W. Snow, 7 00
$756 48
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Salary of dentists,
701 60
Salary of Dental Hygienist,
1,280 00
$1,981 60
Money taken in at clinics :
For admissions,
$134 95
For tooth brushes,
31 60
For cups,
2 50
$169 05
Respectfully submitted, (Signed) GLADYS WHITE, Dental Hygienist.
SCHOOL NURSE
In the report for last year attention was called to State Commissioner Kelly's keen analysis of the development of the public health movement in which he characterizes the present as the era of hygiene now just beginning and des- tined to be by far the most beneficial in its effect upon the race. The central idea today is that the individual man, woman and child instead of being compelled to conform to certain arbitrary health laws as heretofore must be taught how to keep himself or herself well. The keynote of the age in public health work is then to be Education and therefore Cooperation.
The Modern Health Crusade is national in its scope, over 4,000,000 schools having been enrolled since it was first in- troduced by the National Tuberculosis Association a few years ago, and it has received the unqualified endorsement of the National Educational Association.
It appeals to the imagination of the child and helps him
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form health habits while he is learning to understand the reason for them but perhaps the strongest factor in the sweeping success which the Crusade has had, has been the opportunity which it affords for the exercise of the spirit of competition which is so easily aroused in every normal child.
Feeling that the Crusade is in harmony with modern ideas on public health, it has been introduced in our schools under the direction of the school nurse, the equipment being pro- vided from a small sum of money which the school physician has at his disposal for health work. The work which the nurse has been doing under the head of "nutrition classes" is now included in the Crusade which requires the weighing and measuring of pupils, and those habits of life which she has been teaching in trying to overcome the effects of mal- nutrition are now acquired through the daily chores which are the vital part of the movement. Hence the Crusade is supplementary and adjuvant to the work which has already been done. The larger grade schools now have bulletin boards upon which the nurse places the weight charts of those who are under-nourished. The normal weight for each child is indicated on his or her chart by a red star and it is interesting to watch the gradual and sometimes in- terrupted ascent of the weight line towards the goal. This is a great stimulus to effort.
Although all the larger buildings have been equipped with weighing scales for some time, the children in the smaller schools did not receive the benefit of the weighing and measuring which has proved so effective in improving the condition of the under-nourished. This has been reme- died by the purchase by the School Department of por- table scales which the nurse carries about with her and sets up at any school where she wishes to use them.
During the summer the nurse's car was put in good con- dition mechanically and repainted, both of which it needed
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very badly as it is continuously in use ten months in the year in all kinds of weather. In our large township with widely scattered schools, the efficiency of the nurse would be greatly reduced without a car.
The school physician wishes to gratefully acknowledge the assistance rendered by Miss Collins, director of physical education, who has done much to lighten the burden of the school nurse by taking over the adjustment of school desks and seats and otherwise generously assisted in the health program.
REPORT OF SCHOOL NURSE, 1923.
Dr. J. Holbrook Shaw,
School Physician, Plymouth, Mass.
Dear Dr. Shaw :
I hereby submit a report of the work done during the year :
Number of school visits, 645
Number of home visits, 512
Number of treatments in school,
1,694
Number of pupils inspected,
6,038
Contagious diseases found in homes, 38
Contagious diseases found in schools, 156
Referred to physicians, 47
Operated at Jordan Hospital for A. and T., 30
Others taken to hospitals, 9
During the year, physicians have kindly continued giving their services for the correction of diseases of the eye and ear, and in operating for diseased tonsils and adenoids. In October, the Modern Health Crusade, which is a system of training in good health habits was introduced into the schools here, the work being done by the children from the third to sixth grades. Pupils are enrolled as "pages" and
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become successively Squire, Knight and Knight Banneret. The requirements are the performance of health chores and the recording of the performance on "score cards" which are kept at home. A good number of children have already shown a decided improvement in health, and general ap- pearance, and some who were from five to fifteen pounds underweight, have gained from four to thirteen pounds. A simple form of score card is also being kept in the first and second grades, under the supervision of the teachers, going to bed early, being one of the requirements to earn a re- ward.
