USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1913 > Part 25
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26
Miss Macdonald has worked faithfully and efficiently for the welfare of the school children for the past year. Her report gives the figures, but it is entirely inadequate to give any idea of the detail of her work. She is a busy woman, assisting the school physician at his visits to the schools, going about in the schools herself, finding the sick and ailing; going into homes and car- ing for those who need her services, and giving good advice about healthful living; taking suffering children to physicians, surgeons, dentists, and specialists sometimes when it is neces-
-288-
sary, accompanying them to Boston, or putting them on the train to be met there by a nurse from some hospital. The school nurse has little leisure, for she not only does all that is required of her and more, but finds times to distribute clothing to the- poor, whose distress is ever before her. At all times there are scores of more or less ailing children handicapped in various ways, over whose frail destinies she is watching with jealous care, that she may help them in every possible way to perfect. health.
The following report is submitted by Miss Macdonald :- The report of the school nurse for the year 1914 is as follows :
Number of visits to homes 694
Number of visits to schools 530
Contagious diseases found in homes 59
Contagious diseases found in schools 43 Cases treated in schools 349
Cases operated for adenoids and tonsils 10
2000 children have been seen individually, and talks, given to many of these, as well as to the parents in the home, on hygiene,. the care of sores, cuts, etc., have shown good results.
About twenty of the many children suffering from defective vision have been supplied with glasses at small, and in some- - needy cases, at no expense to the patient, the Fragment Society having given money for this purpose, and Dr. Shaw having kindly given his services both for this and the treatment of ear troubles. Other physicians have also been very kind in treat- ing needy cases which are sometimes found in the school and home, and in operating on cases of enlarged tonsils and ade -. noids.
The gift from members of the Woman's Club and others, of clothing and money, is a very great help both in keeping the children in school, and in the prevention of illness through insufficient clothing.
(Signed) SUSIE MACDONALD, R. N. .
-
DENTAL CLINIC OF THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
-289-
DENTAL CLINIC.
The work of the Dental Clinic opened in the fall of 1913, has been continued throughout the past year, we believe with excellent results, when we remember that it is in operation but two hours a week.
From January to June, 1914, work was continued in the Cor- nish district and examination of the data on file gives the fol- lowing figures :-
Number of examinations 71
Number found to have perfect teeth 20
Number of treatments given 78
Number whose teeth were cleaned 31
Number receiving treatment 56
From September, 1914, to January, 1915, work was carried on with pupils from the Knapp School as follows :-
Number of examinations 339
Number found to have perfect teeth 26
Number of treatments given 35
Number receiving treatment 24
There are many more examinations recorded from the Knapp than from the Cornish because with the beginning of the period covered by the figures, most of the pupils at the Cornish School had been examined. The examination of pupils from the Knapp School was completed some time ago, and the next five months · of 1915, will be devoted to the treatment of the defects found.
The totals for the year 1914 show that 410 pupils have had their teeth examined by a competent dentist. The number of decayed teeth in each instance has been clearly indicated on a diagram which has been sent to the parents. Of the 410 pupils examined, but 46 or 11.22 per cent. were found to have perfect teeth. The pupils of the Cornish School however are much bet- ter off than . those in the Knapp School in this respect, as out of the 71 examined, 20 or 28.17 per cent. had sound teeth.
The total number of treatments given was 113. which is 54 more than last year.
Plymouth Nineteen
-290-
,
These figures, while they show in a way what has been done at the Clinic during the year, are unsatisfactory, for they show nothing of the results of the work after the pupil left the Clinic. It occurred to the school physician that it would be interesting and instructive to hear from the children directly, and accord- ingly those who visited the Clinic from the Cornish district were asked to write a short paper on "How the Dental Clinic Helped Me". The following suggestions have been gleaned from the 125 papers written in response to the request.
(a). A very large number of parents have had their chil- dren's teeth cared for as a direct result of the report sent them from the Dental Clinic.
(b). The Clinic has been of distinct educational value, call- ing the attention of parents and children to the importance of caring for the teeth. Many children are keeping their teeth clean as a result of their visit to the Dental Clinic.
(c). Many children have been relieved of the pain and dis- comfort of aching teeth with the attendant interference with school work.
(d). Some children report improved general health since having the teeth cared for.
