Health Training in Schools A HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS AND HEALTH WORKERS Prepared for the National Tuberculosis Association BY Theresa Dansdill In consultation with Charles M. DeForest, Crusade Executive, National Tuberculosis Association National Tuberculosis Association 370 Seventh Avenue New York 1923 Copyright, 1923, by NATIONAL TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATION No part of this book may be reprinted without permission of the National Tuberculosis Association or the publishers holding the original copyrights. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OP AMERICA PREFACE This book is planned with the hope that it may add to the joy and the betterment of the children and that it shall be a source of information to superintendents, teachers, nurses and all other educational health workers who want to make the formation of good health habits interesting and desirable. It is offered as a comprehensive course of study in practical hygiene for state and local school systems. It is also a compilation from which suggestive material may be drawn for the construction of other similar courses of study. School life is a preparation for life outside the school and the health of the individual to a marked degree decides his success. With this fact in mind the outlines include health habit formation and a combination of learning with doing. Health is not an isolated subject and cannot be separated from the other subjects of the curriculum. The material may be used in the daily reading, language, civics, history, geography, physical training and art periods as well as in the regular instruction in physiology and hygiene. The subject matter is grouped under the headings given in the cross of nine circles, symbol of the Modern Health Crusade system of training. Theresa Dansdill. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following publishers who so generously granted permission to use selections from their publications. Their letters of cordial good wishes for the success of the work added joy to the preparation of material. D. Appleton & Co., Beckley-Cardy Co., Bobbs-Merrill Co., A. L. Burt Co., Century Co., David C. Cook Publishing Co., Milton Bradley Co., Christian Endeavor World, Colgate & Co., Departments of Public Health of Massachusetts and of Michigan, Departments of Education of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, Departments of Public Instruction of Indiana, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Utah, Duffield & Co., E. P. Dutton & Co., A. Flanagan Co., Four Seas Co., Gospel Trumpet Co., Harper and Brothers, Henry Holt & Co., Houghton Mifflin Co., Kansas State Tuber- culosis Association, Kindergarten Magazine, Kindergarten Review, J. B. Lippincott Co., Little, Brown & Co., Little Folks Magazine, Living Church Magazine, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., Macmillan Co., Chas. E. Merrill Co., Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., Minnesota Public Health Association, National Committee for the Prevention of Blindness, National Dairy Coun- cil, New York Chapter, American Red Cross, New York Tuberculosis Asso- ciation, Ohio Public Health Association, Page Co., Philadelphia Health Council and Tuberculosis Committee, The Pilgrim Press, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Rand McNally Co., Charles Scribner’s Sons, Sigma Publishing Co., Small, Maynard & Co., Stewart and Kidd Co., Successful Farming, W. H. Wheeler Co., Wisconsin Anti-Tuberculosis Association, John Winston Co., World Book Co., World Syndicate Co., University Society Inc., Yale Uni- versity Press, Youth’s Companion. To Mr. Emile Berliner, Miss Minnie C. D’Erico, Miss Marian George, Mr. Charles Buxton Going, Mr. C. W. Hasselriis, Miss Emilie Poulsson, and Miss Florence A. Powell appreciation is also due for their cooperation in permitting the use of their material. We wish to acknowledge also the valuable assistance given by Dr. Linsly R. Williams, Dr. Charles J. Hatfield, Dr. David L. Lyman, Dr. Charles Hendee Smith, Dr. John C. MacKenty, Dr. James F. Hasbrouck, Dr. A. C. Fones, Dr. W. L. Turner, Miss Adah L Hershey, Dr. Amy F. Daniels, Miss Martha Westfall, Miss Monica Wild, Miss Doris White, Miss Lulu Sweigard; Miss Minnie J. Nielson, Mrs. Josephine Preston and Miss Ethel Redfield of the State Superintendents of Public Instruction, Dr. S. J. Crumbine, Dr. Eugene R. Kelley and Dr. W. S. Rankin, of the Con- ference of State and Provincial Health Authorities of North America; Mr. James P. Faulkner, Mrs. E. R. Grant, and Mr. T. J. Edmonds of the Cru- VII VIII ACKNOWLEDGMENTS sade Committee from the State Tuberculosis Secretaries; Miss Emma Dol- finger and Miss Cornelia Lyne from the National Child Health Council; Miss Louise Strachan, Assistant Crusade Executive of the National Tuber- culosis Association; Miss Isabel Towner and Miss Florence Bradley of the National Public Health Library. CONTENTS I PAGE Outlines for the Grades i II Stories 34 III Crusaders for Health 158 IV Games and Exercises 164 V Exercise and Posture 188 VI Poems and Quotations . . .199 VII Projects 228 VIII Cleanliness 245 IX Clothing 258 X Teeth 263 XI Nutrition 270 XII Tobacco and Alcohol 305 XIII Weighing and Measuring 308 IX X CONTENTS XIV PAGE Drills . . > M WJ m t. .. .313 XV REST • . r* f.' r.: r#: :•» • • . 317 XVI Colds and Tuberculosis 322 XVII Air and Ventilation 330 XVIII Cheerfulness 335 XIX Safety 342 XX Eyes and Ears 350 XXI The Modern Health Crusade 356 Signs of Disordered Health 363 Health Clubs 367 Health Officers 367 Knighthood 368 Contests 370 XXII Incentives to Create an Interest in Health 374 XXIII Community, State, and Federal Health 378 XXIV Bibliography 385 Exhibit Posters and Panels 399 Plays and Pageants 399 Visual Education 401 INTRODUCTORY NOTE About fifteen years ago, the writer of this Introductory Note undertook an investigation relating to the extent to which physiology and hygiene were taught in the public elementary and high schools at that time and the pro- cedure generally employed in teaching these subjects. He secured an as- sistant who visited a number of cities in the Middle West to observe at first hand the methods employed in the schools; and a questionnaire concerning the matter was prepared and sent extensively throughout the country. The results of this investigation showed that some physiology and hygiene were taught in practically all of the schools that were inspected or that responded to the questionnaire. The methods used consisted almost entirely of text-book work. Emphasis was laid upon structure and anatomy, with but little regard for physiology and still less for hygiene. Pupils were required to learn the names and definitions of the organs of the body and their functions and to recite verbatim what they had learned. The study of hygiene related princi- pally to the memorization of what was given in the text-book regarding the harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol upon the human organism. A large number of examinations in physiology and hygiene was collected from schools in various sections, and most of them showed that the physiology and hygiene that had been learned was a matter of verbal memory principally. In their writing about the human body, pupils furnished practically no evidence that they had become familiar with it in a concrete way and had become acquainted with the health requirements of daily life. Little if any effect of their hygiene instruction could be noted in their habits of daily living; at least if any connection was made between what they learned in school and their observance of healthy living outside, it must have been exceedingly slight; so that the writer and his assistant concluded that, generally speaking, the teaching of physiology and hygiene in the schools fifteen years ago exerted no appreciable influence upon the health habits of pupils. In the course of the investigation, a study was made of the text-books used in the schools at the time. With hardly an exception these books were pre- pared in the belief that anatomical and physiological knowledge would oper- ate to control the action of pupils whenever their health was concerned. For instance, if a pupil learned in his text-book in school that ice water would retard digestion, it was believed that he would restrain himself in the use of ice water in order to preserve his health. Inquiry made of students in normal schools and colleges who had had such instruction in the elementary and high schools revealed the fact that it had all completely evaporated, so far as its influence upon their health habits was concerned. Practically all of them XI XII INTRODUCTORY NOTE testified that their manner of living had not been affected materially if at all by what they had learned in the high school or elementary school in courses in physiology and hygiene. The writer was forcibly reminded, by contrast, of the investigation made fifteen years ago when he read the proofs of this “Handbook of Health Training in Schools.” The Handbook is worked out on the principle that the sole object of health training in the schools is to affect the habits of pupils so that they will adopt a healthful regime of daily living. No importance is attached in the Handbook to the memorization of definitions relating to the organs of the body or their functions. Teachers are not advised to have pupils memorize any definitions at all; on the contrary, they are shown how to tell stories and what stories to tell that will take hold of the imagination of the pupils and influence their action in respect to health habits in nutrition, cleanliness, posture, clothing, care of the teeth, fresh air, the avoidance of colds and coughs, and so on. These stories are captivating simply as stories; but in addition they teach lessons in healthful living which pupils will learn without knowing that they are learning them. In addition to stories, there are many interesting health projects in this Handbook which any resourceful teacher will find practicable and exceedingly valuable. There are games and special exercises which children will delight to perform and which will drive home useful lessons pertaining to health habits. There are poems and quotations which reinforce the lessons learned in the projects, stories, games, and exercises. The entire Handbook is dynamic. It is based on our present- day conception of the way in which children learn most readily and effectively, so that what they learn will exert an influence upon their conduct. The writer does not see how any teacher could fail to receive help from the Handbook in making her training in health habits interesting, vital, and practical. It is fortunate that the American people in every section—in rural as well as in urban communities—are aroused to the necessity of training pupils in health habits. The day has gone by when it can be assumed that young people will adopt healthful modes of living without anything being said to them about the matter or without making a study of the requirements for the promotion of health under present-day conditions. The first and the chief need is that pupils should be made aware of the habits that are necessary in order to develop resistance to disease and to maintain vigor and good- feeling in every-day life. They must be led to desire good health because of what it will enable them to accomplish. A child or youth will be likely to acquire any given health habit if he sees clearly that by so doing he can most readily and completely accomplish that in which he is interested. He can also avoid pains and aches and reduce the number of days when he has to stay indoors or keep to his bed. Health in the abstract or as a physical ideal can make no appeal to young persons; but as an aid to achieving undertakings in which they are vitally interested, it will take a firm hold of them. This INTRODUCTORY NOTE XIII Handbook treats all health habits from this standpoint, and so it can be heartily recommended to teachers and to all who are charged with the care of young persons. It is not expected that the Handbook will make the use of a text-book in the schools unnecessary. Pupils should study the human body with a view to learning how to maintain health and avoid disease as carefully and thor- oughly as they study arithmetic, geography, spelling, Latin, or algebra. Informal training in health will not be adequate to develop right habits of living and establish knowledge pertaining to health which will sustain young persons when they are in doubt about the necessity of healthful living. Young people do not inherit a tendency to observe health requirements; quite the contrary, in fact. A child’s impulses are not of much service to him in the acquisition of health habits under present-day conditions; most of his im- pulses lead him to adopt a regimen of life which will weaken his organism and make him subject to disease. In order to overcome his natural tendencies in respect to practically all his actions affecting his health, it is necessary that he should acquire dynamic knowledge relating to health and habits per- taining to nutrition, exercise, rest, posture, the care of eyes, skin and teeth, and so on, which will inhibit his native impulses and establish healthful actions in their place. This Handbook is designed as an aid to teachers to supple- ment whatever text-books pupils may study. In the hands of a resourceful teacher, it will extend and enrich any course in health training. M. V. O’Shea. The University of Wisconsin. May 9, 1923 CHAPTER I Outlines for the Grades The outline for each grade is di- vided into 9 sections corresponding to 9 school months but the material may be used over 8, 7, 6 months or a sem- ester. The health activities given in the eleven health chores are empha- sized in each grade because of the lack in so many schools of daily definite health instruction. When training in health habits is a regular part of each school program, the ma- terial can be more closely graded. The work in the kindergarten and primary grades has been combined. In these and in other grades select the subject-matter best suited to the needs of the school. The ideal time to present a health lesson is when there is a need for it. A cold campaign planned for January may get better results used at some other time. A first aid course is planned for April. A finger ban- daged with a dirty handkerchief in September supplies the need for the lesson then. The concensus of opinion for health teaching in the grades is as follows: 1. In the kindergarten and primary grades it is enough to tell the pupils what to do rather than why it should be done. 2. The inculcation of health habits is the main objective at this period of the child’s life. 3. There should be constant train- ing in health habits through games, stories, poems, and projects. Grade I Section 1 The early years of a child’s life are the years when impressions are made most readily and are implanted most firmly in his mind. It is easy at this period to help him form the habits which are an essential part of health if the material is presented in an at- tractive manner. To get the best results: a. Have a daily inspection. b. Keep a record of the child’s health habits. Story—“Billy Boy,” page 44. (See Suggestions for story telling, page 34-) Review the story “Billy Boy.” Chore—I washed my hands before each meal today. (See bibliography Clean hands, page 385-) (See Demonstration of handwash- ing, page 315.) Review handwashing demonstration. Poem—“Dirty hands,” page 207. Dramatize “Billy Boy.” 1 2 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS (See Dramatization, page 376.) Chore—I tried to eat slowly and only wholesome food including vege- tables and fruit. A talk may be introduced by ask- ing, “What are some of the things we had this morning for which we should be thankful ?” As the children name the various things, the teacher may write them on the blackboard, com- menting favorably upon the breakfast consisting of fruit, cooked cereal, toast, and milk, thereby using the in- formation as an object lesson for teaching the proper foods children should have for breakfast. So long as children continue to drink tea and coffee, to eat foods fried in fats or to omit breakfast en- tirely, there will be need of emphasiz- ing correct diet. Begin a vegetable poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Finish the vegetable poster. Weigh and measure the children. (See Weighing and measuring, page 308.) (See bibliography, Weighing and measuring, Nutrition