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209
There was no closure of schools or school departments in
1930 on account of epidemic infectious disease; 34 certificates were
issued under Article 23 of the Code of Regulations for Public Elementary
Schools, 1926, owing to the school attendance falling below
60 per cent. due to epidemic illness. The average percentage of
attendance was better in 1930 (90 per cent.,) than in 1929 (87 per
cent.).
School closure is not an effective means of controlling epidemics.
By closing a school valuable aids for the detection of cases
are lost. For example, a child attends school one day, but is absent
the next. The school nurse is made aware of this absence, visits
the home, ascertains the cause, and urges the calling in of a doctor.
Again, systematic supervision is kept on class contacts, and the
teacher is able to bring to the notice of the nurse any slight divergencies
from health of her pupils. 'Phis helpful co-operation is lost
if the school is closed. Some parents, also are a little lax in evaluating
the meaning of what appear to them to be trivial matters.
There are so many ways in which children can meet outside school,
especially in urban areas, that merely closing the school has little
preventive influence. To be logical, if a school is closed then all
Sunday Schools, cinemas, or other places of entertainment in the
area served by the school should be closed to the children also.