brown] 



HYGIENE IN ELEMENTA R 1 ' SCHOOLS 1 65 



the board of education, the responsibility of keeping the children in 

 good health. Each of these has his own duty to perform towards the 

 child. The school-board sees that the surroundings of the child are 

 healthful. It is responsible for a school-building that is not only 

 pleasant but sanitary as to its ventilation, heating, lighting, plumb- 

 ing, and bathing facilities. The superintendent, the principal, and 

 the teacher share the responsibility of the teaching in the course of 

 hygiene. To a certain extent, they should see that the pupils put 

 into practise the laws of health taught in the class-room. The help of 

 the parents is very necessary. Evidently, the parents' chief duty is 

 to keep the child well by proper care, food, clothing, and cleanliness. 

 In some schools the medical examiner assumes the responsibility in 

 regard to contagious diseases and diseases of the eyes and ears. In 

 a few instances a trained nurse is engaged to carry out the sugges- 

 tions of the school physician. Occasionally, school-boards have 

 found it necessary to supply food to the children. 



The question still remains as to what shall be taught during the 

 time allotted to hygiene. There are certain general principles that 

 should apply to this as well as to the other courses in the elementary 

 schools. In the first place, the subject-matter should be adapted to 

 the age and to the intelligence of the child. There are many facts 

 about dress, breathing, cleanliness, and other topics of hygiene that 

 children can understand as well as their elders. The time when 

 children begin to take pride in looking well is the best time to teach 

 them to chess properly. Habits of neatness and cleanliness formed 

 when young will seldom be outgrown. Early training in these 

 important matters is very valuable. Fortunately, there is subject- 

 matter enough in hygiene that is adaptable to every grade of an ele- 

 mentary school. The subject-matter should be hygiene or good 

 health rather than anatomy or physiology. Is it not time to discover 

 good health as well as home geography ? 



The following outline will indicate how the subject of "Clothing, 

 How to Dress Properly" may be taught in an intermediate grade of 

 an elementary school: 



Why we dress— To keep warm; to protect the body; for ornament- 

 ation. 



Materials used for clothing — Kinds of material: cotton, linen, silk, 

 wool, rubber, fur, feathers, leather; uses of each. 

 ■ The weight of our clothing — As light weight as possible for warmth, 

 weight suspended from shoulders. 