classes and clinics.) Remember: A daily inspection and a keeping of a health habit rec- ord are most desirable in teaching the formation of good health hab- its. Section 2 Story—“Old Grouchy Man Tooth Ache,” page 55. Poem—“Sing a song of tooth paste,” page 208. Chore—I brushed my teeth thor- oughly. (See Tooth brush drill, page 313.) (See Times to brush, page 263.) Review toothbrush drill. Repeat whenever necessary. Bring pictures for a clean teeth poster. Make a clean teeth poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Language game—“What Have I ?” page 175. Aim•: To create an interest in vegetables. To drill in the correct use of I have. Story play—“A Trip to an Orchard,” page 182. Review Story Play “A Trip to an Orchard.” Weigh the children. Consult and cooperate with the school physician, the school nurse, the nutrition and physical training direc- tors if they are a part of the school system. In their absence consult or write the state tuberculosis association and other health agencies. Section 3 Story—“Careful and Careless,” page 77- Aim: To develop in the child a consciousness of helpfulness in preventing accidents. (See How we can help others, page 342.) Chore—I tried hard to be neat, cheer- ful and helpful today. Story—“The Lame Squirrel’s Thanksgiving,” page 78. Review story, “The Lame Squir- rel’s Thanksgiving.” Have the pupils memorize or re- peat the quotation on thankfulness, page 222. “For the fruit and the corn and the wheat that is reaped” . . . OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 3 Review Language game—“What Have I?” page 175. Begin a good supper poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Story play—“What the Robin Saw,” page 183. Relief drill, page 173. Weigh the children. (See Weighing and measuring, page 308.) By inspection, questioning, and checking of health habits decide which chores need most emphasis. Section 4 Poem—“Jack Spratt was strong and fat,” page 221. Chore—I tried to eat slowly and only wholesome food including milk, vegetables and fruit. Emphasize the points of the chore. Demonstrate by permitting the children to chew crackers. Chew until the cracker tastes very, very sweet. Be sure the children wash their hands before handling the crackers. A daily inspection and keeping a record of the child’s performance of hygienic duties is a fine way to secure good health habit formation. Bring pictures for a vegetable note book. Have class demonstrate correct method for washing the hands, page 315. Begin vegetable notebook. (See Booklets, page 375-) Finish in the educational seat work period. Story—“The Wee, Wee Man,” page 127. Poem—“What do we like at meal time,” page 221. Bring pictures for a good supper poster for first grade children. (See Well-balanced meals, page 300.) Story—“The Bowl of Porridge,” page 105. Weigh and measure the children. (See Weighing and measuring, page 308.) Section 5 (See Requirements of sleep, page 317.) Story play—“The Coming of the Sandman,” page 185. Story—“Santa Claus Sleepy Story,” page 139. Poem—“Close those pretty eyes of brown,” page 225. Chore—I was in bed eleven hours or more last night and kept the windows open. (See Requirements of sleep, page 3I7-) Poem—“Lady Button Eyes,” page 226. Make a sleep chart, page 317. Story—“The Wake-Up Story,” page 142. Rhythmic game—“Diddle, Diddle Dumpling, My Son John,” page 178. Discuss health habits with the children. Emphasize the ones most needed. Poem—“Mary’s Cold,” page 322. Chore—I carried a handkerchief and was careful to protect others when I coughed, sneezed, or spit. Discuss colds and their prevention, page 322. Story—“The Cotton Baby,” page 49. Weigh the children. (See Weighing and measuring, page 308.) 4 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Cleanliness of the eyes. (See page 350.) Poem—“Sing a song of sixpence,” page 350. Care of the shoes, page 259. (See bibliography, Shoes, page 388.) Read quotation—“I’m glad the sky is painted blue,” page 330. Chore—I played outdoors or with windows open thirty minutes at least. I tried to sit and stand erect. Correct standing position, page 165. Relief drill, page 186. Value of fresh air. (See bibliography, Air, page 385.) Game—“Soldiers of Peace,” page 167. Aim: To drill in good posture. Story—“Old Scowly Spine Pack,” Page 133. Review Game—“Snow Play,” page 166. Weigh the children. Discuss with the children the weight records and their health hab- its. Emphasize the habits most needed. Section 8 Story—“The Little Toy Soldier,” page 74. Story—“Billy’s Pal,” page 98. Chore—I tried hard to keep fingers, pencils and everything harmful out of my nose and mouth. Inspect pencils for teeth marks. Language game—“The Chore Game,” page 175. Aim: To emphasize good health habits. To teach the correct use of the past tense. Section 6 Story—“Christopher’s New Year,” page 135. General review of health habits.1 Poem—“My World,” page 201. Story—“Johnny Cross,” page 39. Poem—“Little Girl,” page 201. Why should little children be cheer- ful? (See page 335.) Stress the formation of good health habits. From the daily inspection and questioning decide which health hab- its need most emphasis. Poem—“Peterkin Pout and Gregory Grout,” page 201. Game—“Snow Play,” page 166. Aim: To teach correct posture. To relieve tired muscles. Weigh and measure the children. Encourage the children to choose the health stories, games and poems they liked best in the preceding chap- ters. Section 7 Story—“Our Bodies Are Like Sponges,” page 119. Individual drinking cups, page 278. Times to drink water, page 278. (See bibliography, Water, page 394-) Effects of drinking coffee. (See page 281.) Care of the eyes. Poem—“The world is full of won- drous things,” page 350. 1 Walter S. Cobb’s book—“Graded Outlines in Hygiene,” published by the World Book Company contains an outline valuable as a review of health habits and also as an in- centive to acquire them. See “A Chalk Talk on the Chain of Health,” pp. If this book is not accessible, conduct a general re- view of the health habits your school seems to need most. OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 5 Section 9 Poem—“How I scrubbed and washed today,” page 208. (See bibliography, Clean hands and nails, page 385.) When is a little child clean? page 245. “Sophronius Dirty Teeth,” page 263. Review the tooth brush drill and other lessons on the teeth. Review Poem—“Jack Spratt was strong and fa*,” page 221. Review the lessons on milk. Language game—“What I Saw in Good Food Land,” page 174. Poem—“A Sleepy Song,” page 224. Review the lessons on sleep. Coffee and tea, page 280. Review the health habits of the children. Weigh and measure the children-. Review the height and weight rec- ords. From these reviews determine which health habits need most em- phasis. Review the chore game. Dramatize “Billy’s Pal.” (See Dramatization, page 376.) Poem—“A bit of work, a bit of play,” page 201. (Tune Yankee Doodle.) Posture exercise, page 166. Aim: To develop the postural muscles. To strengthen the arches of the feet. (Walk on the toes carrying a bean bag, etc.) Rhythmic game—“The Knights of Health,” page 179. Chore—I took a bath on each day of the week that is checked. (See Bathing, page 246.) Emphasize that clean bodies need clean clothes. Weigh the children. Discuss the weight records, ascer- taining why there has been no gain in some instances. Grade II Section 1 (See suggestions for Grade I, page 1.) Story—“Hated Cold Water,” page 45- Read Suggestions for story tell- ing, page 34. Poem—“Slovenly Peter,” page 208. Why should we keep our hands clean? page 245. Inspection of children’s hands. When should we wash our hands? page 245. Ask the children to bring pictures for a clean hands poster. Demonstration of handwashing. (See Drills, page 315.) Chore—I washed my hands before each meal today. Make a clean hands poster. (See Posters, page 374.) If not finished in the regular les- son period, complete as educational seat work. Story Play—“Washing,” page 181. Aim: To arouse an interest in cleanliness. 6 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS To give happiness through play. Points other than cleanliness to be emphasized in the clothing, page 258. Story play—“Cleaning House,” page . 182. Talk over the different points of cleaning a room with the children; then play the game. Story—“Dust Under the Rug,” page 45- Make a good dinner notebook. Plan what is best for a second grade pupil. (See Well-balanced meals, page 300.) Weigh and measure the children. (See Weighing and Measuring, page 308.) (See bibliography, Nutrition classes and clinics, page 392.) Section 2 Story—“The Magic Pearls,” page 53- (See bibliography, Teeth, page 386.) Read quotations, Teeth, page 2O8. Toothbrush drill, page 313. Repeat the drill whenever necessary. Story—“The Brushes’ Quarrel,” page 52. Chore—I brushed my teeth thor- oughly. Why should we brush our teeth? page 263. Times to brush the teeth, page 263. Ask the children to bring pictures for a clean teeth poster or a chart. The Six Year Molar, page 264. Make a clean teeth poster. (See Posters, page 374.) I brush my teeth every day. Clean teeth are beautiful. I like to see clean teeth. Language game—“There is one,” “There are two,” page 176. Aim: To familiarize the children with good health habits. To teach the correct use of “There is” and “There are.” Story—“The Beautiful White Dove,” page 39. Poem—“Did you ever go to Careless Town,” page 43. Cultivation of habits of carefulness. (See bibliography, Safety, page 390.) Weigh the children. Ascertain why in some instances there is no gain. By inspection, questioning and checking the chore cards decide which health habits need most emphasis. Section 3 Review Poem—“Careless Town,” page 343- Cultivation of habits of carefulness, page 342. Story—“The Potato Choosing Boy,” page 131. Poem—“Father, it is thy kindness,” page 221. The value of milk, page 271. Make a milk poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Read quotations—“Fruit,” page 221. Chore—I tried to eat slowly and only wholesome food including milk, vegetables and fruit. I went to the toilet at my regular time. Game of Opposites, page 175. Aim: To familiarize the children with good health habits. To teach the correct use of is and are. OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 7 Ask the children to bring pictures for a fruit notebook. (See Posters, page 374.) Review the game of opposites. Begin a fruit notebook. Story—“The Boy and His Pets,” page hi. Coffee and tea, page 281. Weigh the children. Discuss the height and weight rec- ords and the health habits of the children. In all instances of no gain ascertain the causes. Section 4 Language game—“The Bringing Game,” page 175. Aim: To create an interest in health. To teach “I brought.” Story—“Old Man Rabbit’s Thanks- giving Dinner,” page 82. Chore—I tried to be neat, cheerful and helpful. Read The Crusaders’ Code, page 356, for suggestions on teaching this chore. Indiscriminate and irregular eat- ing, page 288. Mastication, page 288. Story—“The Sunbeam Soldiers to the Rescue,” page 100. The value of sunshine, page 321. Shoes, page 259. (See bibliography, Shoes, page 388.) By inspection and questioning de- cide which health habits need most emphasis. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Discuss the height and weight rec- ords and good health habits with the children. Ascertain why there has been no gain in some instances. Section 5 Eyes, page 350. (See bibliography, Eyes, page 388.) Rules for the care of the eyes, page 351. Story—“The Fairy’s New Year Gift,” page 71. Review the story, “The Fairy’s New Year Gift,” emphasizing what other good health habits would make the pages of the year book bright. Story—“Nancy’s Dream,” page 37. Poem—“Sweet and Low,” page 330. Bring pictures for a fresh air poster. Chore—I was in bed eleven hours or more last night and kept the win- dows open. Game—“The Windmill,” page 185. Poem—“The North Wind,” page 199. Make a fresh air poster. Relief Drill, page 186. Weigh the children. Read Weigh- ing and measuring, page 308. Section 6 Story—“The Mignonette Fairy,” page 148. Review the story, “The Mignon- ette Fairy.” Show how all good health habits help to make children beautiful. Read Crusaders’ Code, page 356. Poem—“Teeter-Totter,” page 209. Why exercise is good for us, page 188. Sitting posture drill, page 164. Active. Resting. Chore—I played outdoors or with windows open thirty minutes at 8 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS least. I tried to sit and stand straight. Commands to secure good posture, page 166. Read Common causes of faulty pos- ture, page 165. Game—“Health Clown,” page 168. Aim: To help correct round or stooped shoulders. Review “The Health Clown.” Story—“The Queer Little Baker Man,” page 84. Aim: To emphasize unselfishness and 'helpfulness. By inspection and questioning de- termine which health habits need most emphasis. Weigh the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Section 7 Dramatize “The Queer Little Baker Man.” (See Dramatization, page 376.) The Story of Steam, page 343. (See bibliography, Safety, page 390.) Game—“The Traffic Cop,” page 187. Begin a safety poster. Better be safe than sorry. Finish the safety poster. Review the lessons on safety. Colds, page 322. Poem—“A Blessing for the Blessed,” page 226. Questions on sleep, page 318. Where do you sleep. . . . By inspection and questioning find out which health habits need the most emphasis. Weigh and measure the children. Section 8 Poem—“A bit of work,” page 210. Bring pictures for a sleep poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Proper way to sleep, page 318. Poem—“The world is full of won- drous things,” page 350. Form a Sandman’s Brigade, page 318. Make a sleep poster. Game—“Signals of Courtesy,” page 169 Review Game, “Signals of Courtesy.” Verse— “Seven million little open- ings,” page 206. Chore—I took a full bath on more than one day last week. Reasons for bathing, page 247. By inspection and questioning de- termine which health habits need most emphasis. Weigh and measure the children. Section 9 Story—“Sweet Rice Porridge,” page 108. Review story, “Sweet Rice Porridge.” Game—“What Robin Saw,” page 183. Aim: To emphasize good food. To teach color. Review game, “What Robin Saw.” Review the toothbrush drill, page 314- Review the handkerchief drill, page 315- Show how children become mod- ern knights by the daily performance of the health chores. Review Section 1 and Section 2. Review all the work in weighing and measuring. Review all the work in this grade. Emphasize the health chores. Check results to know how many OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 9 children have performed the chores faithfully. Ascertain which children need spe- cial attention and incentives to do bet- ter health work in the next grade in habit formation. Grade III “Keep in mind the fact that the subject of health has but little inter- est to children who are well, and that you must make use of their desire for your approval, their tendency to imi- tate those whom you admire, their interest in competition, and their pleasure in doing something that has the appearance of bravery or useful- ness.” —Walter S. Cobb. The graded chores, Form A, page 358, are taken in this grade with the award of the title of squire. Regular and faithful performance of the chores will promote good health and the pre- vention of disease. Incentives are of great value to keep the interest high. How to start the Crusade, page 356. The Crusaders’ Code, page 356. In the third and fourth grades the training in health habits through games, stories, poems and projects should continue with simple instruc- tion in health fundamentals. Section 1 Read carefully directions for Crusade work, page 356. Explain the Crusade to the children. Chore—I washed my hands before each meal today. (See bibliography, Hands and Nails, page 385.) Demonstration of handwashing, page 315- Ask the children to bring pictures for a clean hands poster. Make clean hands poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Clean clothing—care. Poem—“Scrub! Scrub! Scrub!” page 208. Chore—I brushed my teeth thor- oughly. Times to brush the teeth, page 263. Toothbrush drill, page 314. Health talk about your teeth, page 264. Weigh and measure the children. . Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. (See bibliography, Nutrition classes and clinics, page 392.) Section 2 The Six Year Molar. Review the lessons in the second grade. The care of the Six Year Molar cannot be over-emphasized in these grades. By examination, inspection and ques- tioning ascertain which health habits need most emphasis. Game—“I Say Stoop,” page 168. Aim: To secure good posture. Posture commands, page 166. Posture Tag, page 168. Ask the children to bring pictures for a vegetable chart. Discuss kinds, placing, coloring, and the food value of vegetables, page 274. Make a vegetable chart. Story—“The Milk Fairies,” page 125. 10 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Why we should drink milk slowly, page 272. Why milk is the best food, page 272. Excursion to a dairy or milk depot, page 375- Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them, by in- specting and questioning decide which ones need most emphasis. Weigh the children. Read Weigh- ing and measuring, page 308. Section 3 Discuss the excursion to the dairy or milk depot. What is the relation of the dairy to health? Game—“The Farmer is Coming,” page 176. Review the game, “The Farmer is Coming.” Relief Drill, page 186. Accident Prevention. Aim: To develop in the children a sense of duty to the com- munity. To show how they can help to prevent accidents in the community. The story of Fire, page 344. Excursion to a fire station, page 344. Discuss the excursion to the fire station. Sitting posture drill, page 164. Ask the children to bring chore rec- ords to school. By inspecting and questioning decide which ones need most emphasis. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Section 4 Game—“Pure Food Man,” page 184. Aim: To give exercise. To teach good foods. Story—“A Kindness Every Day,” page 78. Make this story the basis of teach- ing the value of good health habits. Chore—I went to the toilet at a regular time. Compare taking food into the body with burning fuel. (See Elimination, page 289.) Make a notebook of foods that re- lieve constipation, page 289. Handkerchief drill, page 315. Use of the handkerchief. Colds. (See bibliography, page 388.) How colds are caught, page 322. Plan a cold campaign. Story—“How the Holly Berry Al- most Lost Its Red Cheeks,” page 35- Chore—I played outdoors or with windows open a half hour. Poem—“Girls and boys come out to play,” page 209. Weigh and measure the children. Game—“Follow the Leader,” page 187. Section 5 Story—“A True Knight,” page 96. Poem—“I saw a ship a-sailing,” page 2*10. Relief Drill, page 186. Poem—“Sweetly sleep,” page 226. (See bibliography, Rest, page 395-) Value of sleep, page 318. Chore—I was in bed eleven hours or more, windows open. Poem—“Lady Button Eyes,” page 226. Ask the children to bring pictures for a sleep poster. OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 11 (See Requirements of sleep, page 3U-) Make a sleep poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Value of sleep, page 318. Hours of sleep, page 319. Weigh and measure the chil- dren. By observation, inspection and questioning ascertain which health habits need the greatest empha- sis. Section 6 Story—“Elbe’s Wishes,” page 61. Resting the eyes, page 351. Danger to the eyes, page 351. Proper shoes, page 260. (See bibliography, Shoes, page 388.) Postural Exercises, page 166. Aim: To develop the postural muscles. To strengthen the arches of the feet. Project to determine a well arched foot, page 260. Rhythmic Play—“Skating,” page 179. Aim: To develop grace. To give a breathing exer- cise. Value of air and sunshine, page 321. Ventilation rules, page 332. Relief Drill, page 186. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them, and by inspection and questioning decide which health habits need the greatest emphasis. Section 7 Story—“The Dove and the Wood- pecker,” page 146. Aim: To teach health through right thinking. Language game—“Health Habits,” page 176. Aim: To review good health hab- its. To teach the correct use of “If I were,” “if I were not,” and “I should.” Poem—“Miss Fret and Miss Laugh,” page 202. Story—“What you look for you will find,” page 58. Poem—“It was only a little blossom,” page 202. Relief drill, page 186. Use of the muscles, page 188. Purpose of taking exercise. Make an exercise poster. (See Projects, page 228.) Chore—I played outdoors or with windows open a half hour. Story—“The Boy Who Walked Around St. Michel,” page 60. Weigh and measure the children. By observation, inspection and questioning decide which health hab- its need most emphasis. Section 8 Colds, page 322. Chore—I tried hard to keep fingers and pencils out of my mouth and nose. (See bibliography: Fingers and pencils out of mouth, page 386. Habits which spread disease, page 323.) Story—“Chubby Children and How to Grow Them,” page 113. 12 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Ask the children to bring pictures for a good breakfast poster. (See Well-balanced meals, page 300.) Plan a breakfast suitable for a third grade child. Water—When to drink, why bene- ficial, page 278. Real foods—Make believe foods. Poem—“A Mystery,” page 206. Kinds of baths for children, page 247. Poem—“Muddy Jim,” page 206. Why should everybody bathe fre- quently? Ask the children to bring pictures for a bath poster. Make a bath poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Read “Some Health Standards,” page 364. Weigh and measure the children. By observation, inspection, ques- tioning and a review of the chore records decide which health habits need most emphasis. Section 9 Game—“The Knights of Health,” page 179. Aim: To give healthful activity through rhythmic play. Review “The Knights of Health.” Story—“The Knights of the Silver Shield,” page 90. Game—“Advancing Statues,” page 168. Aim: To teach the children to think quickly. Review “Advancing Statues.” Story—“How The Singing Water Got to the Tub,” page 49. Use the story “How the Singing Water Got to the Tub,” for the basis of a lesson on bathing. General review of the games, stories and poems for third grade. Final weighing and measuring of the children and a checking of health habits to determine which health activities need most emphasis. Ceremony for giving the title of squire to the children who have earned it. Make much of this. They have won a signal honor and should be so recognized. Plan a health program of which a pageant is a most attractive part. (See Plays and Pageants, page 399. For awarding of titles, see page 361.) If other material for regular class work or for program is needed turn to the third grade work under Stories, Games, Quotations and Projects. Read the bibliography on films and slides. Grade IV Section 1 “Health knowledge without health practice is educational waste. In fact establishing health habits is far more important than the mere fur- nishing health information.” —Physical Training Manual, Mo. The graded chores, Form B, page 359, are used in this grade with the award of the title of knight. If they are performed regularly and faithfully, good health will be pro- moted. OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 13 But incentives are needed to keep the interest high. How to start the Crusade, page 356. Read the Crusaders’ Code, page 356. (See bibliography, Teeth, page 386.) Primary and secondary effects of de- cayed and abscessed teeth, page 265. Toothbrush drill. (See Drills, page 313.) If this drill has been given to the children in the three preceding grades it need be given here only to the pu- pils who have come from schools where it was not taught. Times to brush the teeth, page 263. Story—“How Robinson Crusoe Made Bread,” page 103. Poem—“Back of the bread is the snowy flour,” page 223. (See Bread, page 285; Cereals, page 282, Exhibits, page, 394-) Kinds of bread most nutritious, page 285. Excursion to a mill or bakery. (See Excursions, page 375.) Discuss the excursion of the previous day. Record information in note books for future reference. Weigh and measure the children. (See Weighing and measuring page 308.) (See bibliography, Nutrition, nutrition classes and clinics, page 392.) Read quotations on Nutrition, page 220. Section 2 1 Story—“The Young Prince and the Robber Children,” page 135. Reproduce “The Young Prince and the Robber Children.” Commands to secure good posture, page 166. To gain correct standing position, page 169. Common oauses of faulty posture, page 165. Chore—I tried to sit and stand straight. Game—“Shelter Stand,” page 169. Aim: To strengthen the postural muscles. (See bibliography, Posture, page 395.) Faulty postures and correction, page 170. Chore—I tried to sit and stand straight. Pictures which illustrate good pos- ture, page 195. Purpose of taking exercise, page 189. (See bibliography, Exercise, page 386.) Begin a good posture poster using magazine or other pictures of artistic coloring for the illustration. Select the pictures with care. Note that they emphasize the point. Three rules for a good sportsman, page 212. Aim: To teach the children to play to win. To teach them to lose grace- fully. Weigh and measure the children. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them, the height and weight records, and by discussion, inspection and questioning decide which health activities need most emphasis in this grade. 14 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Section 3 Commit to memory “The Crusader’s Creed,” page 216. Develop the interdependence of the home, the school and the com- munity, page 345. Ways in which the community pro- tects and helps its citizens, page 345- Public safety guards, page 345. Read quotations on Safety, page 220. Automobile regulations, page 345. Chore—I tried to avoid accidents to others and myself. I looked both ways when crossing the street (road). Formulate a set of rules for safe crossing, page 345. Practice lettering by noticing the dif- ferent safety signs posted along streets and highways, page 345. Make a safety poster. Diseases transmitted by nose and mouth secretions, page 323. Give the handkerchief drill, page 315, if in your opinion a need exists for it. Colds, page 322. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Ask the children to bring the’chore records to school. By discussion, ob- servation and inspection decide which health activities need most emphasis. Section 4 Story—“The Colors of the Rain- bow,” page 143. Read Cheerfulness quotations, page 200. Choose one for a lesson on cheerful- ness. The biographical story. Aim: To create an interest in bi- ographical literature. To use for a constructive health lesson. To train the children in re- search. Procedure for the study of a Cru- sader for Health, page 158. Robert Louis Stevenson, page 158. Story—“A Really Truly Christmas Tree,” page 153. Aim: To stress the value of sun- shine and fresh air. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Decide which health activities need most emphasis. Section 5 Elimination, page 289. (See bibliography, page 394.) Chore—I went to the toilet at a regu- lar time. Teach that elimination helps to keep the individual in good health. Story—“A Friend of the King,” page 87. Aim: To teach that good health habits are an aid in helping others. Knighthood, page 368. Teach the children that they can become modern knights by the faith- ful performance of the health chores. Story—“The Color Bearer,” page 75. Aim: To emphasize that the daily performance of the health chores helps make good citi- zens. Chore—I washed my hands before each meal. I cleaned my finger nails today. OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 15 Read quotations on Hands and Nails, page 207. (See bibliography, Hands and Nails, page 385. Posture tests, page 165. Read quotations on Posture, page 213. (See bibliography, Posture, page 395-) Review posture tests. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. By discussion, ob- servation and inspection decide which ones need most emphasis. Weigh and measure the children. Section 6 Story—“Why Ned’s Example Wouldn’t Come Right,” page 67. (See bibliography, Eyes, page 388.) Care in washing the eyes, page 351. Preventive measures, page 351. Review “Why Ned’s Example Wouldn’t Come Right.” Cereals. Purpose of cooking, page 282. The use of left overs, page 282. Plan a good breakfast suitable to the age of the class. (See Well-balanced meals, page 300.) Poem—“Eating Between Meals,” page 223. Aim: To emphasize the impor- tance of a regular time for eating. (See bibliography, Nutrition— Mastication, page 393.) Story—“Mrs. Stomach Ache and Good Digestion,” page 117. Aids to good digestion, page 300. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. Decide from them and by the height and weight records which health habits need most em- phasis in the grade. Section 7 Story—“Eben’s Cows,” page 121. Milk, page 270. Courtesy and Health, page 286. The habit of the right choice of food, page 299- Chore—I had three wholesome meals including a nourishing breakfast. I drank milk. Story—“Mrs. Fly and Mrs. Mos- quito Decide to Leave Clean- ville, page 48. Review “Mrs. Fly and Mrs. Mos- quito Decide to Leave Clean- ville.” Form a fly fighter brigade. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. By discussion, ob- servation and inspection decide which ones need most emphasis. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Section 8 Story—“Taking a Bath in Finland,” page 52. Use this story as a basis to discuss different kinds of baths. (See bibliography, Bathing, page 385.) Chore—I had a complete bath and rubbed myself dry on each day of the week checked. Make a bath poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Read quotations on Bathing, page 206. 16 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS A healthy skin, page 248. Sanitation, page 251. Aim,: To teach the relation be- tween neighborhood sanita- tion and health. Story—“A Breath of Air,” page 38. Read quotations on Air, page 199. (See bibliography Air, page 385.) Air in the school room, page 331. Write for their literature, to firms manufacturing heating and ven- tilating systems. (See Letter writing, page 376.) Effects of fresh air, page 331. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. By discussion, ob- servation and inspection decide which ones need most emphasis. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Section 9 Poems—“Go to bed early—waken with joy,” page 224 “Sweetly Sleep,” page 226. Use for a talk on sleep. Chore—I was in bed eleven hours last night, windows open. Proper way to sleep, page 318. The body as a factory, page 290. Fruit: The apple, page 276. Aim: To teach its value as a food. To correlate nature study. The peach, page 277. Aim: To correlate geography and health. Make a fruit poster. (See Posters, page 374.) Potatoes, page 275. The best way to serve. Qualities housekeepers prefer. Exercises for the correction of de- fects, page 170. Go over the chore records carefully that there may be a definite knowl- edge of the progress in habit forma- tion and the needs of each child. Award the title of knight to the ones who have achieved this honor. Plan a special ceremony and program. (See Crusade manual for the ac- colade and the complete cere- monial directions.) (See bibliography, Pageants, for program material.) Grade V Section 1 “I may quite sincerely express the hope that in every American City and country district a like larger propor- tion of boys and girls will make them- selves knights by faithful attention to their own habits and their care and concern for the health of the na- tion.” 1 —Warren G. Harding. “Children of the grammar school age should be given the why that they may have their reason satisfied and so cooperate more cheerfully and use- fully in the health program laid out for them.” —Dr. Frank C. Lockwood. The graded chores, Form C, page 359, are taken in this grade with the award of the title Knight Ban- 1 Extract from a letter written by President Harding to Mr. DeForest after the winning of the inter-city silver cup by the school children of Washington, D. C. OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 17 neret. If they are performed regu- larly and faithfully, good health will be promoted. But incentives are needed to keep the interest high. How to start the Crusade, page 356. Why teeth should be clean, page 266. (See bibliography, Teeth, page 386.) Toothbrush drill, page 314. Give if it is needed. Times to brush the teeth, page 263. Make a good teeth notebook. (See Booklets, page 375.) Lime water, page 313. Relief drill, page 186. Story—“A Third Grade Boy’s Com- position on Breathing,” page 38. After the upper grade pupils have enjoyed a laugh over this composi- tion use it for a lesson on the value of fresh air. Methods of ventilation, page 332. Value of fresh air and sunshine, page 332. Project on Air, page 235. Story—“The Clove Merchant,” page 34- Weigh and measure the children. Read directions for weighing and measuring, page 308. (See General suggestions, page 312. See bibliography, Nutri- tion classes and clinics, page 392.) Read “Nutrition Course,” in the Crusade Manual. Record height and weight of each child. Send this record home to the parents. (See “Weight Tags,” page 310.) Discuss the records with the children. Try to discover and to correct the causes of underweight. Use the nutrition chores, page 360 for the children who in your opinion need it. Consult and cooperate with the school physician, the school nurse, the home economics and physical train- ing directors if they are a part of the school system. In their absence con- sult or write the state tuberculosis association. Section 2 Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them by in- spection and observation decide which health activities need most emphasis in your school. “Washington left behind him, as one of the greatest treasures of his country, the example of a stainless life—of a great, honest, pure and noble character,—a model for his na- tion to form themselves by in all time to come.” —Smiles. Have the children write a story “Washington as an Athlete,” page 189. Aim: To create an interest in health. To encourage research. For reference, use any good books on the life of Washington. Leaders of men, page 189. Story—“The King and His Magic Clubs,” page 59. Correct posture, page 164. (See bibliography, Posture, page 395. Correct posture, Crusade manual.) Chore—I tried to keep good posture and to breathe fresh air always, through my nose. 18 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Posture tag, page 169. Aim: To develop good posture by stretching the muscles and keeping the body mobile. Story—“Bread Making Among Va- rious Peoples,” page 101. Emphasize the use of breads made from whole cereals. Chore—I ate either some beans, eggs, cheese, fish or meat at one meal. I ate watery vegetables or fruit. (See bibliography, Nutrition, page 392.) Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Section 3 The Crusader’s Creed, page 216. Encourage the children to learn the creed. Use this for the basic talk upon the daily performance of the health chores. Check and determine which ones should be most emphasized. Cereals, page 282. Begin a cereal notebook or poster. (See Booklets, and Posters, page 375.)' Emphasize the value of cooked ce- reals. Story—“The Great Gift,” page 129. Finish the cereal notebook or poster. Drinking water, page 278. (See bibliography, Water, page 394.) Chore—I drank four glasses of water and no tea, coffee, nor any harm- ful drinks. I did not wash my food down. Coffee and tea, page 280. Relief drill, page 186. Ask the children to bring chore rec- ords to school. From them by in- spection and observation decide which health activities need most emphasis in your school. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Section 4 Good food habits, page 286. Milk, page 270. Apples, page 276. Oranges, page 277. Make a screened closet for the top of the refrigerator, page 237. Chore—I chewed my food thor- oughly, ate slowly and did not run soon after meals. Importance of thoroughly masticating the food, page 288. Story—“Uncle Jim and the Bramble Bushes,” page 65. Care in washing the eyes. (See bibliography, Eyes, page 388.) Shoes, page 260. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. By discussion, in- spection and observation decide which health activities need most emphasis in your school. Section 5 Crusaders’ Code, page 356. Use for a silent reading lesson. The child reads one section silently and then tells it to the class. Procedure for the study of a Cru- sader for health, page 158. Theodore Roosevelt, page 159. Quotations from Roosevelt, page 160. Two Minute or Relief drill, page 186. The Training of a Knight, page 368. OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 19 Tournaments, page 368. Story—“The King’s Garden,” page 147. Poem—“The Doctor,” page 203. Aim: To teach the value of cheerfulness. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. By discussion, in- spection and observation decide which health activities need most emphasis in your school. Weigh and measure the children. Section 6 Crusader’s Creed, page 216. Use this to emphasize the value of the formation of good health habits. How fifth grade and other grade children can be helpful, page 345- Chore—I was careful to keep myself and my desk neat, and helped keep the whole school and grounds in order. Safety education, page 346. Safety devices, page 347. Poster—“The Best Safety Device is a Careful Man.” How you can protect yourself and others. Chore—I did not use a “common” cup or towel. I coughed or spit only when necessary and was careful to protect others. Some germ diseases, page 256. The use of the handkerchief. Hand- kerchief Drill, page 315. Colds, page 322. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. By discussion, in- spection and observation decide which health activities need most emphasis in your school. Weigh and measure the children. Section 7 Every pupil in the class should com- mit the Crusader’s Creed to memory, page 216. Have the children give two minute talks upon a health subject. Chore—Besides my hands, I washed my face, ears, and neck. I combed or brushed my hair to- day. (See bibliography, Hands and Nails, page 385; Fingers and pencils out of mouth, page 386.) Skin and hair, page 250. Flies, page 256. Continue lesson on flies. Story—“Cheery People,” page 41. Read poems and quotations on Cheer- fulness, page 200. From them formulate a lesson plan on the relation of cheerfulness and health. Chore—I was in bed ten or more hours last night, windows open. I stretched out “long” when waiting for sleep. The importance of sleep, page 319. Hours of sleep, page 319. Protection of the eyes in outdoor sleeping, page 320. Weigh and measure the children. Section 8 Ask the children to bring the health chore folders to school. By check- ing them and by inspection and ob- servation decide which habits need the most emphasis. Chore—I attended to the toilet at my regular time, and washed my hands afterward. Why should this chore be kept? 20 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Prevention of constipation, page 291. Good laxative foods, page 291. Bathing, page 246. Read quotations on Bathing, page 206. (See bibliography, Bathing, page 385-) Chore—I took a full bath on each day of the week that is checked. I put on clean underwear at least once this week. Poem—“The Bath Tub’s Com- plaint,” page 207. Aim: To teach the care of the bath tub, towels and soap. Care of the underwear, page 249. Sanitation, page 251. Water supply, page 279. Value of water, page 278. Game—“Vegetable Man,” page 183. Aim: To give exercise. To create an interest in vegetables. Section 9 Write original conundrums and health rhymes. Collect conundrums and health rhymes. Aim: To create an interest in good health habits. To train in the use of good English. (See Projects, page 228.) Gardens, page 275. Clean up campaign, page 257. Begin plans for a Health Club, page 367. Complete plans for the Health Club. Compare the appearance of your town, village and school with others about which you know, Page 347- The school and the community, page 347- Keeping the neighborhood healthy, page 251. Plan a ceremony, program and special honors for the pupils who have won the title of knight ban- neret. (See Plays and Pageants, page 399, for a list of suitable health plays.) Grade VI Section 1 “Health training is now recognized as one of the most important func- tions of the public school. It opens untold possibilities in establishing life-long habits for health in each in- dividual child. It is one of the most effective things the school can do in training for intelligent and responsi- ble citizenship.” —C.-E. A. Winslow. The graded chores, Form D, page 360, are used in this grade with the award of the title of Knight-Banneret Constant (provided pupils have done the chores for the three previous grades). If these chores are per- formed regularly and faithfully, good health will be promoted. But in- centives are needed to keep the inter- est high. “Educators do more by their lives than by their living words. The greatest force in the world is in the life of the teacher. Always we learn OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 21 lessons best from living examples. Lincoln lived his life—one of devo- tion to the poor and needy—and his life became a beacon light for human freedom and a light by which thou- sands have been led.” —John Clifford. “During the sixth grade years of the pupil’s school experience he is eager to know the why of things and the teacher will do well to encourage research wherever it fits in to good advantage. Give the pupil problems suitable for his age and advancement and encourage an inquiring nature in the pupil. Give the pupil a chance to observe and to tell what he has seen.” —State Dept, of Public Instruction, Iowa. The importance of personal cleanli- ness, page 249. Skin, page 249; nails, page 246; hair, page 250; clothing, page 259- Correlate the facts in the preceding lesson with geography and reading, noting the life and apparel of foreign peoples. Chore—I gave careful attention to personal cleanliness and neatness of appearance today. I tried to keep my surroundings sightly and sanitary. Teach that good citizens must have healthy bodies, that the health of the individual is guarded by guarding the health of the group, and that certain cooperative means must be used to guard the health of the group. Keeping the neighborhood healthy, page 251. Beautifying the community, page 252. The relation of homes to health, page 253. A city beautiful. Aim: To arouse civic pride. To show that healthful con- ditions help to make a city beautiful. Ugly spots in our neighborhood, page 253. Air in the school room, page 331. Read Weighing and measuring, and General suggestions, pages 308- 312. (See bibliography under Nutrition, classes and clinics, page 392.) Read Nutrition course, Crusade manual. Record the height and weight of each child, and send this record home to the parents. (See “Weight Tags,” page 310.) Discuss the records with the children. (See bibliography, Nutrition, page 392.) Use contests to inspire the chil- dren to get from class 2 to class 1 by or before the second month. Read Contests, page 370. Consult and cooperate with the school physician, the school nurses the home economics and physical training directors if they are a part of the school system. In their absence con- sult or write the state tuberculosis as sociation. Section 2 Have the children bring the chore ••ecords to school. From them and by observation decide which chores and which health activities need the most emphasis in your school. Effects of types of air, -?age 333. 22 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Read quotations on Air, page 199. (See bibliography, Air, page 385.) Types of men who do not exercise, page 190. Why you should exercise, page 190. Posture, page 196. Read quotations on Posture, page 213. (See bibliography, page 395-) Posture drill, page 170. The value of play, page 192. Chore—I played or exercised for at least an hour in fresh air, avoid- ing over-fatigue. I breathed deeply and was careful to keep good posture. Game—“Posture Tag,” page 169. Review “Posture Tag.” Rules for a Good Sportsman, page 212. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Section 3 Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them, by observation and questioning decide which chores and which health activi- ties need most emphasis in your school. School Paper. Aim: To train the children to look for health items. To encourage research. Chore—I tried to be cheerful, straightforward and clean mind- ed ; to do one thing at a time and the most important thing first. Read the poems and quotations on Cheerfulness. Choose some of them to emphasize the relation between cheerfulness and health. Relief drill, page 173. Story—“The Hunger for Happi- ness,” page 146. Read the quotations on Laughter, page 204. Choose from them a health lesson. Story—“The Health Teaching of the Master,” page 41. Give the toothbrush drill, page 314, if a need exists for it. (See bibliography, Teeth, page 386.) Read the quotation “The toothbrush is certainly one of the best friends,” page 268. Use the points in it for the lesson on the care of the teeth. Why teeth decay, page 267. Section 4 Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them, by observation and questioning decide which chores and which health activi- ties need most emphasis in your school. Story—“The Woman Who Shared her Last Loaf,” page 86. Aim: To show the relation that exists between the child and his companions. Reproduce the story “The Woman Who Shared her Last Loaf.” Read the quotations “She doeth little kindnesses,” page 219, and “Who blesses others in his daily needs,” page 219. Use these for a lesson on helpfulness and health. Chore—I was careful to do nothing to hurt the health of any one else. I played fair. I did will- ingly at least one kind act for another person. Why every one should be careful OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 23 when he coughs, sneezes and spits, page 324. Safety movements, page 347. (See bibliography, Helpfulness, page 389.) Safety lesson topics, page 348. Electrical safety, page 348. Methods of resuscitation, page 348. Tobacco, page 305. Section 5 Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them, by observation and questioning decide which chores and which health activi- ties need most emphasis in your school. Tea and coffee, page 280. Chore—I used no tea, coffee, nor any harmful drink; no tobacco in any form, nor any injurious drug. Colds, page 324. (See bibliography, page 388.) Plan a cold campaign, page 325. Story—“Germs are Everywhere,” page 99. Aim: To emphasize that a cold is a germ disease. Review “Posture Drill,” page 170. Poem—“How Strong are You?” page 210. Read the Crusader’s Creed, page 216. Use it for the basis of a health talk. The properties of foods, page 293. Make a good food notebook or chart grouping the foods into their proper classes. (See Booklets, page 375.) Section 6 Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them, by observation and questioning decide which chores and which health activi- ties are most needed in your school. Chore—I gave proper attention to elimination. Effects of improper elimination, page 292. Rice, page 282. Aim: To create an interest in ce- reals. Barley, page 283. Fruit, page 276. Essentials in clean milk production, page 272. Pasteurization of milk, page 273. Plan a well balanced dinner for a family, page 302. Plan a meal from the dinner menu of yesterday. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Section 7 Game—“Our Foods,” page 184. Aim: To correlate geography and health. Use one of the following art lessons according to the season. 1. Draw from budded or blossom- ing twigs, cherry, plum, apple. 2. Paint with water colors vege- tables or fruits with some of their foliage. Turnip, carrot or radish with part of its growth. An apple with a leaf or section of the twig. Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them and by observation decide which chores and which health activities need most emphasis in your school. Florence Nightingale. Read quotations, page 160. Her work. (See bibliography, page 161.) 24 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS School nurses, page 380. Hospitals, page 380. Provisions for hospitals, page 380. Permit the children to choose the health games, stories and projects. Section 8 Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them and by observation and questioning decide which chores and which health activi- ties need most emphasis in your school. Chore—I was in bed ten hours last night, windows open. I did not allow a pillow to make me “round shouldered.” When you waken in the morning, page 320. Make a sleep poster showing open window. Germ carriers of diseases to the eyes, page 352. Chore—I held reading matter not less than twelve inches from my eyes. I did not read lying down or with straining light or facing the light. Children whose eyes should be ex- amined, page 352. Symptoms indicative of trouble with the eyes, page 353. Read the quotations on Bathing, page 206. Plan a health lesson from them. Neighborhood recreation, page 193. Recreation, page 193. Section 9 Ask the children to bring the chore records to school. From them and by observation decide which chores and which health activities need most emphasis in your school. Relief Drill, page 173. Milk, page 270. Water supply, page 279. Plan an excursion to a water plant or a dairy. (See Excursions, page 375.) Knighthood, page 370. Chivalry, page 370. Ideal of knighthood service, page 370. Plan a special program and ceremony for the award of the title Knight Banneret Constant. (See the Crusade manual.) (See Plays and Pageants, page 399-) Grade VII The aim in this grade should be to lead the pupils: 1. To realize the importance of health to themselves, to their neigh- bors and to the community. 