(e). Many should have received treatment whom it was im- possible to serve on account of limited facilities.
Not until the Clinic can secure the services of a dentist to devote at least several mornings a week to work, will it be able to handle the work for which it was inaugurated. As far as it goes, the work is excellent. Those who benefit by it are fortu- nate, but many more who are equally deserving and equally en- titled to the advantages must at present be deprived of them simply because we cannot care for more.
That the need is urgent, any of the examining dentists can tell you, only 11 per cent. of those examined having sound teeth, and scores with mouths filled with filthy, decaying teeth, which poisons their food and the very air they breathe.
Some 400 tooth brushes and boxes of powder have been dis-
-291 --
tributed among the children with instructions for their use. A box of tooth powder, the composition of which is known, and a good tooth brush is given to any child for ten cents. The school nurse has done excellent work in interesting the children in the care of their teeth, and distributing the brushes and powder. The money paid for these is used to purchase more, so the good work goes on endlessly.
SCHOOL FURNITURE.
The problem of proper school furniture perfectly adjusted to the needs of pupils of all ages and every sort of physical peculiarity is one that may well give the stoutest hearted school physician pause. The manufacturers offer seats and desks made in special sizes for pupils between certain specified ages. How the manufacturer learned just how to build his furniture to best fulfill its mission is a matter of conjecture, but whatever it is, we must select from his stock as our fancy or purse dictates. Having purchased the furniture, the manufacturer installs it as he or his men see fit.
Now the relation of the chair and the desk is a very import- ant matter but as to just what that relation should be, author- ities differ, although they are for the most part agreed that it is desirable to have the top edge of the desk which is nearest the pupil, project over the front edge of the chair seat more or less, the so-called minus distance.
In the rooms which I have examined there seems to be little uniformity in this respect, there being a wide range of vari- ation from -2 or 3 inches in some cases to +3 or more, a plus distance meaning that there is a positive space horizontally be- tween the edge of the desk and the chair of one or more inches as the case may be.
The majority of our furniture is of the so-called Chandler type. We have some of the Heywood furniture which is very
-292-
similar to the Chandler, and in the Hedge School a chair de- vised by Dr. Frederick J. Cotton for the Boston School House Commission. All these are adjustable.
I am indebted to Mr. Harris, the superintendent of schools, for data which show that in 45 rooms, which are fairly repre- sentative of the whole number, there are 1801 sittings of which. 1554 are adjustable and 247 or 13.71 per cent. non-adjustable.
I am not of those who believe that the difficulties attending the proper adjustment of school furniture under ordinary circumstances offset all its advantages, but I do believe that we face a very difficult problem here, and one which involves the expenditure of much attention, time, and money if satisfactory results are to be obtained.
Heretofore the adjustment has been left to the teachers with such assistance from the janitors as they may be able to secure. Such adjustments must necessarily be inadequate, as ideas of what might constitute comfort vary with the judgment and ex- perience of the teacher, and comfort is very often secondary to the demands of school work. It is a too common practice to. force a child nine or ten years old to sit in furniture intended for one several years younger, in order that convenience may be served in class work.
One of the most important aims of adjustment is to make it. easy for the pupil to sit with the eyes at a comfortable distance- from the work. Stooping over the desk with the eyes only a few inches from the work is obviously unnatural and harmful. Such a position tends to produce permanent postural curvature- of the spine, prevents full normal expansion of the lungs in breathing and causes insufficient aeration of the blood, so essen- tial to mental processes, cramps the stomach, induces congestion of the eyeball, puts undue pressure upon its delicate structures and encourages the development of myopia.
What then is the proper working distance, and are the chil- dren in the public schools working at this distance?
As to what constitutes a natural proper working distance, we
-293-
cannot do better than accept the statement of Dr. Edward R. Shaw. In his authoritative work on "School Hygiene" he says "Oculists agree in demanding that the book or writing-paper should be distant from the eye at least 12 inches and they hold that when the book or paper comes nearer to the eye than this, myopia is favored."
In order to determine at what distance the children in our schools are working, an actual test of over four hundred pupils was made with the following result :-
TEST BY ROOMS OF THE DISTANCE OF THE EYES OF PUPILS FROM THEIR WORK.
School
Grade
Number of pupils
Type of Furniture
Min. Dis.
