? ?????????? HEALTH DEPARTMENT ? * Dr. R, F. Yarborougli, ? * Cuuuty Health Officer ? * ? ????????? A Place For Closer Cooperation of Home, School , private Phy sicians and Heulth Officers For Better School Health This article was suggested by a conference called by Dr. Prank Foster, Dean of Education at the .Asheville Normal and Teacher's College. This meeMng was ad dressed by Dr. Carl V. Reynolds, State Health Officer and mem bers of the education department, emphasizing t-he need for Better Health Service in the public school. To accomplish this re sult there must be close coopera tion of tthe home, the school. pr> vale physicians and health depart- 1 nient. Home is the foundation of all that is good, morally, physi cally and to a great extent men tally. Nothing is, as valuable to humanity as a sound mind in a sound body. Children do not* come into this world of their own volition and are, therefore, en titled to every advantage to make them physically normal and men tally as perfect as possible. Home is the foundation of these quali ties and parents are the base of this foundation. Therefore, par ents should endeavor by all means to be, themselves, as near perfect as possible. The Bible states "The sins of the fathers shall be visited 011 the children even unto the third and fourth ^eneratfion." To my mind this is a physical as well as a moral pro phesy. Syphilis is the one disease directly inherited. The last legislature passed laws that should to a great ex tent reduce iuherited syphilis. The law requires a syphilis test for marriage license and a simi lar test for pregnant women. The laws of healMi for adults and children are so many it is impos sible to embrace them iu this ar ticle. By consultation with your physician and health department rules for yourself and the physi cal care of your child will lie gladly furnished. Children are the greatest imi tators, and young children have implicit- confidence that their par ents are more or less perfect, therefore, parents should, as an example, be as near perfect phy sically, morally and mentally :is possible. If parents have done their duty, the teachers will cer tainly have a much easier time. Teachers, themselves, can do a s eal amount of good to promote school health. The school requires that every teaclieT shall have a health certificate hut the re quirements of tliis certificate arc very ^Inadequate. Kvery teacher s'louki have a thorough pliysi.nl examination by a competent phy sician and any defect that can be corrected should he corrected, and if serious condition be found that cannot be corrected the tea cher should change occupations, as an unhealthy teacher is nit fit to teach healthy children. Pri vate physicians and dentists can 1>h of inestimable value in Im proving school health conditions by instilling in their clientele the importance of having their child ren in as near perfect health as possible. There are many defects correctible in young children that may as rhey grow older develop iinto serious conditions. If the physician or dentist will advise as to correction made on a!l school children it will be of much assistance in keeping a valuable rt'Cord in the Healt'h Department. The Health Department is ill advisory and not a treatment in stitution, and the Franklin Coun ty Health Department is at all t-imes willing and glad to advise on any health conditions. In conclusion, it is my firm be lief that the legislature should pass a law requiring eVmpy-child entering school to present a cer tificate from the Health Depart ment or a physician that* he has been immunized aTJainst typhoid fever, suiall-pox and diphtheria. The last Legislature passed a law requiring diphtheria immuni zation, placing the responsibility on the parents. Either from care lessness or ignorance, I am afraid this law is not tRTng very well observed. At t>he meeting referr >d to in the beginning of this article the senior class of the Ashville Normal and Teacher's College emphasized the value of health education. I believe in every col lege there should be given a course of study in health and every student should be required to take Obis course and teachers requested to teach health. During the school year of 1938 and 1939 the Franklin County Health Department examined physically the pupils of every school ill Franklin County with 4,809 children found defective. Two thousand nine hundred and seventy-six white children or .787 per cent and 1.833 colored children, or .785 per cent, were found defective. Teachers were given a statement showing the defects of each child and request ed to send this statement lo the parent advising tihem of the de-* fects. Whether these defects found have been corrected, it is impossible to say. Al the same time offe'r was made, (if no par ental objection) to vaccinate every pupil against diphtheria, small-pox and typhoid fever. MKS. KliKRTON HOSTKSS TO KKIDAY Cl.l'K Friday evening Mrs. Frank | Kgerton entertained members ?? f her Contrai-t club and a few visi-! tors at (our tables of bridge. High score prize for club mem bers was won by Miss Lucy Perry Burt and top score for visitors was compiled by Mrs. R. C. Beck. Jr. Mrs. S. O. Southall, of Wil son. formerly ot Louisburg, was given an attractive remembrance. The hostess served a salad course wit-h tea. Players included, club members. Mrs. Conrad Stnrges, Mrs. P. S. Allen. Mrs. H. J. Lew is, Mrs. J. M. Allen II, Mrs. F. VV. Wheless. Jr.. .Miss Max Allen, Mrs. Paul SV. ICIam. Miss Lucy Perry Burt. Mrs. Hill Yarbor ough and Miss Klizabeth Timber lake; and visitors. Mrs. J. K Fulghum, Mrs. A. VV. Person. Miss Helen Smithwick. Mrs. It. C. Reck. Jr., and Mrs. Susie H. Jack son. 75' PINT. 86 Proof *1.45 FULL QUART I THE FRANK L. WIGHT DISTILLING CO.I lOMUT MAftYLAMO MAHiftS Qf M