2. To realize the dependence of the individual upon social agencies. 3. To secure the right social atti- tude toward the problems involved. The materials used in the approach to the topics should be drawn almost en- tirely from the experience or knowl- edge of the pupils. The class should pool its experience. Many boys and girls do not attain more than a seventh or eighth grade education. It is therefore very im- portant that their education in health shall be full and complete to the greatest possible extent. No chore records are planned rt>r this grade. If, however, they have OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 25 not been used in the four previous grades it is strongly urged that the chore record Form D, page 360, be used here. Read carefully “The Round Table,” Crusade manual. Encourage the pupils to become members. Section 1 Why teeth decay, page 267. Read toothbrush drill, page 314. Give it if it is needed. (See bibliography, Teeth, page 386.) When a child should, be referred to a dentist, page 268. The eyes, page 353. (See bibliography, Eyes, page 388.) The ears, page 354. (See bibliography, Ears, page 388.) School child’s daily program, page 364- Read Form D, chore record with the pupils, page 360. From your observation and inspec- tion, use this and the preceding lesson for a guide to formulate a daily pro- gram for the pupils. Remember a daily inspection and a record of the health habits of the pupils is very helpful for a good health program. Story—“‘The Round Table,” page 95- Qualifications for the Round Table, Crusade manual. Review the story “The Round Table.” Encourage every child in the school to qualify for this honor. The Crusader’s Creed, page 216. Use the Crusader’s Creed for basic work in a health and citizenship lesson. Weigh and measure the children. Send the records home to the parents. Read General suggestions, page 312. Weighing and measur- ing, page 308. Correct weight, Crusade manual. (See bibliography, Nutrition, page 392.) Section 2 Use the height and weight records, Form D, chore record, page 360, an inspection and a questioning as a basis to determine which health habits need most emphasis for the pupils of the seventh grade. Have the children repeat the Cru- sader’s Creed. Some Health Standards, page 364. Fuel for the body, page 293. Why the food should be masticated properly, page 288. Classification of foods, page 293. Minerals, page 296. Chief sources of starch, page 294. Chief sources of sugar, page 294. The value of sugar, page 294. The importance of fats, page 295. Section 3 Important measures that will relieve constipation, page 291. Game—“Progressive Dodge Ball,” page 187. Plan a well balanced meal for pupils of the seventh grade. (See Well-balanced meals, page 300.) (See bibliography, Well-balanced meals, page 392.) 26 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Story—“The Tale of a Tummy,” page 120. Prepare a list of beverages suitable for warm weather; for cold weather. Make a notebook or chart classify- ing food. Protein Minerals Carbohydrates Fats (See bibliography, Classification of foods, page 392. Plan a month’s food supply for a family of five. Fruit Meat Vegetables Flour Eggs Points to consider: Well-balanced meals. Local and market prices. Economic status of the family. Read the quotations on Cleanliness, page 205. Select ones from them for a lesson on cleanliness. Read Handwashing demonstration, page 315- Review its different points; give, if in your judgment it is needed. Worry and health, page 339. Read the quotations on Laughter, page 204. Plan a lesson from them. Section 4 Read the quotations on Cheerful People, page 204. Teach that cheerfulness is a most important fac- tor in health. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Read the poems and quotations on Work, page 210. From them plan the lesson on work and health. Use the chore folders Form D, page 360, for a silent reading lesson. Permit the children to read the chores, then to give one minute talks on them. Shoes, page 261. The water supply, page 279. Aim: To arouse a consciousness of the importance of a pure water supply and its relation to health. Bodily need for water, page 280. Keep in mind the points that qual- ify a pupil to become a member of the Round Table, page 363. Review the story, “The Round Table,” page 95. Section 5 Rules for a Good Sportsman, page 212. Read the Crusaders’ Code, page 356. Have the children choose different points from the Code for poster illus- trations. Health officers, page 367. Aim: To develop a sense of re- sponsibility in the health of the school. Complete plans for health officers for the seventh grade. Use Form D, chore record, page 360, an inspecting and a question- ing as a basis to determine which health habits need most emphasis for the pupils of the seventh grade. Ask the children to repeat the Crusader’s Creed. Exercise, page 191. Relief drill, page 173. Read directions for giving corrective exercises, page 170. Each teacher should secure a list OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 27 of the names of the pupils in the class room whose physical exercise under her supervision should be modified be- cause of organic weakness. Debate—“Resolved that golf pro- vides better exercise than ten- nis.” (See Debates, page 374.) This lesson should extend over more than one period that the pupils may have time to prepare data for it. Walking, page 194. Atm: To create an interest in a most beneficial form of ex- ercise. Organize a walking or hiking club, page 194. Study the games, sports and athletics of different nations, page 191. Correlate with geography. Section 6 Note the proper adjustment of the seats and desks and its relation to posture, page 197. Posture drill, page 170. Crusaders for Health, page 161. General Gorgas, page 161. Story—“The Making of our Coun- try’s Flag,” page 93. Aim: To teach what the flag means. To teach that good citizens should have good health habits. Community needs, page 378. Visit a dairy or a market. Note what provisions are made there for the health of the commu- nity. Discuss the excursion of the pre- vious day. Section 7 Community provisions for health, page 379- Weighing and measuring, page 308. Send the records home to the parents. Read General suggestions, page 312. Weighing and measuring, page 308. (See correct weight, Crusade manual.) (See bibliography, Nutrition, page 392.) Nervous children, page 341. (See Mental hygiene, page 339.) Questions to serve as a guide to nerv- ous children, page 341. Read health chores Form D, page 360. Use them to emphasize the formation of good health habits. Colds. Danger from colds, page 325. Teacher’s problem, page 325. What to do when a cold is develop- ing, page 325. Sore throat and colds, page 325. Plan a cold campaign, page 325. Signs of disorders of health, page 364. Section 8 Read the poems and quotations on Bathing, page 206. Use these for a lesson on cleanliness and its relation to health. Sleep. The proper way to sleep, page 318. Lack of sleep, page 320. Hours of sleep, page 319. A Guest Motto, page 320. Combine all the points in the previous lessons on sleep in a booklet. (See Booklets, page 375.) 28 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS The Story of Wheat, page 109. Wheat project, page 283. Safety, page 342. Fire Insurance, page 348. Discuss the topics, falls, burns and injuries from sharp instruments. Discuss their treatment. Assign topics to the different children who will report to the class. (See bibliography, First Aid, page 389.) Read Safety quotations, page 220. The use of gasoline, electrical devices, especially electric irons. The danger from rusty nails, rusty firearms and matches. Assign topics to the classes as in the previous lesson. Tobacco, page 305. Alcohol, page 306. Section 9 The State and Public Health, page 382. Review the story “The Making of Our Country’s Flag,” page 93. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. By discussibn, observation and in- spection decide which health habits need most emphasis. History of Medicine, page 239. Modern Medicine, page 240 Provisions the community makes for health, page 379. The uses of play, page 191. Suggested questions on community provisions for health, page 382. (This information should extend over more than one lesson.) A knowledge of social customs and usages, page 286. Award of honors to the children who have earned the privilege of be- coming members of the Round Table. Plan a special ceremony, program and recognition for these children. (See Crusade manual.) It is a signal honor that has come to the children and should be so em- phasized. Through working to be- come Knights of the Round Table they have formed health habits of far reaching benefit to themselves and others long after their seventh grade school days are but a memory. Grade VIII Most boys and girls in the public schools do not yet attain more than an eighth grade education. There- fore if the future citizens of our state are ever to gain a knowledge of health in its varied phases, and of the or- ganizations, official and voluntary, promoting it, they must take the study in and before the eighth grade. While the method of attack is along the same lines as in the lower grades, the subject matter must relate in part at least to the machinery of health, of what it consists and how it func- tions in relation to the citizen. The knowledge that healthy boys and girls are more efficient, more teachable, more law-abiding than those hampered by illness should stim- ulate us to prompt action. OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 29 Every boy desires to be strong and athletic. Every girl desires to have beauty and endurance. The wise teacher will build on these natural interests of the children and inspire them to do the things which will re- sult in physical beauty, strength, and efficiency. Health teaching should not be con- fined to any one lesson period but should be introduced at opportune times into every study in the curricu- lum. It is often a matter of empha- sis rather than formal instruction. A definite system of inspection and health record keeping is very helpful to the success of any school health program. It is especially urged that the pupils in this grade work for the honor of seats at the Round Table. Read the section on the Round Table in the Crusade man- ual. Section 1 The social value of cleanliness, page 249. Times to brush the teeth, page 268. Dental inspection, page 268. The wisdom teeth, page 269. The X-Ray, page 269. Bathing, page 249. Poem—“The Bath for Me,” page 207. Care of the hair, page 250. Clothing, page 259. Shoes, page 262. Posture drill, page 170. Weighing and measuring. (See General suggestions, page 312.) (See bibliography, Weighing and measuring, page 392.) Read Correct weight in the Crusade manual. Record the height and weight of each child, send this record home to the parents. (See “Weight Tags,” page 310.) Discuss the records with the children. Try to discover and to correct the causes of underweight. Use printed weight charts or make a chart which can be posted in the room. Place on it the names of the children. (See bibliography, Nutrition, page 392.) Section 2 The goal of health instruction, page 365- Use Form D, of the graded set of health chores as your guide, page 360. By inspection, questioning and ob- servation decide which health activ- ities need most emphasis in this grade. A daily inspection and a definite keeping of the record of the children’s health habits are helpful to the high- est success of a school health program. Emphasize the activities that will enable every child in the class to be- come a Knight of the Round Table. The Crusader’s Creed, page 216. Use the Crusader’s Creed for a lesson outline on good health habits. It is very desirable to inspire the pupils to become Knights of the Round Table. Read carefully the section on the Round Table in the Crusade manual. Rules for a Good Sportsman, page 212. The Crusaders’ Code, page 356. 30 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Use this as basic work for a health and citizenship lesson. Akiyama, the Japanese doctor, page 192. Walking, page 194. The value of play, page 192. Relief drill, page 173. Review the relief drill. Section 3 Use Form D, of the graded set of health chores as your guide, page 360. By inspection, questioning and observation decide which health ac- tivities need most emphasis in this grade. A daily inspection and a definite keeping of the record of the children’s health habits are very helpful to the highest success of a school health pro- gram. Emphasize the activities that will enable every child in the class to be- come a Knight of the Round Table. Story—“The Choice of Hercules,” page 69. Use the story, “The Choice of Her- cules,” to emphasize good health hab- its. Work. Aim: To teach that doing good work is a patriotic service to the state. To show that good health makes work easy. “He who scorns work as a pleasure must take it as a punishment.” —Victor Hugo. See quotations on Work, page 210. Use these quotations for a basis of a lesson on work and health. Read the other quotations on Work, page 211 for further sugges- tions. Posture. (See quotation from Physical Culture Magazine, page 213. See also bibliography, Posture, page 395-) Posture exercises, page 170. The relation of posture to health, page 197. Make a poster illustrating good pos- ture. (See Posters, page 374.) Fresh air and health. Poem—“Open all the windows,” page 200. (See bibliography, Air, page 385.) Read quotations under Fresh Air, page 200. Use them for a lesson plan on fresh air and health. Weigh and measure the children. Read Weighing and measuring, page 308. Section 4 Use Form D of the graded set of health chores as your guide, page 360. By inspection, questioning and observation decide which health activi- ties need most emphasis in this grade. Emphasize the activities that will enable every child in the class to be- come a Knight of the Round Table. Home Sanitation, page 254. (See bibliography, Sanitation, page 396.) Housing and health, page 254. The information in these two les- sons covers a review of the instruction in sanitation in the previous grades. Use it for several lessons if a need exists for it. OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 31 Assign subjects to the pupils upon which they are to prepare two minute talks to be given before the class: 1. Methods of ventilation. 2. Construction of sleeping rooms. 3. Window and door placing. 