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question of contrast and colour which is so trying to the "stoppeuse" has to be considered here. The
dazzling white canvas should be condemned. Working in red wool on white canvas is very trying to
astigmatic or hypermetropic children, who form the majority, and should also be prohibited.
Actual size. Darning with coloured wool on white canvas ; very dazzling work.
The red colours which are so irritating should no longer be issued, and coloured cottons and
wools be restricted to blues and greens. From October to March no needlework should be allowed after
3 p.m. and during November 15 to February 15 no needlework should be allowed in the afternoons
at all. Artificial light in school is practically always insufficient for this work.
Dr. Woodcock summarises her observations by stating that it is unscientific to teach fine stitches
on fine materials to children of 6 or 7 years of age, since the practice of such stitches not only causes
considerable eye strain, but also general nervous overstrain.
Hemming and over-sewing should not be taught before the age of 9 or 10 years. If the weaving
and knotting as practised by the children of New York schools is condemned on technical grounds,
then coarse stitches, not more than four to the inch should be taught with a large rug needle into which
the thread may be tied, on soft, coarse pervious material, but not canvas. This requirement should
be made universal in the standards I. of all schools. Canvas should be prohibited, and also dots and
lines to facilitate regularity or technical excellence. Counting of threads as an aid to teaching should
also be forbidden. Technical excellence will be produced by rapidity rather than accuracy of work,
and need not be regarded in earlier school work.
A correct working distance must be insisted on or the work stopped. Technical excellence
is at present striven for without regard to hygiene.
SCHOOL DUST.
Dust arises in school from wear and tear of floors, furniture, and materials, such as crayons,
chalks, or wool, used in teaching. The greater part is introduced from outside, either upon the persons
of the children and others attending the school or with the unfiltered air which blows through windows
and other ventilating apertures. Much material is carried in on the shoes of the children, but from
enquiries and observations in naturally and artificially ventilated schools it appears that about as much
dust is carried in by the air as is taken in by the children. Samples of the dust taken from the tops of
cupboards in schools show, when examined microscopically, soot, chalk, and other amorphous materials,
bits of woody fibre, hair, and wool, and always epidermic scales derived from the skin of the children.
Grown upon suitable media colonies of the common organisms (e.g., staphylococcus epidermidis albus)
of the human skin have been cultivated. The organic contents of school dust show that it may be a
source of specific disease. The more complete the removal of dust the healthier the school building
must be. The taint of fermenting organic material can be distinguished first thing in the morning
in most schools where the windows have been kept closed during the night.
Air borne.—The amount of dust collected in mechanically ventilated schools is only about onehalf
of that found in those naturally ventilated, although from the fact that hot-air deposits dust on
colder surfaces this dust often appears as discolouration of the wall at the hot air inlets. The air
entry in these mechanically ventilated rooms is usually preceded by filtration. It is impossible to filter the
air entering naturally ventilated rooms, but more attention should be given to the state of the inlets ;
the apertures and passages often contain long standing collections of dirt. The more modern Tobins
Tubes have doors at the bottom opposite the inlet openings which permit of ready cleansing, but
where there are galleries it is sometimes impossible to obtain access to these tubes; some of the inlets
are also protected by fixed gratings which render their cleansing impracticable.