HYGIENE AS APPLIED TO SCHOOL L 



By Arthur Hexry Reid, F.R.I.B.A., F.R.San. I. 



It is my wish and object, in submitting this paper, rather to- 

 reach the lay than the professional class of our members, 

 because I feel that the importance of the subject is not appre- 

 ciated sufficiently by those who are members of our School 

 Boards or by the parents of our children. It has for some 

 years been a disappointment to me, in my contact with the local 

 government of South Africa and in my connection with public 

 societies formed for the improvement of our common health, 

 to feel that an undercurrent of suspicion or doubt exists in 

 the minds of very many as to the necessity of introducing the 

 subjects of Hygiene and Physiology, even in an elementary 

 form, into the curriculum of the teacher's training and of the 

 school course generally. For some years there has been, I 

 feel, a tendency on the part of public men and the laity to 

 belittle the advice of scientists and professional men and 

 women: an inclination to discount their opinions as to the out- 

 come of extreme zeal, and to " pigeon hole " their recom- 

 mendations because in them they foresee more work for them- 

 selves and expenditure for the ratepayers. In this spirit, and 

 through ignorance of the subject. I feel that matters affecting" 

 the public health and interest have been thoughtlessly post- 

 poned, to the detriment of the scientific knowledge and public 

 intelligence. 



With the above postulate I propose to advance the case as 

 affecting the school life of our South African children in a 

 simple, popular manner, hoping that our members will at least 

 think over the facts adduced, and do their best to convert 

 specious critics, who may for one reason or another be dis- 

 posed to favour a destructive rather than a constructive policy 

 in public affairs. 



Another object that I have in view is to introduce a liberal 

 and practical view of modern school life into the deliberations 

 of those who have the management of our educational system 

 in their hands, and also, if possible, to induce the electors 

 to place only experienced, educated members upon their School 

 Boards. Until this step is effected, the ethics of education 

 and the scientific conduct of its affairs cannot be hoped for. 



To proceed with my subject. I would ask any persons who 

 are in doubt as to m.y contentions, to visit any public school 

 with an open and unprejudiced mind to see for themselves. 

 They will at once see the varying phases of physical and mental 

 ineptitude in the scholars. They will notice the vigorous in- 

 telligent worker imbibing and assimilating all he or she hears 

 without effort, and the weakly, inept mind upon whom the 

 labour and encouragement of teacher and fellow scholar is 

 wasted. The one will necessarily outstrip the other before 

 the real struggle of life commences. Naturally, the visitors 

 wonder why such a difference exists, and if they know any- 

 thing about such cases, visit the home of the unfortunate 

 child. There they will probably find a mother who ha? no 