4. Cubic feet of air required under different conditions. (See bibliography, Air, page 385.) Have pupils give two minute talks assigned in the previous lesson. School Sanitation, page 255. Debate—“Resolved that life in the city is safer and healthier than life in the country.” (See Debates, page 374.) Divide the class into two groups, the affirmative and the negative. Permit each group to choose the lead- ers, other speakers, and different points to introduce and verify. Give the debate when it is finally worked out before a meeting of the Parent-Teacher Association, other groups or another grade. It will take more than two lesson periods to complete this work. Compile the information from sani- tation lessons, the two minute talks, and the debate into a note book for future reference. (See Booklets, page 375.) Section 5 Story—“His Sentinels,” page 72. Use this story for the basic work on prevention. Methods of prevention of disease, page 366. The eyes, page 353- (See bibliography, Eyes, page 388.) Rules for the care of the eyes, page 35i. The ears, page 354. Some health standards, page 364. Alcohol, page 306. Tobacco, page 305. Other enemies of children, page 366. Means of combating the enemies of health, page 366. Sources of available literature, page 397- Decide upon health topics for spe- cial study. Write to the organizations listed on page 397 for their literature on these subjects. Section 6 Colds, page 326. Story—“The Autobiography of the Tubercle Bacillus,” page 149. Review the story of “The Autobiog- raphy of the Tubercle Bacillus,” for beginning work on tubercu- losis. (See bibliography, Tuberculosis, page 389.) The tuberculosis or public health association for your state will send you valuable literature which will help greatly in presenting the subject. Write them for information. (See Letter writing, page 376.) Tuberculosis, page 327. Facts to present to children, page 328. In case of tuberculosis look to help from these. How tuberculosis can be prevented, page 328. Diet for children, page 301. Vitamines, page 296. Plan a day’s meals for the pupils of the class. (See Well-balanced meals, page 300. See bibliography, Well- 32 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS balanced meals, page 392.) “Malnutrition may lay the founda- tion for poor physical development, for ill-health in adult life, or may lead to tuberculosis.” Weigh and measure the children. Send the records home to the parents. Section 7 Use Form D of the graded set of health chores as your guide, page 360. By inspection, questioning and observation decide which health activi- ties need most emphasis in this grade. “Crusaders for Health,” Edward L. Trudeau, page 162. Read Procedure for biographical study, page 158. Assign to each member or group in the class different topics on the life of Trudeau for study, page 163. Story—“The Hunger for Happi- ness,” page 146. The love for the beautiful, page 337- Aim: To teach that health is beauty. Assign the topics in the preceding lesson for themes on the relation of beauty to health. Story—“What You Look For You Will Find,” page 58. Have children reproduce the story— “What you Look For You Will Find.” Cheerfulness: Aim: To teach the physiological need for laughter and cheer- fulness. Read ‘quotation by Ruskin, page 202. Read quotations on Laughter, page 204. Section 8 Read the quotations on Cheerful People, page 204. Use for the basis of a talk or a theme. Assign different ones to members of the class. Plan a class paper, page 241. The wise purchasing of food, page 303. When are substitutes advisable? page 303. Points besides correct diet that are involved in nutrition. Budget making, page 304. Food value of fruits, page 296. Story—“Corn,” page 106. (See bibliography, Cereals, page 393.) Story—“Four College Boys Who Kept Strong,” page 129. Elimination, page 292. (See bibliography, Elimination, page 394.) Section 9 Corrective exercises, page 170. Read directions for giving corrective exercise, page 170. Sleep. Poem—“The innocent sleep,” page 227. Read quotations on sleep and rest, page 224. Points to teach about sleep, page 321. Poem—“Motors,” page 215. Aim: To teach that prevention is better than cure. Safety Education. (See Industrial Accidents, page 349.) (See bibliography, Safety, page 390.) OUTLINES FOR THE GRADES 33 First Aid. The pupils of the eighth grade should be taught the principles of First Aid. This instruction may be the means of saving life. It also helps the pupil to take care of minor cuts and accidents in an intelligent sanitary manner. These lessons should be given two a week for three weeks or one a week for six weeks. Start with the simple bandages. Proceed to the more difficult les- sons. It is most desirable that these lessons be given by a physician or nurse. (See bibliography, First Aid, page 389.) Federal health agencies, page 383. Aim: To teach how the govern- ment protects the health of its citizens. Other agencies that promote health, page 384. The care of the baby, page 242. (This should extend over several lessons.) The History of Medicine, page 240. Plan a general review of the work. Go over the health habits care- fully. Decide what advice, suggestions and information are most needed and will be most helpful to the boys and girls as they pass from this grade into a higher one or into life outside the school. It was a wise educator who wrote long ago, “The success of the school shows in the men and women it sends into the world to take their needed places there.” Give ceremonial honor to pupils who have this year earned seats at the Round Table. CHAPTER II Stories The story is a most fascinating type of lesson which offers a whole- some means of health instruction and of the training in good health habits. The child’s attention is attracted, his interest is held and his fancy is quickened because health is clothed with beauty and desirability. The fixed and lasting impressions made by a well told story function in the daily life of the child. Facts woven into fascinating tales become his permanent possession. Children need stories just as they need food, toys, love, laughter and play. All these represent a form of child hunger which should be satis- fied. Suggestions for Story Telling 1. Tell stories you like. 2. If you cannot tell a story read it to the children. 3. Omit tiresome details when they are found in a story. 4. Cultivate a pleasing voice. “The ear is the pathway to the heart.” 5. Remember that all stories do not lend themselves well to dramatization and reproduc- tion. Arrangement of Stories The stories are grouped under the general headings of Air, Cheerful- ness, Cleanliness, Contentment, Exer- cise, Eyes, General, Good Health Habits, Helpfulness, Knighthood, Microbes, Nutrition, Posture, Rest, Right Thinking and Tuberculosis. The stories are placed in each group so that the ones suitable for the lower grades come first, with a progression to the upper grades. i. Air The Clove Merchant Once there was a fat, jolly Sultan, Rasched A1 Houn, who wanted every one in his country to be happy. “Be merry, my people,” he said. He let a great round councillor think for him about the laws and a long slim one think about the government so that his mind was free for joy and satisfaction. In the valley was a clove merchant who had a serious face. His voice was low and clear, he spoke very slowly and people waited at the door of his hut to hear the soft, melodious tones. “Think, think—learn the 34 STORIES 35 laws of nature,” he said, “and be wise.” And the people who had long followed the Sultan’s teaching went away wondering. One day the Sultan’s little boy fell ill and the Sultan instantly sum- moned all of his thinkers. They pondered, fussed about and finally placed the child in the richest palace room on a bed of silk and down, amid heavy draperies and overpowering in- cense. There was a jester to amuse him, but the little boy soon died. Then other children became ill. The frenzied parents rushed to the highest in authority, the Sultan and his thinkers, but of course the only way they knew was to keep the chil- dren amused and care for them in silken, spicy bowers, and all, even the very hardiest little urchins, died. Finally the clove merchant’s child caught the disease. The poor man was stunned and he sat by his hut with his head sunk into his arms. “Go to the Sultan,” said the people, but he sat very still and did not hear them. Suddenly he entered the hut, wrapped the little boy in a great skin and gathered him up in his arms. Then he went off into the forest to an opening full of sunshine and fresh, sweet air. He swung the boy in his skin hammock between two trees and covered him well. Each morning and night he bathed the lad tenderly in a little, sun-warmed brook. He caught the goats, milked them and fed the boy also with the eggs of wild birds. One morning the child laughed aloud, and soon his father carried him home on his shoulder, triumphant. Then the men of the village flocked to him. The Sultan, in a magnifi- cent litter, stopped before the door of his hut and made humble obeisance. “Ola, Ola,” sang one of the incense bearers. “He is the god of all knowledge.” “Yes, yes,” chimed in the voices. “He knows how best to do things.” “We will follow his teachings and be wise,” said the Sultan. “And healthy,” added the incense bearer. —Mildred Evans—from “The Crusader.” Copyrighted and used by permission of the Wisconsin Anti- Tuberculosis Association. How the Holly Berry Almost Lost Its Red Cheeks Once upon a time a bright red holly berry tipped the end of a branch on a holly bush that grew far in the Southland. The breezes, roguish, and loving the little red berry, touched and tipped its cheeks with red and the jolly sunbeams made it laugh. One day the holly berry refused to play with the winds, she paid no at- tention to the glances of the sun- beams; she crept under the edge of a leaf and sulked. The sunbeams came, they poked their fingers under the leaf, they sang and shone their brightest but the holly berry would not play. For two, three, four days, Holly Berry sulked. On the fourth day, one of the sunbeams whose name was Early Morn, said to the rest, “Beam, we must do something. Holly Berry is getting pale.” “Yes, yes, but what shall we do?” “Ask the Snowbird. He knows.” 36 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Far away, on the very top-branch of a tall pine tree could be seen a tiny speck. It was the Snowbird. The sunbeams gaily danced over the grass, glinted on this tree and that, hurried up the pine tree and shone softly on the Snowbird. A snowbird in his travels sees many happenings and knows many secrets. “Snowbird,” the sunbeams cried, “can you tell us what is the matter with Holly Berry? She stays in one corner of her leaf and she will not play with us or the wind.” “Yes, I can tell you,” answered the Snowbird. “Long ago, when the Holly Berry was born, the East Wind told me that one day she would refuse to play with the winds and the sun and that day, she would begin to lose her red cheeks.” “Tomorrow is Christmas,” cried Early Morn, “and the little girl who lives in the small white house next to the holly bush is going to use Holly Berry on her table. We don’t want her to be disappointed. She leaves her windows open so the sunshine can get in.” The Snowbird answered, “She won’t be. When Holly Berry knows that she would lose her red cheeks, she will play with you. Let’s go and see her.” Over the fields, over trees, over houses that lay like little white blocks in the fields, over a river that spar- kled and danced in the light of the sunbeams, flew the Snowbird with the sunbeams darting and dashing after it. The sunbeams were very excited, in their great haste, tumbling and falling over each other. Early Morn, the straightest, youngest and most brilliant of them all, was al- ways in the lead. Little Holly Berry when she saw the sunbeams leave her, peeked under the leaf to see if they were coming back. I can’t imagine and nobody ever told me why she did not want to play in the sun and the wind and I could never understand why she would not. Straight to the leaf under which Holly Berry was hiding, flew the Snowbird. “Holly Berry, Holly Berry, don’t you know what day tomorrow is? Tomorrow is Christmas! Little girl needs you. Are you going to dis- appoint her?” No answer. “Holly Berry, let me tell you a story. Long ago the East Wind told me that there would come a day when the winds could no longer tip the Holly Berry’s cheeks with red and when the sunbeams could not make it laugh. I did not believe him. When you were made, you grew on a beautiful green bush. The fairies made prickly edges on your leaves and called the winds and sun to make you beautiful. The East Wind, the North Wind, the South Wind, and the West Wind all came with their pots of red paint. For you must know that the winds always have on hand a large supply of red paint to paint the cheeks of boys and girls. It was this paint that they brought to make you lovely. The South Wind gave you gentleness, the West Wind brought joy, the North Wind strength and the East Wind happi- ness. When they had painted you, the West Wind said, “Oh, Holly STORIES 37 Berry, as long as you live with the winds and the sun, you will be beauti- ful. If there ever comes a day when you refuse to play with them, no long- er will your cheeks be red, and happi- ness, health and strength and beauty will leave you.” Suddenly, the winds whistled, there was a great burst of sunshine and there on her holly branch, singing and shining in the sun as if she had never done otherwise, was the holly berry. She was not really a naughty holly berry. The winds dashed her cheeks with red, the sunbeams kissed her and made her laugh. This, dear children, is the story of how the holly berry almost lost its red cheeks. You, too, can keep red cheeks and find health, joy and happiness if you play in the sun and the wind. —Used by permission of the Michi- gan State Dept, of Health Nancy’s Dream Once upon a time a little girl named Nancy dreamed that she and her friend, Virginia, were walking together through a wood in winter. Soon they came to a high rocky cliff that rose up among the trees, and in the middle of the cliff was a cave. A red light shone out of the mouth of the cave. As they drew nearer, holding each other’s hands because they were just a tiny bit frightened, they saw that a big fire was burning inside. About the fire, little figures were moving. When two or three of them came out to see who was pass- ing, the children were not frightened any longer, for they saw that the people who lived in the cave were little Mountain Elves. The Elves came up to Nancy and Virginia and bowed very politely, almost touching the ground with their tall, pointed caps. “Won’t you come in, pretty chil- dren,” they said, “and rest by our fire? You can lie on soft couches of pine needles in the warm cave, and we will sing you to sleep with our sweet mountain lullabies.” “That sounds pleasant,” said Nan- cy, “and it is very polite of you to ask us.” “Wait a moment, though,” said Virginia. “Who are these coming?” They all looked around, and who should come trooping through the woods but a whole party of Snow Fairies, dancing, leaping and frolick- ing, with little shiny crowns of snow crystals in their hair. “Come and play with us, children,” they cried, “Come out and romp in the snow. We will chase you and roll you over and pinch your cheeks with the frost, until they shine as pink as round apples in the autumn. Our hearts are as light as the snow that the wind drives before it, and we sparkle like the snow crust when the sun shines on it through the forest.” “I want to play with the Snow Fairies,” cried Virginia joyously. “No,” said Nancy, “it is cold and I shall stay in the cave.” This was a dream, remember. In real life Nancy and Virginia were such good friends that nothing would separate them; but in the dream Virginia went off to play with the Snow Fairies and Nancy dozed in the cave of the Mountain Elves. 38 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Late in the afternoon Virginia and the Fairies came storming back, and the light of the sun was in their eyes and the breath of the wind was in their dancing. Virginia cried, “Oh, Nancy, we have had the most won- derful time. We have played tag among the trees on the smooth snow crust, we have coasted down the hills and built snow houses in the hollows. I never had such a beauti- ful day in my life. What have you done, Nancy?” But Nancy, having done nothing at all but doze over the fire, felt dull and cross and sleepy. So when she woke up after the dream was all over, she made up her mind she would go out and play with the Snow Fairies instead of staying by the fire, when she had the chance next time. —C.