HEALTH FESTIVAL

Putaruru Press, Volume XXI, Issue 1239, 17 July 1947, Page 1

HEALTH FESTIVAL

SUCCESSFUL VENTURE The three-day health festival arrangad by the Health Department anl School Dental Service in co-oper-ation with the Putaruru High School Home and School Association was successfully staged last week in the Rest Room and the- Methodist Hall. In the vestibule of the Rest Room was attractively arranged a series of three exhibits demonstrating the correct method and means of cleaning teeth, the best type of school lunch, and the undesirable form it often takes, such as pies and fish and chips, and finally groups of models ■and- posters dealing with the development of teeth and also showing clsarly the resulting effects of neglect and improper treatment. Around the Rest "Room itself were numerous bays, each dealing with important health topics, such as hydatids, ca-e of 1 h . feet, need for restful sleep, physical development, prevention of accidents to young children, infant welfare, spread of disease iby rats, goitre, correct nutrition, value of pasteurised milk, tuberculosis, diphtheria and sport. Each bay had a striking poster background with an important health message given in picture and words, while in front were arranged practical exhibits related tc it. During the three days that the festival was open parties of school children, numbering in all 800, from six district schools, were conducted around the bays and given short, instructive talks which appealed to the children and gave rise to interesting discussioh. The Methodist Hall was used for the screening of specially selected health and physical education films. The health films, of which Mr. W. Furness (senior health inspector-, Hamilton) and Mr. F. Jenner (health inspector, Te Awamutu) were in charge, dealt with tuberculosis, rats, nutrition, physical development, and two comedies, “Huskey and Skinny,” showing the value of drinking milk, and “The Nose Has It,” an Arthur Askey portrayal of the dangers of unrestricted sneezing. The ■ films on physical education were shown by Mr. K. Reid, supervisor of physical education in the Auckland Education Board area, who had with him Mr. W. G. Shields, district physical instructor. The films indicated the work being don© in ball handling in English schools, and also the general physical education activities in our orwn New Zealand primary and secondary schools. In addition a film showing the stages to foe followed in teaching pupils to swim was also thoroughly enjoyed. With many of the films Mr. Reid gave an interesting commentary on the purposes of each exercise or the reason for adopting .a certain method* of acquiring skill in swimming. On Wednesday evening in the AV.D.F.F. Rest Room the first part of thc< programme was devoted to dental hygiene. Miss V. A. Clarkson (dental nurse inspector, Hamilton), who was in charge of the dental section of the display, gave a short review of the aims and activities of the school dental service, and then introduced each of tho speakers in the dental hygiene programme. Nurse P. O. Knight (Tirau), using a specially prepared film, daalt with the use of deturgent or clensing foods, such as apples, which should he included in all meals, and showed the effects of clinging starchy foods, such as biscuits and” cake®, which could readily give risa to decay. The correct method to be followed in cleaning teeth and l the best type of tooth brush to use were clearly demonstrated -by the 1-ccal dbntal nurse, Miss E. Heffer. The means used to impress on children various- important health ruler, wore very cleverly demonstrated by Miss F. D. Trevor, of the school dental service, Wellington, who used the fascinating flannelcraft method of telling a health story in which, the figures appearing in the story are attached to a pre-viously-prepared flannelette background. This was followed by a happy session with a glove-puppet monkey who knew the correct answers to questions cn diet and always cleaned his teeth and drank milk. The second half of the programme consisted of an interesting talk on the aims, methods .and importance of physical education in out schools, given by Mr. Reid. Films dealing

with physical education and the teaching of swimming were shown, and Mr. Reid stressed the value of the learners’ swimming pool which would he of inestimable value in such a place as Putaruru, where rivers and lakes are so near at hand. Mr. Reid expressed a desire to return at some later date and- place before the parents of Putaruru full details of the learners’ swimming pools- which were being erected at so many schools and whose value had been proved.. Thursday evening’s session opened with an interesting and very practical talk on “The Care of the Feet,” given iby Nurse A. James (Hamilton, who, with the aid of diagrams and specimens of children’s footwear, showed the irreparable hartm that could foe done by .allowing children to wear ill-fitting shoes. Children’s shoes- should be straight along the inside and parents should insist on multiple-fitting shoe® which ensured the correct width and length. The points which Miss James had stressed were clearly shown in the film which followed, called “Footsteps to Beauty.” Miss H. M. Scott (nurse inspector, Hamilton), who so ably and energetically convened the health festival, dealt with tho spread of hydatids and urged all to see that children were early taught to wash their hands after handling animals, and, of course, dogs, which wore/ one of the main links in the spread of hydatids, and that all owners of dogs should faithfully obey the Health Department’s instructions issued each year with the dog registration and drench their dogs at least every three months with thci drench supplied. An attractive physical education display followed, given by a group of twenty High School girls who looked very smart in their drill uniforms and whose effort was warmly applauded. Mr. Reid mentioned the changes that had taken place in physical education in the schools, and then screened a film called “Random Snapshots” which showed different physical education activities in various types of school, intermediate, primary, infant, country and secondary. The commentary supplied by Mr. Reid was graatly appreciated. Miss Trevor briefly reviewed the need for co-operation between the parents and the school dental nurse, and pointed out that the responsibility for seeing that children had good teeth rested with the parents, who should provide the children with the correct foods to ensure sound, healthy growth of teeth and insist on good habits in the care of the teeth. The school dental service would assist in maintaining this high dental standard, but it could not provide good teeth. To conclude the evening two health films on “Tuberculosis'’ and “Nutrition” were shown. During supper each evening those present enjoyed interesting discussions with the health and dental officers. Mr. A. M. Shanks, on behalf of the school pupils and the Home and School Association, thanked Miss Scott and her tetam of assistants for providing such an interesting and highly educational display, and for giving so willingly and capably of their services as demonstrators and lecturers. Visitors to the health festival were Dr. IF. J. Dawson, Medical Officer of Health, and Mr. J. G. Espia, Chief Dental Officer, Hamilton, through whose services and co-opera-tion the health festival was made possible. On Friday morning 50 High School girls who are studying homecraft, were given a special demonstration on the preparation of a fc-aiby's food, the bathing and clothing of a baby and general care and management of young children. From the animated and interesting discussion that followed, it was obvious that the girls had ejoyed and appreciated this special feature of the health festival. The two local district health nurses, Miss E. M. Mills (Putaruru) and Miss K. Rutherford (Mangakino), also took an active part in arranging the display and giving talks to the visiting- school children.