A survey of the educational system of the Philippine islands by the Board of educational survey, created under acts 3162 and 3196 of the Philippine Legislature.

470 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES
the United States but should be modified to suit local needs and the
problems of administration which would arise.
TIME OF EXAMINATION.-The health examination of pupils by the
teachers should be completed within the first three days of school.
With all the teachers examining from 40 to 50 children it would be.possible to secure an examination of every child within the first three
days of school. School could begin three days earlier for this purpose
or this essential school work could take up the first three days of the
present schedule. There would flow out of such examinations a wealth
of material useful for health instruction in the schools.
TREATMENT OF CHILDREN.-Children with defects would be referred to family physician, to dispensary, to hospital, to school clinics,
to Junior Red Cross dentist according to the local opportunities. Report and record of treatment would be made and plans for a follow-up
of those not cured carried out. Children with correctible conditions
failing to take advantage of opportunities available might be considered
as failing to grow in intelligence and knowledge quite as clearly as at
present with the restricted tests of mental growth in school subjects.
THE HEALTH OF TEACHERS.-The health of the teachers in the
schools is important because of the meaning of health to every person.
From the standpoint of the Insular government there may be additional
reasons, such as: the cost of educating teachers, the inefficiency of
teachers with impaired health, the pension plan for teachers, etc. Any
one of these is sufficient reason for the Bureau of Education to be concerned with the teacher's health. However, little is done at the present
time. Examination of teachers attending institutes is desirable, and
should be continued and extended.
The American Red Cross in August, 1924, reported defects among
teachers from 11 places in Luzon and one from Visayan Islands as
follows:
The number of defects among the teachers who were given individual health inspection by the Health Officers and nurses, was almost as large as that of the pupils. From
the 12 reports that we receive 11 from Luzon and one from the Visayan Islands, we have
obtained the following information:
Schools visited....................................................................... ---.- 57
Teachers in classroom inspection....-............ ----....- 2,434
Individual teachers inspected....................-.......-....-.. 4,896
Teachers defective (61 per cent).-................-.........- 2,990
Teachers with Pediculosis -...........-.... -...-.. 47
Teachers with skin diseases..................... ------.....180
Teachers with symptoms of communicable diseases.......-............... 25
Teachers who have had defects corrected.......-........................ 308
Treatments --... —.......-..-...............- 2,855