-E. A. Winslow, from “Healthy LivingBook I. Copyright 1918 by Charles E. Merrill Company. Used by permission of the publisher. Breath of Air “I am only a breath of air, but I have much to do with making you well and strong. “I go in through your nose and down inside your windpipe. When I reach your lungs I pass into a great many tiny rooms that have thin walls. Here I find the warm blood all about me. “A part of myself, which you call oxygen, goes from me into the blood and makes it turn a bright red color. The blood is glad to get my oxygen to carry through your body. “Some impurities of the blood come through the thin wall into me. I am cool and pure when I go into your lungs, but when I come out, I am warm and impure. “I am glad to get out of your close, warm lungs into the open air. “Do not breathe me back into your lungs, for I am not fit to come near your blood. I have lost so much of my oxygen and am so full of impur- ities that I will make you weak and sick. “Open the windows so that I can get out of doors, and let in some fresh air for your breath, so that you may be strong. “So it is, that all the minutes of your life you are taking breaths like me to help in making your blood pure.” —Cleveland School of Education, Summer Session 1920. Outline of Topic given by Minnie C. D’Er- rico. A Third Grade Boy’s Composi- tion on Breathing Breathing is made of air. We breathe with our lungs, our lights, our livers and our skin—if it’s not all stopped up with dust or dirt or powder. If it wasn’t for our breath we would die when we slept. Our breath keeps the life a-going through the nose when we are asleep. Our noses was made for breath and our mouths for food and to talk with. People in a room make bad, foul, unholy, some air. They make car- bonicide. Carbonicide is poisoner than a mad dog. A heap of soldiers was in a black hole in India and a Carbonicide got into the hole and killed nearly every one before morning. STORIES 39 Girls and women kill the breath with corsets that squeeze the diagram. Girls can’t holler or run like boys when their diagrams are squeezed too much. I’d rather run and holler and breathe lots of air and have bright eyes and rosy cheeks and a good ap- petite and a good diagram. Give me air or give me death. —From “Good Health 2. Cheerfulness The Beautiful White Dove Once upon a time there lived a beautiful white dove. She was so beautiful. Her feathers were always so clean and so white. They were also just as neat as neat can be. She bathed every day and brushed her feathers until they shone. Her home was very near the home of a growly, grizzly bear. He growled and growled so loud even in play that the dove grew tired of hear- ing him. One day she decided to go away. “Coo, coo,” said the beautiful white dove. “I shall find another place to live, I shall find another place to live.” She flew far, far away. Finally she came to a pretty white house with green shutters. The yard was so neat, the flowers so bright that it looked like a lovely picture. But best of all was a little fair-haired girl who was playing in the yard. “What a beautiful place to live, what a beautiful place to live,” cooed the white dove. She flew to a high tree and said, “I like this place, I like this place. I shall build my nest in the little red barn at the end of the lot.” Just then the little girl’s mother came to the door and said, “Come in dear, it is getting late.” “Boo-Hoo! Boo-hoo! I don’t want to come in,” cried the little girl. The dove flew hastily away saying, “I should rather live next door to the growly, grizzly bear than a child who crys and snarls when her mother asks her to do something.” —Adapted from an old folk tale. Johnny Cross His real name was not Johnny Cross. He was called that because he was such a cross boy. Whenever anybody spoke to him, he always re- plied in an angry tone of voice, and he never smiled. When his mother or sisters asked him to help them he would not, but sat in a corner all day long and just sulked. None of the children in his neighborhood liked to play with him, and poor Johnny Cross was very unhappy. One day Johnny went for a walk in the woods. After he had walked for a long time he grew tired, and sat down under a tree. He felt so miserable that he soon began to cry. Before long a pretty red robin flew from a tree and alighted on the ground in front of the boy. “Dear Johnny Cross,” began the robin. This made Johnny sit up and stare hard, because nobody else ever talked to him like that. “I’ve been 40 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS up in the tree top watching you,” went on the robin, “and when I saw you crying, I determined to come down and help you. Johnny Cross, look at me.” The boy obeyed. “You are crying because you have no friends. You have no friends be- cause you do not wish for any,” con- tinued the robin. “Oh, but I do,” interrupted Johnny. “Oh, but you don’t,” corrected Robin Redbreast. “Now listen to me. I want you to see what a silly boy you have been. Just because you have been called Johnny Cross is no reason that you will always be called Johnny Cross.” “But everybody calls me that, and I don’t like it,” answered the boy. “Yes, I know,” said Mr. Robin. “Now you are coming for a walk with me and I’m going to show you how people act who have lots of friends. When we return you will be a different boy.” Strange to say, Johnny didn’t get cross, or answer Mr. Robin in a harsh voice, but he listened carefully to every word the little creature said. Soon they started out on their walk. First of all they met Mr. Chip- munk. “Good morning, Mr. Chipmunk,” said the robin cheerily. “Oh, good morning,” answered the chipmunk, in a voice just as pleasant as the rob- in’s. “Mr. Chipmunk,” said Mr. Robin, “I left some nice fat worms over in the field for Mrs. Robin and the baby robins. I have some busi- ness to attend to now and cannot go for them. Would it be asking too much of you to carry them to my nest in the oak-tree?” “Oh, I shall be only too glad to go,” replied Mr. Chipmunk quickly. “Mrs. Robin and the baby robins will have those nice fat worms before you can wink one eye.” And off scam- pered Mr. Chipmunk in the direc- tion of the field. “Why!” gasped Johnny. “He was so willing to help you. I didn’t know that Mr. Chipmunk was so kind.” Mr. Robin didn’t say a word, but just smiled to himself. Next they met Mrs. Meadow Lark. “Good-day to you, Mrs. Meadow Lark,” cried Mr. Robin. “Come over and see us tomorrow. Mrs. Robin has some splendid ripe red cherries for you. Bring Mr. Meadow Lark so that he may carry them home.” “Oh, I shall be pleased to come,” replied Mrs. Meadow Lark. “When I go over I must carry some nice soft down that I found, so that Mrs. Robin can line the nest with it. It will be nice and soft for the baby robins to lie in.” “Thank you so much, Mrs. Meadow Lark,” said Mr. Robin, and with a sweet song he was on his way again. “I wish everybody wanted to help me the way these creatures in the woods help each other,” said Johnny Cross. “But you must start helping some- body else, and then people will help you,” replied Mr. Robin. They had not gone far when they met Mrs. Gray Toad. “Oh, Mr. Robin,” she called out, “I was just looking for you to ask you and Mrs. Robin and the baby robins over to our party next week. All the Brown Thrushes and the Meadow Larks are STORIES 41 coming and we shall have a grand time. Won’t you come?” “We shall be delighted,” replied Mr. Robin. “By the way, Mrs. Gray Toad, will you take some nice spring water over to Mrs. Meadow Lark’s tomorrow? The spring near their nest is dry, and the little meadow larks are thirsty.” “Oh, I’ll go right now,” answered Mrs. Gray Toad. “Those dear lit- tle meadow larks mustn’t be thirsty another minute.” And off hopped Mrs. Gray Toad to help the little meadow larks. Mr. Robin looked at the sun. “It’s nearly dinner time,” he said to Johnny Cross, “we must turn back. What do you think of my friends in the woods?” “Oh,” said Johnny, “I never knew that creatures could be so kind to one another. Everybody seems to be waiting for a chance to help everybody else. And they are all so cheerful about helping.” “Yes, and that is just what you are going to do. You are going to begin this very minute,” Mr. Robin said. “When you speak to people be sure you speak pleasantly. Don’t be afraid to smile. And just see how many times in every hour of the day you can help somebody. I’m not go- ing to call you Johnny Cross any more, because I know you’ve already changed.” Then away flew Mr. Robin, singing another song. Johnny went home, smiling all the way. When he got home he chopped some wood for his mother, and brought an armful of sticks into the house, whistling as he did so. Then he fixed his sister’s doll, which .she was crying over. After that he went into the barn and made a fine kite for Ned Lee, the boy next door. Day after day, Johnny spent his time helping others. Soon he had as many friends as Mr. Robin, and he grew happier and happier. Of course everybody wondered at the change that had come over Johnny, but no one ever called him Johnny Cross again, because that could no longer be his name. —Ruth Irma Low from “In Story- land’’ used by permission of Small, Maynard & Company. The Health Teaching of the Master He taught that Health is more precious than Things. He was an outdoor Man most of all. The greater part of His teaching was done not in temples but along the shores of the lake. He would not sleep in- doors apparently if He could slip away to the mountain and lie down under the stars. There were happiness and laughter where He went. Men forgot the little things in the wholesome joy of living. In His greatest burden and anxiety He was never too burdened nor too busy to be kind. On these fundamentals true success is built on Health, on Happiness and on Kindness. Few learn the lesson soon enough but that makes the lesson no less true. —Extract from an editorial in “Col- lier’s Weekly,” Dec. 1920. Cheery People Oh, the comfort of them! There is but one thing like them—that is sun- shine. It is the fashion to state the 42 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS comparison the other end foremost, —to flatter the cheery people by com- paring them to the sun. I think it is the best way of praising the sun- shine, to say that it is almost as bright and inspiring as the presence of the cheery people. That the cheery people are brighter and better even than sunshine is very easily proved; for who has not seen a cheery person make a room and a day bright in spite of the sun’s not shining at all,—in spite of clouds and rain and cold all doing their best to make it dismal? In fact, I believe cheery people and the sun always will be such good friends, and work so steadily together for the same ends, that there is no danger of either’s grudging the other the credit of what has been done. The more you think of it, the more you see how wonderfully alike the two are. The sun on the fields makes things grow—fruits and flowers and grains. The cheery person in the house makes everybody do his best,—makes the one who can sing feel like singing, and the one who has hard work to do feel like shouldering it bravely and having it over with. The music, the mirth and the work in the house, are they not like the flowers and fruits and grains in the fields? The sun makes everybody glad. Even the animals run and leap, and seem more joyous when it shines out. No human being can be so cross- grained, or so ill, that he does not brighten up a little when a great broad, warm sunbeam streams over him and plays on his face. It is just so with a cheery person. His simple presence makes even ani- mals happier. Dogs know the differ- ence between him and a surly man. When he pats them on the head and speaks to them, they jump and run about him just as they do in the sun- shine. When the cheery person comes into the room where people are ill, or out of sorts, or dull and tired, they brighten in spite of themselves, just as they do when a sudden sunbeam pours in,—only more so. We often see people so ill they do not care whether the sun shines or not, or so unhappy that they do not even see whether the sun shines or not; but I have never yet seen anybody so un- happy or so ill that the voice and face of a cheery person would not make him brighten a little. If there were only a sure and cer- tain recipe for making a cheery per- son, how glad we all would be to try it! How thankful we all would be to do good like sunshine! to cheer everybody and help everybody along, —to have everybody’s face brighten the minute we came in sight! Why, it seems to me that there cannot be in this life any pleasure half so great as this would be. Men who have done things which have made them famous, such as win- ning great battles or filling high of- fices, often have what are called “ova- tions.” Hundreds of people get to- gether and make a procession, per- haps, or go into a great hall and make speeches, all to show that they recognize what the great man has done. How much greater a thing it STORIES 43 would be for a person to have every man, woman, and child in his own town know and love his face because it was full of kindly good cheer! Such a person has a perpetual “ova- tion,” year in and year out, whenever he walks on the street, whenever he enters a friend’s house. I said if there were only a recipe— a sure and certain recipe—for making a cheery person, we would all be glad to try it. There is no such recipe, and perhaps if there were, it is not quite certain that we would all try it. It would take time and trouble. Cheeriness could not be taught, like writing, “in twenty lessons.” I believe that it is, in the outset, a good gift from God at one’s birth, very much dependent on one’s body, and a thing to be more grateful for than all that genius ever inspired, or talent ever accomplished. This is natural, spontaneous cheeriness. Next best to this is deliberate, in- tended, and persistent cheeriness, which we can create, can cultivate, and can foster and cherish. To do this we have only to watch the cheeri- est people we know, and to follow their example. We shall see, first, that the cheery person never minds—or if he minds, never says a word about—small wor- ries, vexations, perplexities. Second, that he is brimful of sympathy in other people’s gladness. He is heart- ily glad of every bit of good luck or joy which comes to other peo- ple. Thirdly, he has a keen sense of humor, and never lets any droll thing escape him. He thinks it worth while to laugh at every amusing thing, no matter how small; he has his laugh, a good hearty laugh too, and tries to make everybody share it. Patience, sympathy, and humor,— these are the three best traits in the cheery person. But there is something else, which is more an emotion than a trait, more a state of feeling than a quality of mind. This is lovingness. This is the secret, so far as there is a secret; this is the real point of difference be- tween the mirth of the witty and sar- castic person, which does us no good, and the mirth of the cheery per- son, which “doeth good like a medi- * cine. Somebody once asked a great painter, whose pictures were remark- able for their exquisite and beautiful coloring, “Pray, Mr. , how do you mix your colors?” “With brains, madam—with brains,” answered the painter. He spoke the truth. All men had or might have had the colors he used; but no man produced the colors he produced. So I would say of cheeriness. Pa- tience, sympathy, and humor are the colors; but patience may be mere dog- gedness, sympathy may be wordy, shallow and selfish, and humor may be only a sharp perception of the ri- diculous. Only when they are mixed with love—love, three times love—do we have the true good cheei of genu- ine cheery people. —Helen Hunt Jackson, in “Story Book Treasuresby Clara Murray. Used by permission of Little, Brown & Co. 44 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS 3. Cleanliness (Hands) Billy Boy Billy Boy had been playing in the field all morning. He was hungry and ran to the house for some sugar cookies. “Please mother, I should like two of them to take with me to the pas- ture.” “Take them, little son, but be sure to wash your hands before you touch them.” Now Billy Boy usually minded his mother because he loved her dearly but today he was in such a hurry that he forgot. He hurriedly took the two cookies and ran back to the pasture where he had piled high a fortress of leaves. He sat on the cushiony walls and con- tentedly ate them. The warm sun shone on him and he nestled closer down in the leaves. H is pet pussy cat came slowly down the path. “Come and sit with me, Gray Pussy, sing to me and purr a story for me.” “Indeed, I shall not,” said Gray Pussy. “Your face is dirty and you didn’t wash your hands before you ate. Oh, no, no, I like to stay with little boys who wash their hands and faces.” She walked away, jumped up on the fence and began to wash her face with her paws. Gallop and trot, gallop and trot, came a little black pony down the path. “Why, little Black Pony, where have you been? Do stop and play with me.” “Not today,” said little Black Pony, “it is nearly dinner time and I am hungry but I do want a drink before I eat. I always drink water before I eat if I can get it. Good-bye.” And he galloped merrily along down the path. Just then a Scotch collie came marching along. “Stop and play with me, Collie Dog,” said Billy Boy. “Not today,” said Collie Dog. “There are so many things I must do to help others. Drive the cattle home, look after the sheep, keep the pigs away from the apple barrel your father had to leave in the orchard. No, Billy Boy, it is more fun to help others today. Some other time I will play with you.” Bang! Billy Boy tumbled over backward and laughed. He had been asleep on his leaf fortress and the STORIES 45 animals hadn’t really talked to him at all. But as he went