Max. Dis. Average
A
1
23
Non-adj. desk and chair unit,
41/2
121/4
7.94
B
1
20
Chair unit, few adj.,
61/4
11
8.53
C
1, 2
30
Adj., two sizes,
3
91/2
6.25
D
2
15
Adj., two sizes,
6
121/2
8.43
E
3
45
Adj., two sizes,
5
153/4
10.46
F
3
35
Adj., two sizes,
51/4
16
9.92
G
3
29
Adj., one size,
43/4
141/2
10.48
H
4
42
Adj., one size,
61/2
141/4
8.96
I
5
38
Adj., two sizes,
81/4
153/4
9.36
J
5
38
Adj., two sizes,
6
17
11.34
K
5
43
Adj., two sizes,
71/2
141/4
11.63
L
6
34
Adj., two sizes,
71/2
15
11.86
M
7
32
Adj., one size,
6
131/4
10.09
N
Ungraded
21
Adjustable,
51/4
14
9.71
The measurements were taken under as nearly normal condi- tions as possible but in the higher grades especially, it was im- possible to prevent some of the pupils taking an abnormally upright position, as they at once understood what was being done. Before the measurements were taken the teacher was asked to set the pupils at some task such as writing an original story, and cautioned if necessary not to make any suggestions
-294-
about position. The pupils were instructed to continue at their work, paying no attention to the person passing about among them making the measurements. If an individual seemed too- curious he was passed by and taken later, unexpectedly if pos- sible. In all but one instance the measurements were read aloud to the teacher who recorded them. In the case of school M, the investigator recorded the readings of the rule himself, the school showing a lower average than the sixth grade school, although the conditions in school M, such as light, discipline, etc., are equal to any in our system. Undoubtedly had the readings all been recorded silently the general average would have been still lower as the patent fact that measurements of the distance of the eye from the work were being taken suggested, as has already been said, a correct position.
The general average distance of the eyes from the work in all the rooms, was found to be 9.46 inches, the shortest distance being three inches and the greatest 17 inches. A natural in- crease will be noted in the average distance from the lowest grade up, due to anatomical reasons. One would naturally not expect a child six years old to hold the book or paper at the same distance from the eye as a full grown adult.
Something must be wrong in our schools if these 400 or more pupils may be taken as a fair example. That it is not entirely a matter of adjustment of furniture goes without saying, for it will be noted that some schools make a better showing than others under less advantageous conditions, but the fact that our school children are found by test to be working at an average- distance of hardly nine and one-half inches, and under ordin- ary conditions probably less, when oculists are agreed that the least distance at which they should work is twelve inches should make us alive to every possible means of increasing the distance.
That the careful adjustment of furniture helps the working- distance hardly needs demonstration, but the improvement which took place in this respect in one instance after adjust- ment, is interesting. Too much can not be argued from a:
-295-
single instance and there were qualifying conditions which make the indications less positive, but the facts are given for what they are worth. After the measurements had been taken in school D, the seating was entirely changed at the suggestion of Mr. Harris. When the furniture was replaced, it was done under careful supervision, the chairs being secured to the floor with the proper relation to the desk, and both desks and chairs accurately adjusted to the individual requirements of each pu- pil. Another test was then made under the new conditions, the lighting being better and eleven more pupils being seated. The minimum was found to be 71/4 inches, the maximum 161/2 inches and the average 11.37 inches, nearly 3 inches better than at the first test, and a much higher average than attained by any other school tested until we come to school K. Even in this in- stance we have not reached our goal of twelve inches, but we have approached it.
An ingenious measuring gauge has been devised by the man- ufacturers of school furniture which, when the height of the seat has been secured, by measuring the height of the leg to the knee, enables one to determine the height of the desk at once. This gives as satisfactory results as any measurement by rule can, but cannot be depended upon without expert super- vision for two reasons: first, because even with the help of this simple apparatus it has been demonstrated that uniformly accurate adjustments are not to be expected and secondly, be- cause should the adjustments be accurate there are in every room a number of pupils of unusual proportions who will need special adjustments. The ideal adjustments would require that the rear edge of the desk should lap over the seat a distance (minus) variously stated by authorities but certainly not less. than four inches.
