Dre Allen

Dre Elbel

min

the handicap of defects which could be revealed by such an examin-~
ation and remedicd at the timee Comparatively few high school
graduates enter college. Of those who enter the state university
it is safe to say that the greatest percentage of them got the
first complete physical examination on entrancee Since physicians
tell us that many defects become progressively pronounced with age,
it would scem that the complete examination should be adninistered
in elementary grades and that most parents would be in hearty
accord with such a procedures

Well, Eddic, here, at least, is one of those "believe it or
not" itemse Do you know that Dre A. J. Anderson, of Lawrenco, is
one of the pionecrs in giving physical examinations to school child-
ren? For 34 years he has been cxamining the high school students
of Lawrence, and for the past 5 or 6 years he has in addition also
examined the junior high school pupils, 11 of this has been gratis
on his parte Such benefactors as Dr. Anderson may go unrewarded
financially for this great service, but undeniably the children
whom he has so faithfully served will some day rise up and call
him blessed. There seems to be rather an appalling ignorance on
the part of even the high school seniors concerning their knowledge
of anatomy and the physiology of their own bodiese Ihave heard
Dre Anderson relate that upon questioning the students during the
examination as to whether their appendix had been removed, invar-
iably the answer to Dre Anderson was, "Yes, I have had them re-
moved", or "No, I have not had them removed", They imagined that
they had two appendices.

 

Well, now back to the point. Here is another item which
stresses the idea of a class period in physical education each day.
There are some people who think that it will be a rather difficult
thing to find room in the average curriculum for the additional
hourse What do you think about that, Ed?

Well, Doc, school adninistrators are faced with the problem
of choosing between the points which are to be emphasized most in
the curriculume But on the other hand, authorities on child devel-
opment tell us that the normal healthy child needs for proper
growth activity and movements. Restraint interferes with normal
physiological function and developmonte It is a well known fact
that in many instances there is little activity in the school prog-
rome The. daily physical education class could well be made to
serve at least two main purposes: first, as a means of activity,
and secondly, to teach fundamental skills which would serve as an
incentive for vigorous play after school hours and as a basis for
active recreational siiills in adult lifee Incidentally, movement
is inherent in the child. The parent or teacher may tell the child
to sit still, but the child must move, it is a part of the normal
growth process, and as a consequence the normal healthy child will
be active, and provisions must be made in our educational setup in
accordance with this facte