supplemented, of late
years, by a number of significant innovations, of which the most
far-reaching is, perhaps, a medical inspection of schools which involves
a thorough physical examination of all school children by experts. By
this scheme, the defect of the individual child is corrected, and the
danger of widespread contagion or infection in the schoolroom is reduced
to a minimum.

Following these physical examinations, the children who are clearly
sub-normal are placed in special classes or special schools, where,
under the direction of specially fitted teachers, they do any mental
work for which they are fitted, in the interims of time between manual
activities. Weaving, woodworking, folding and similar employments hold
the attention of sub-normal children where intellectual work will not.
The special school, freed from the throttling grip of an iron-clad
course of study, studies the need of each child, and makes a course of
study to fit the need. Although the special school has been used for
incorrigibles, its real value rests in its care of the defective child.

Anaemic children and those who show a tubercular tendency are treated in
open air schools. In Springfield a special school was constructed. In
Providence an old building was employed. In all cases, however, the
windows are notable by their absence. The school supplies caps and army
blankets, a milk lunch in the middle of the forenoon and the afternoon,
and a plain, wholesome dinner at noon. A few months of such treatment
works wonders with most of the children. It seems only fair that the
sick school child should be treated to fresh air and full nutrition,
even though the well child is not so favored.

The open air school has borne fruit, however, in the establishment of
numerous open-window classes. Against these classes, there seems to be
only one complaint. The children are too lively. Fancy! They get a
supply of oxygen sufficient to stimulate them into life during school
hours. How tragic this must seem to the teacher who is in the habit of
calming the troubled spirits of her class by a generous administration
of closed windows and carbon dioxide.

A few cities are attempting to relieve underfeeding by the provision of
wholesome school lunches at cost. Buffalo leads in the work, with
Chicago, Philadelphia and a number of other cities trailing behind. When
you remember that the Chicago School Board reported that in the Chicago
schools there were "