With the type of desk used here this is impracticable, as the pupil would be unable to get into and out of the seat easily. In practice it has been found that a minus distance of 11/2 inches gives good results, and does not interfere seriously with move-
A
-296-
ments of the pupil in sitting and rising. It is impossible also with desks made as deep as the Chandler type to get them as low as they should be in relation to the seat, because the lower portion of the desk interferes with the pupils' knees.
The perfect type of school furniture has not yet been evolved, though hundreds of models have been made, for the most part in Europe, but this does not excuse us from doing the best we can with what we have.
Two general adjustments should be made, one at the begin- ning of the fall term, and another probably about the first of May, as the period of maximum growth of pupils includes the spring and summer months, comparatively little change taking place during the fall and winter.
With all furniture adjustable, the desk and chair fixed at the proper minus distance, and properly adjusted under com- petent supervision, we shall have less eye-strain, fewer round shoulders and twisted backs, better discipline and better work, but as Dr. Cornell, Director of medical inspection of public schools of Philadelphia, observes "in considering the question of school furniture we should bear in mind that any seat is in- jurious if used by a child for many hours continuously". To quote again from Dr. Edward R. Shaw; "In the first year, the child should not be confined at his desk more than one-third of the time. In the succeeding years of the elementary school the total amount of time at the desk may be gradually length- ened, but in addition to regular recesses there must be provided frequent short intervals of respite from sitting at the desk, de- voted mostly to some form of brisk physical exercise. In the last year of the elementary school course, besides the recesses and the passing to and from recitations, there should be stated periods of three minutes each during the morning session de- voted to physical exercise."
There is little to criticise in our schools in this respect. Out of door recesses are required and the school sessions are inter- spersed with frequent physical exercises such as folk dancing,
MODERN ADJUSTABLE SCHOOL FURNITURE, SET UP WITH A MINUS 1 1-2in. DISTANCE AND ADJUSTED.
NON-ADJUSTABLE, ILL-FITTING SCHOOL FURNITURE.
-297-
which not only rest the tired strained body, but promote hap- piness and contentment in the school.
The children in the three lower grades are not often seated for more than a half hour continuously. This is excellent for relaxation but for working periods the school furniture should be adjustable and adjusted as suggested, and teachers should insist, not occasionally, but daily and hourly if necessary, that the children keep at a distance of not less than 12 inches from their work until the correct position becomes a habit.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE.
The attention of parents is called to the rules recently adopt- ed by the Board of Health governing the attendance of school children with or exposed to contagious disease. These rules do not differ greatly from those under which we have been work- ing for some time, but there are several new points, such as a definite minimum period of exclusion in diphtheria, measles and scarlet fever, and a definite time from which periods of ex- clusion are to be dated, namely from the last attendance. More- over the rules have the legal advantage of being issued by the Board of Health.
Rules of the Board of Health Governing the Attendance of School Children.
Rule 1. All children or other persons, exposed to the in- fection of the following diseases, shall be excluded from the public schools for the following periods, dating from the latest exposure to such infection :
Chicken pox,
14 days
Diphtheria,
8 "
Measles,
14
Mumps,
14.«
Scarlet Fever,
8 '
Whooping Cough,
14
-298-
and in case of other diseases or defects, for which exclusion is provided by law (unless otherwise provided by regulation of the Board) until such time as satisfies the school physician that. danger of infection is passed.
2. A child from a family where mumps or whooping cough exists, but who has had the disease, may attend school, provided he or she present a certificate from a practicing physician stat- ing that in his opinion the child has had the disease.
. 3. Children with pediculi, (lice) shall be excluded at once by the teacher or school nurse; provided with printed direct- ions for the removal of the pediculi, and instructed to return at once after following the directions.
4. Children affected with ringworm, scabies, or impetigo contagiosa will be excluded from school by the school phy- sician until such time as the disease is reported cured or shows. evidence thereof and no longer liable to cause infection of other children. Cases so excluded should be re-admitted upon the written certificate of a physician that these conditions have been fulfilled.
5. Children who have been ill with one or more of the dis- eases mentioned in Rule 1, shall be excluded from school until the teacher has been furnished with a certificate from the Board of Health or from the attending physician.
6. The minimum periods of isolation for the diseases speci- fically mentioned in Rule 1 shall be as follows, reckoned from the last attendance :
(a) Chicken pox 15 days, and thereafter, until all scabs have fallen off.