With the cooperation of parents, in seeing that their children perform, and faithfully record their health scores, good health habits will be formed, which will result in im- proved physical condition of the child, better attendance at school, and also aid in the prevention of disease. It would be a great help, if teachers could give a short time every day to the teaching of health, and the pupils be given credits as for their regular school work.
(Signed) SUSIE MACDONALD, R. N.
School Nurse.
HEALTH PLAY AND "HEALTH CLOWN."
On June 23rd, a health play entitled, "The Fountain of Health," was very creditably given in the Cordage Audi- torium by the pupils of the Hedge school, before a large au- dience most of whom were children. The importance of good food and the part each food plays in building up the body was interestingly shown as well as the necessity for sufficient sleep, exercise in the open air, and other health habits. If one may judge by the eager attentive faces of the audience the lessons of the play were not lost upon them.
Plymouth Twenty-Two
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Much credit is due the principal and teachers of the Hedge school for the successful presentation of a play which served so well to compliment the efforts of the school physician and nurse.
Through the efforts of the Public Health Committee of the Woman's Club we received a visit from a "health clown" who used his instant and tumultous popularity with the children to good advantage by driving home a number of timely health hints. On Friday, May 12th, he gave two performances at the Cornish School, and one at the High school for grade pupils in the South part of the Town. Saturday morning he went to the Manomet school and a large number of children at the North enjoyed a per- formance in the afternoon at the Cordage Auditorium.
DUST ON PLAY GROUNDS.
Last fall there was more complaint than usual from teachers, of the clouds of dust which irritated the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat and all but ob- scured the children at times. It seemed as though some- thing should be done to abate this nuisance, and arrange- ments were made with Mr. Blackmer of the Street De- partment to spray the troublesome playgrounds at the Cornish, Knapp and Hedge schools with a light oil at the week end so that they might have a day or two to dry before using them. This proved not to be an unmixed blessing for soon after the oil was applied, it rained, creat- ing a very unsatisfactory condition, especially at the Hedge school where there were large pools of water and oil. If after the oil was applied a coating of sand had been spread over it, the results would have been much better, particular- ly if there were no rain for some time.
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This method of relieving the dust nuisance in the fall is worth a further trial but the oil should be applied about the middle of August, giving plenty of time for it to dry out before school opens. A still better solution of the problem would be to spread fine crushed stone and cinders on the playgrounds. This material is in use at the Mt. Pleasant school and is very satisfactory as it does not pack down hard, but offers a yielding surface free from dust.
LIGHT IN THE SCHOOL ROOM.
The State assumes grave responsibilities when it compels growing children to remain confined in school rooms five hours a day five days in the week for forty weeks in the year. It devolves upon the School Committee in whose im- mediate charge the children are placed to see that the con- ditions in their school rooms are as favorable to the normal development of the child as possible. Even under such conditions the constant demand upon the eyesight of the child has a well recognized tendency to produce myopia or nearsight and in poorly lighted school rooms this tendency becomes a positive menace to normal sight. During the winter months when the days are short and particularly on stormy days there is a very rapid loss of light during the afternoon so that by the time the pupils are dismissed the light in the school rooms is greatly diminished.
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I.
II.
III.
IV.
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The illustration gives the results of an experiment the purpose of which was to show the relative intensity of the light in school rooms in the middle of the day and about closing time.
Each square is a reproduction of the photograph of a sheet of white paper placed on a pupil's desk in a school room. The camera used was supported on 'a frame so constructed that it cast as little shadow on the paper as possible (none can be detected on the prints), and operated from a dis- tance by a thread. All exposures were made for 50 seconds and on the same roll of films. The exposed films were all developed together and all the printing was done in one frame at the same time so that the squares as reproduced should give us a true idea of the relative intensity of the light at each exposure.
No. 1 was taken at 1.15 p. m. in a well lighted school room with a northern exposure, the sun shining on the snow out- side, and may be taken as a standard of excellent lighting for the purpose of comparison. No. II was taken at 1 p. m. on the same day in another room, low in the walls and poorly lighted. The light out-side was so strong at this time of day that even the poor room got a very good light, the print showing only a shade darker than No. I. No. III was taken at 3.50 p. m. on the same clear day in the same room as No. II and shows a very decided loss of light. No. IV was taken at 4.20 p. m. in the same room on a cloudy day. This of course is after school hours but it serves well to show the rapid loss of light in the school room on a cloudy winter afternoon.
