SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 
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to children, and if all the women of a community should 
get together and vote for everything that concerned the 
health and happiness and good education of children, 
can’t you see what happy days their school-days would 
be? 
If you saw “Public Health” at the head of a chapter, 
you might not think it looked very interesting ; but when 
you once get the idea that if your mother had had her 
say on the Public Health Board you would have had a 
fine skating pond with a good skate-house, last winter, 
and sunny, well-aired school rooms to study in, with a 
big gymnasium for basket ball in bad weather, you may 
be more interested in the merit badge for Public Health 
called “Health Guardian!” 
Remember that Public Health is simply good house- 
keeping, applied to the community* 
It is a subject which women are sure to take up more 
and more, and a Girl Scout who has given the matter a 
little thought and study is going to make a good citizen 
later on, and will be certain to have her advice asked — 
and taken — in the matter of making her town healthy and 
happy. 
For instance, if the desks in the public schools are not 
of the right height and shape, the children are bound to 
suffer in their health and hygiene. 
It is the business of the state to see that all public 
buildings, schools, theatres, factories, etc., have a cer- 
tain amount of light and air to the cubic foot, because 
so much is necessary for health. 
It is the business of the state to see that only a certain 
number of hours a day should constitute a day’s work. 
This is because a certain amount of rest is a necessity 
for all citizens. 
It is the business of the state to see that food and 
water can be brought into the community. Also that they 
