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It is universally conceded by all experts in school hygiene that whenever possible light should be admitted from one side only, and in no case from more than two sides of the room. In the latter case it must be in such a manner as not to produce crosslights. In Germany the law requires that the light shall be admitted from the ceiling or from one side only. Dr. Buck, in his treatise on hygiene, informs us that short-sightedness, dimness, and darkness of sight are increasing generally among school children, and that defective eyesight is much greater where the schoolrooms are poorly planned in regard to window arrange

ment.

Short-sightedness is very generally produced in the schoolroom. So well known is this fact that it has been classed as an affection belonging principally to the educated. It is no wonder that these schools report six hundred near-sighted pupils, as will be seen by reference to Table 10.

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water supply what

It will be seen that 180 schools have no ever, 372 depend upon neighbors' wells, 42 obtain water from brooks, 2 from rivers, while the reports do not state whether those under "well" and "spring" belong to the schools or not. In 90 schools the supply is reported to be in danger of pollution; and if the danger was sufficiently apparent to be noticed by the teacher, it is not to be presumed that it was imaginary. As the sources of pollution are often hidden, it is not unreasonable to suppose that many other wells are in as much danger as those surrounded by nuisances visible to the teacher. Evidently no attempt is made in many instances to furnish a good supply of water for the pupils. They are allowed to quench their thirst wherever they can find water, whether from a source free from contamination or badly polluted. In schools not supplied with water, the pupils usually go to the nearest point where it can be obtained; and this is not infrequently at a farmhouse well, which must from its very location be polluted. Indeed, pupils have been known to drink water from a polluted stable well, because the owner of the premises objected to the annoyance incident to their obtaining it from the family well.

TABLE NO. 9.

SHOWING FACTS RELATING TO PRIVIES, WATER-CLOSETS, ETC.

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tion is not enforced 92 62 80 72 166 126 120 92 106 64 980

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450 515 242 140 445 724 450 143 149 138 3396

Table No. 9 shows a condition at many of our schoolhouses which is disgraceful to civilization, disgusting to good breeding, and dangerous to the health and morals of the pupils. Eightytwo schoolhouses have no privy or water-closet; 559 have only one, while 627 have privies or water-closets common to both sexes. Such a state of affairs would not be allowed to exist in any community that was watchful over the interests of the children.

Out of 1,204 privies reported upon, only 633, fifty-two per cent, are classed as "good"; 379, thirty-one per cent, are classed as "bad," and 192 as "fair." Two hundred and seventy-four are connected with the schoolhouse, 78 are within 5 feet, 154 between 5 and 10 feet, 319 between 10 and 20 feet, 207 between 20 and 40 feet, and 73 over 40 feet from the schoolhouse.

In many reports the teachers made special remarks upon the condition of the privy, and in some instances they were stated to be in a horrible condition, having been neglected for months and years; and this is true even with many of those connected with the schoolhouse. One hundred and eighteen other nuisances were also mentioned.

In one or two instances the schoolhouse served as one side of a hog-pen, and other conditions equally as bad are reported. From these reports it is evident that in more than one third of our schoolhouses there is no sanitary supervision whatever.

CELLARS.

Six hundred and thirteen schoolhouses are reported to have cellars; a majority of these cellars are not used, and many of them are damp and unventilated. Some of them are used for woodsheds. The reports do not indicate that they receive any special care, and it is to be inferred from frequent remarks made by the teacher that they are in many instances a constant nuisance. In a few cases water stands in them.

SITE.

One hundred and sixty-nine schoolhouses stand on low and undrained land, while the remainder are reported to be upon healthful, well-drained localities. Not a few teachers, however, report that water stands under or around the building after a rain. A damp site is a constant source of danger, as has been frequently demonstrated by experience. The impairment of health which follows a residence upon damp ground, although slow and almost imperceptible in its progress, is of an exceedingly dangerous character, since thereby organic diseases are frequently developed, especially consumption. The vitality of the pupil is greatly weakened and a condition established which has very little power to resist disease. Of the 169 schoolhouses on low and undrained land, 129 are not ventilated; 33 have wells, 50 rely upon neighbors' wells, 32 have springs, 9 obtain water from a brook, 3 from a "pump," 7 patronize

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