(b) Diphtheria 21 days, or until two successive negative cul- tures have been obtained, from the site of the disease, secured at least 24 hours apart.
(c) Measles 21 days, and thereafter, until all catarrhal symp- toms have ceased.
(d) German measles 7 days after disappearance of eruption.
(e) Mumps 21 days, and thereafter, until all glandular swell -- ing has disappeared.
-
-299-
(f) Scarlet fever 42 days, and thereafter, until desquamation is complete, and all discharges from mucous membranes have stopped.
(g) Whooping cough 35 days, and thereafter, until all spas- modic cough and whooping have ceased.
7. Under no circumstances is a child who has been absent with one of the diseases named in Rule 6, to be admitted in less than the number of days given for that disease.
PLYMOUTH BOARD OF HEALTH,
HARRY R. TALBOT, Sec'y. Adopted Dec. 29, 1914.
The days of exclusion mentioned in Rule 1 do not apply to childen who are ill with the diseases listed, but to children ex- posed to them. The periods of exclusion for children actually suffering with the diseases will be found in Rule 6.
These rules have not been hastily and arbitrarily drawn up. The periods of isolation given are those advised by medical ex- perts on contagious diseases and found to be efficient in practice in the control of these diseases in large communities. Before final adoption by the Board of Health, they were submitted to the state health authorities, and are undoubtedly adequate to meet the needs of our community, but in order to get the great- est amount of protection from them, all parents should be familiar with them and assist in every possible way to carry out not only the letter but the spirit of their requirements. It is a short sighted parent who tries to keep a child who may carry contagion, in school at the risk of crippling the school by starting an epidemic. In cases where there is doubt in the mind of the parent whether it is best to send a child to. school, the family physician, the school nurse, or the school phy- sician should be consulted.
The following is a classified list of diseases and defects found among the pupils during the past year :
-300-
1. Infectious Diseases-
Chicken pox, 13
Mumps,
8
Tonsilitis,
3
2. Diseases of the Oral and Respiratory Tract-
Enlarged tonsils,
690
Decayed teeth,
1,202
Adenoids,
139
Nasal catarrh,
76
Laryngitis,
6
Other diseases of the respiratory tract,
29
3. Diseases of the Eye-
Muscular asthenopia,
98
Conjunctivitis,
45
Blepharitis, 7
Strabismus, 35
Defective eyesight,
56
Other diseases of the eye,
17
4. Diseases of the Ear-
Acute otitis media,
8
Chronic otitis media,
6
Defective hearing, 1
29
Other diseases of the ear,
1
5. Diseases of the Skin-
Acne,
6
Eczema,
52
Furuncle,
12
Herpes,
24
Impetigo contagiosa,
114
Pediculosis capitis,
22
Pediculosis capitis-nits,
162
Pediculosis corporis,
3
Rhus poison,
30
Scabies,
3
Tinea,
4
Other skin diseases,
20
-- 301-
6.
Diseases of the Nervous System-
Chorea,
4
Epilepsy,
1
Mentally deficient,
3
Nervousness,
20
Paralysis,
1
7. Miscellaneous-
Abscesses,
9
Wounds, burns, etc.,
51
Anaemia,
20
Uncleanliness,
27
Spinal curvature,
8
Broken nose,
1
Enlarged cervical glands,
33
Gastric and intestinal,
29
Other diseases not classified,
16
Summary from monthly reports of School Physician-
Number of visits, 195.
Number of personal examinations,
3,685
Number of permits signed by school physician,
602
Number of permits signed by other physicians,
54
Number of notices sent to parents, 1,618
Number of pupils sent home, 164
Number of pupils referred to the school nurse, (8 months)
114
Number of pupils examined for employment, 50
Respectfully submitted,
J. HOLBROOK SHAW, M. D.,
School Physician,
SIXTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
Water Commissioners, Superintendent
AND
Collector of Water Rates
OF THE
Town of Plymouth 1914
-304-
WATER COMMISSIONERS
JOHN W. CHURCHILL-Term expires March, 1915. ROBERT C. HARLOW-Term expires March, 1915. JOHN H. DAMON-Term expires, March, 1916. HORACE P. BAILEY-Term expires March, 1917. CHARLES T. HOLMES-Term expires March, 1917.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.