MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS 



TESTS OF VISION AND HEARING 



There are some differences of opinion and practice as to the 

 manner of conducting tests of vision and hearing. Probably in 

 a majority of cities which conduct physical examinations these 

 tests are made by the school physicians. There are many locali- 

 ties, however, in which they are conducted by the class room 

 teacher. The laws and regulations of 1 1 states provide for 

 physical examinations, and in seven cases provision, either 

 mandatory or permissive, is made for vision and hearing tests 

 by teachers. 



There can be little doubt that this practice has grown 

 to such large proportions mainly through the influence of the 

 Massachusetts statute of 1906, which required each teacher to 

 test the sight and hearing of her pupils at least once a year and 

 to report the results. This statute is still in force. The policy 

 of the Massachusetts legislators in making mandatory tests 

 by teachers, rather than tests by specialists, has evoked many 

 expressions of surprise and some of criticism. However, the 

 record of the debates which took place before the passage of the 

 law shows that these provisions were inserted on the recommenda- 

 tion of the specialists themselves, who deemed that such tests 

 were wholly within the capacity of the teacher. It was their 

 opinion that the children, if examined by the teacher, would be j 

 subjected to less nervous strain than if tested by a stranger and 

 would, therefore, respond to the tests in a more natural way. 

 It is the intention of the Massachusetts law that a scientific 

 examination by a specialist shall be made in any case where 

 defects are apparently revealed by the teacher's test. 



During the hearings before the state committee on ways 

 and means, when the Massachusetts medical inspection bill was 

 being considered, a mass of evidence was presented by experts 

 bearing upon the question as to whether or not such examinations 

 could be successfully conducted by teachers. The high standing 

 of the three gentlemen who subscribed to it makes the following 

 opinion* particularly significant: 



* Massachusetts Civic League, Leaflet No. 7, p. 38. 

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