That we need to make every reasonable effort to increase the amount of light in the school rooms is obvious and there is one simple and very effective method of doing it. Ceilings when properly whitened reflect a large amount of
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light from the windows and add materially to their effi- ciency, but ceilings very quickly become blackened and ab- sorb light instead of reflecting it. If each summer all the ceilings were inspected and every one not in perfect con- dition whitened, the improvement due to added cheerful- nss and relief from eyestrain would more than pay for the expense. Light yet restful tints for the walls are also im- portant but not as important as the ceilings, which should be the first to receive attention.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE.
As was the case in the previous year, 1921, so again this year during the early months, the incidence of scarlet fever increased to the proportions of an epidemic, twenty-three cases being reported by the Board of Health for the month of February but the disease did not become as prevalent as the year before and soon died out.
Chicken-pox has been very prevalent during the past year, especially so in the later months. Though as a rule not a serious disease, it has seriously interfered with school attendance, the more so on account of the long period of incubation and the necessity for excluding exposed children from school during that period.
Small-pox is becoming more prevalent in the country at large, the United States Public Health Service having re- ported seventy-two cases and twenty-one deaths for the week ending November 11th. This alarming increase in the disease is attributed to indifference and hostility toward vaccination and the authorities are urging every one to see that they and their dependents are properly protected.
The following statistics for the year have been taken from the monthly reports of the school physician :
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Number of examinations,
3,706
Number of notices of diseases and defects sent to
parents,
659
Number of pupils referred to nurse,
225
Number of permits signed by school physician, 1,073
Number of permits signed by other physicians, 205
Number of pupils temporarily excluded,
63
Respectfully submitted,
J. HOLBROOK SHOW, M. D.,
School Physician.
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REPORT OF ATTENDANCE OFFICER
Mr. Horace F. Turner,
Superintendent of Schools,
Dear Sir :
I respectfully submit the following report from January 1, 1922 to January 1, 1923.
Truancy Sickness Absentee Total
Burton School.
2
3
9
14
Cold Spring School
0
5
1
6
Cornish School
4
9
4
17
Hedge School
7
24
5
36
High School
5
27
15
47
Knapp School
10
21
12
43
Lincoln Street School
2
0
1
3
Manomet School
1
0
0
1
Mount Pleasant School
2
4
3
9
Nathaniel Morton School
22
87
121
230
Oak Street School
0
1
3
4
South Street School
1
4
1
6
Spooner Street School
0
1
0
1
56
186
175
417
Cases investigated for Superintendent's Office
4
Employed Certificates investigated
15
Number of homes visited
436
Visits to schools
23
Total number of investigations
459
Found on street and taken to school
5
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Taken to court for keeping child from school 1 Habitual school offenders brought to court 4
I wish to thank the Superintendent and teachers for the kind assistance which they have given me during the past year.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN ARMSTRONG, Attendance Officer.
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COST OF SCHOOLS-A COMPARISON
Do You Know :
That there were 1090 passenger automobiles registered from Plymouth in 1922 besides 351 used for commercial purposes ?
That it is a conservative estimate to say that the average cost of the 1090 passenger automobiles was $1,000 each and their average life five years, making a total outlay of $1,090,000 or an annual outlay of $218,000?
That it is a very conservative estimate to say that the average annual cost of running each one of these 1090 passenger automobiles was $300, or for running all of them $327,000 ?
That combining these two amounts we are forced to the very conservative conclusion that the private citizens of Plymouth of their own individual free will spent $545,000 on their own passenger automobiles ? (It would be in- teresting to know the increased outlay for maintenance of streets made necessary for these automobiles.)
That the total cost of schools for the same year in Plymouth was less than $210,000, or $335,000 less than was spent on passenger automobiles ?
That riding in automobiles and education of our boys and girls for living now and through years to come are both very essential to our welfare as a community ?
That it is quite worth while that we consider the rela- tive importance of passenger automobiles and education in our account of expense and net returns ?
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In closing this report I wish to state that it has not been my intention to treat fully all of the activities of the school system. Excellent work has been done by the teachers of household economics, manual training, drawing and by the supervisors of special subjects. These branches have be- come established and are integral parts of the educational work of the Community.
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