to the house he said: “Gray Pussy, I will wash my hands before I eat; Black Pony, I will remember to drink a glass of water before my meals, and Gray Collie, I want you to know I am go- ing in right now and ask mother to let me help her.” And he did. —Theresa Dansdill. Hated Cold Water If you had seen Freddy and Joe Hall paddling in the pasture brook, or in the mud-puddles after a shower, you would have thought that they were boys who liked the water. But had you seen them when their mother told them to wash their faces, you would have had a very different opin- ion. They would groan and grumble. Freddy said: “I just hate cold water! I don’t see why folks want to be so particular about their hands and faces.” Joe whiningly said: “I’ll be so glad when I’m a man, then I’ll never wash my hands and face nor clean my finger nails.” One day Mrs. Hall said: “Boys, I am going to offer a reward. The boy who will wash his face and comb his hair every morning for one month, without being told to do so, can go to grandmother’s and visit for a week.” You should have seen the boys jump and caper. “I’ll do it, I’ll do it sure!” they both exclaimed. Boys know that it means a great deal to visit at grandmother’s. It means that they will be petted and humored and fed on sweetmeats. And these two boys felt that nothing less than such a reward would have paid them for such an arduous month; for neither of them failed one morn- ing. They won their reward fairly, and both boys went on the visit. When the boys told their grand- mother how it was that they came, she wore a very grave countenance. “My little boys,” she said, “can it be possible that you do not wash your faces and hands without being told or hired? I am really ashamed of you. To think of your giving your busy mother so much trouble! Why, such boys are not worth making pies and cookies for.” The morning the boys left their grandmother said: “When I see you again, boys, I shall want to know whether you have got out of your babyhood or not.” The boys understood, and Fred said: “Grandmother, you needn’t be ashamed of us any more, for mam- ma will never have to tell us to wash our faces again.” —"The Foolish Foxcopyrighted and used by permission of the A. L. Burt Co. 4. Cleanliness (General) Dust Under the Rug There was once a mother, who had two little daughters; she was very poor, and she worked diligently all 46 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS the time that they might be well fed and clothed. She was a skilled work- er, and found work to do away from home, but her two little girls were so good and so helpful that they kept her house as neat and as bright as a new pin. One of the little girls was lame, and could not run about the house. She sat still in her chair and sewed, while Minnie, the sister, washed the dishes, swept the floor, and made the home beautiful. Their home was on the edge of a great forest. After their tasks were finished the little girls would sit at the window and watch the tall trees as they bent in the wind, until it would seem as though the trees were real persons, nodding, bending and bowing to each other. In the Spring there were the birds, in the Summer the wild flowers, in the Autumn the bright leaves, and in Winter the great drifts of white snow. The whole year was a round of delight to the two happy children. But one day the dear mother came home ill; then they were all sad. It was Winter, and there were many things to buy. Minnie and her little sister sat by the fire, talked it over, and at last Minnie said:— “Dear sister, I must go out to find work, before the food gives out.” So she kissed her mother, put on her wraps, and started from home. There was a narrow path leading through the forest. She determined to follow it until she reached some place where she might find work she wanted. As she hurried on, the shadows grew deeper. The night was coming fast when she saw before her a very small house, which was a welcome sight. She made haste to reach it, and to knock at the door. Nobody came in answer to her knock. When she had tried again and again, she thought that nobody lived there. She opened the door and walked in, think- ing that she would stay all night. As soon as she stepped into the house, she started back in surprise; for there before her she saw twelve little beds with the bedclothes all tumbled, twelve little dirty plates on a very dusty table, and the floor of the room so dusty that I am sure you could have drawn a picture on it. “Dear me!” said the little girl, “this will never do!” And as soon as she had warmed her hands, she set to work to make the room tidy. She washed the plates, she made the beds, she swept the floor, she straight- ened the great rug in front of the fireplace, and set the twelve little chairs in a half circle around the fire. Just as she finished, the door opened and in walked twelve of the queerest little people she had ever seen. They were just about as tall as a carpenter’s rule, and all wore yellow clothes. When Minnie saw this, she knew that they must be the dwarfs who kept the gold in the heart of the mountain. “Well!” said the dwarfs all to- gether, for they always spoke together and in rhyme, “Now isn’t this a sweet surprise? We really can’t believe our eyes!” Then they spied Minnie, and cried in great astonishment:— “Who can this be, so fair and mild? Our helper is a stranger child.” STORIES 47 Now when Minnie saw the dwarfs, she came to meet them. “If you please,” she said, “I am little Minnie Grey. I’m looking for work because my dear mother is sick. I came in here when the night drew near.” Here all the dwarfs laughed, and called out merrily:— “You found our room a sorry sight, But you have made it clean and bright.” They were such dear funny little dwarfs! After they had thanked Minnie for her trouble, they took white bread and honey from the closet and asked her to sup with them. While they sat at supper, they told her that their fairy housekeeper had taken a holiday, and their house was not well kept, because she was away. They sighed when they said this; and after supper, when Minnie washed the dishes and set them care- fully away, they looked at her often and talked among themselves. When the last plate was in its place they called Minnie to them and said:— “Dear mortal maiden will you stay All through our fairy’s holiday? And if you faithful prove, and good, We will reward you as we should.” Now Minnie was much pleased, for she liked the kind dwarfs, and wanted to help them, so she thanked them, and went to bed to dream happy dreams. Next morning she was awake with the chickens, and cooked a nice break- fast. After the dwarfs had left, she cleaned up the room and mended the dwarf’s clothes. In the evening when the dwarfs came home, they found a bright fire and a warm supper wait- ing for them. Every day Minnie worked faithfully until the last day of the fairy housekeeper’s holiday. That morning, as Minnie looked out of the window to watch the dwarfs go to their work, she saw on one of the window panes the most beautiful picture she had ever seen. A picture of fairy palaces with towers of silver and frosted pinnacles, so wonderful and beautiful that as she looked at it she forgot that there was work to be done, until the cuckoo clock on the mantel struck twelve. Then she ran in haste to make the beds, and wash the dishes. Because she was in a hurry she could not work quickly, and when she took the broom to sweep the floor it was almost time for the dwarfs to come home. “I believe,” said Minnie aloud, “that I will not sweep under the rug today. After all, it is nothing for dust to be where it can’t be seen!” So she hurried to her supper and left the rug unturned. Before long the dwarfs came home. As the rooms looked just as usual, nothing was said; and Minnie thought no more of the dust until she went to bed an,d the stars peeped through the window. Then she thought of it, for it seemed to her that she could hear the stars saying:— “There is the little girl who is so faithful and good”; and Minnie turned her face to the wall, for a little voice, right in her own heart, said:— “Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!” “There is the little girl,” cried the stars, “who keeps home as bright as star-shine.” “Dust under the rug! dust under 48 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS the rug!” said the little voice in Min- nie’s heart. She could bear it no longer. So she sprang out of bed, and, taking her broom in her hand, she swept the dust away; and lo! under the dust lay twelve shining gold pieces, as round and as bright as the moon. “Oh! oh! oh!” cried Minnie, in great surprise; and all the little dwarfs came running to see what was the matter. Minnie told them all about it. When she had ended her story, the dwarfs gathered lovingly around her and said:—• “Dear child, the gold is all for you, For faithful you have proved and true; But had you left the rug unturned, A groat was all you would have earned. Our love goes with the gold we give, And oh! forget not while you live, That in the smallest duty done Lies wealth of joy for every one.” Minnie thanked the dwarfs for their kindness to her; and early next morning she hastened home with her golden treasure, which bought many good things for the dear mother and little sister. She never saw the dwarfs again; but she never forgot their lesson, to do her work faithfully; and she al- ways swept under the rug. —From “Mother Storiesby Maud Lindsay, used by permission of the Milton Bradley Company. Mrs. Fly and Mrs. Mosquito De- cide to Leave Cleanville One evening in midsummer Mrs. Mosquito was sitting on the wall of the barn, just under the eaves where it is warm and pleasant. All at once there was a great buzzing. Mrs. Fly came flying along and settled down beside her, very much hurried and out of breath. “Good evening, my dear. You seem a little flustered,” she said to the newcomer politely. “Is anything the matter?” “Everything is the matter, indeed,” replied Mrs. Fly in a tone of bitter disgust. “I have just been chased out of the house by a little girl with a fly-killer. I don’t mind that so much, because she never could get near me. I took care of that. But inside the house every single bit of food was covered so that I could get nothing to eat. The lid was on the sugar bowl and a napkin over the top of the cream pitcher.” “It’s too bad,” Mrs. Mosquito an- swered feelingly. “I have had a hard time, too. I have been looking all day for a good place to lay my eggs so that my babies could grow up hap- pily, and if you will believe it, I could not find a single one. The swamp behind the barn has been drained, and there is a tight cover on the rain barrel. Those wretched Boy Scouts have even taken away the old tins by the fence at the end of the orchard, which used to be full of water after every rain. Life is very difficult nowadays.” “Yes, and it’s all the fault of those same Boy Scouts,” broke in her friend, still bursting with indignation. “They found some of my brothers and sisters feeding quietly and peace- ably in the manure pile. They told their father about it, and now he keeps the manure in a tight bin. They have cleaned up the rubbish pile at the end of the garden. Mrs. Mosquito, this is no place for a poor STORIES 49 insect to get a living any longer. Let us move to the next town and see if things are not better there.” ‘‘I believe you are right,” said Mrs. Mosquito. “I believe you are right. Cleanville has no attraction for in- sects any longer. We will leave it to the human beings, and we will carry our malaria and typhoid germs to some other place, where the people are kinder and more hospitable.” So they flew off together through the twilight; but everybody else in Cleanville said that the Boy Scouts had been doing a good summer’s work. —C.-E. A. Winslow, from “Healthy Living ” Book I. Copy- right, 1918, by Charles E. Merrill Co. Story of the Cotton Baby Way down in my warm cradle, I could hear the raindrops play, the breezes sing their soft lullabies and could feel the warm fingers of the many bright sunbeams as they caressed my brown cozy cradle. One bright sunny day in our South- land my cradle seemed too small for me, so when the breezes rocked me quietly to and fro—my cradle snapped open and behold! What a beautiful white world I could see. Many, many little sisters and broth- ers half awakened that morning and I could hear the breezes sigh, “My, what thousands of soft, white fat babies in this great cotton field.” Yes, soft white fat babies but we all had a service in this great world. Soon we were plucked from our cra- dle, packed tightly together and sent for our first cleaning and combing. It seemed as if at some time I had heard that all babies had a bath the very first thing in this wonderful world. Why not? Who wants any- thing near them that is dirty or un- tidy? My! what a combing I had —you never would believe how many hard snarls came out. Some one called them cotton seeds but whatever they were I looked far more beauti- ful and felt more comfortable with- out them. Very soon I became very long and thin indeed. If you please, I was now called cloth—oh! such fine cloth—so fine that I am your very best handkerchief. Do you know, my little friends, why I wanted to be a handkerchief? I shall tell you.— What little child can be without one? What big man or woman can be clean and healthy without one ? Without handkerchiefs every one in this great big world would so many times be uncomfortable. So you see, my little friends, I chose a life of service. I became a friend to Health and a necessary friend to every big and little child in this wonderful world of ours. —Florence A. Powell, Cleveland School of Education. Used by per- mission of the Author. 5. Cleanliness (Bathing) How the Singing Water Got to the Tub Once there was a little singing stream of water. It sang whatever it did. And it did many things from the time it bubbled in the far-away 50 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS hills to the time it splashed into the dirty little boy’s tub. It began as a little spring of water. Then the water was cool as cool could be for it came from the deep cool earth all hidden away from the sun. It came into a little hollow scooped out of the earth and in the hollow were tiny pebbles. Right up through the pebbles bubbling and gur- gling it came. What do you suppose the water did when the little hollow was all full? It did just what water always does, it tried to find a way to run down hill! One side of the little hollow was lower than the others and here the water spilled over and trickled down. This is the song the water sang then: “I bubble up so cool Over the edge I spill Into the pebbly pool And gallop down the hill.” So the water became a little stream and began its long journey to the little boy’s tub. Always it wanted to run down—always down, and as it ran, it tinkled this song: “I sing, I run, In the shade, in the sun, It is always fun To sing and to run.” Sometimes it pushed under twigs and leaves. Sometimes it made a big noise tumbling over the roots of trees. Sometimes it flowed all quiet and slow through the long grasses in a meadow. Once it came to the edge of a big rock and over it went, splash- ing, crashing, dashing and making a fine, fine spray. It sang to the little birds that took their baths in the spray. The little birds ruffled their feathers to get dry and sang back to the little brook. It sang to the bunny rabbit who got his whiskers all wet when he took a drink. It sang to the mother deer who always came to the same place and licked up some water with her tongue. To all of these and to many more little wild wood things the little brook rippled its song: “I sing, I run, In the shade, in the sun. It is always fun To sing and to run.” But to the fish in the big dark pool under the rocks it sang so softly, so quietly that only the fishes heard. Now all the time that the little brook kept running down hill, it kept getting bigger. For every once in a while it would be joined by another little brook coming from another hill- side spring. Of course, the two of them were twice as large as each had been alone. This kept happening until the stream was a small river,— so big and deep that the horses could not ford it any more. People built bridges over it and this made the small river feel proud. Little boats sailed in it too, canoes, sail boats and row boats. Sometimes they held a lot of little boys who jumped into the water, splashed and laughed and splashed and laughed. At last the river was strong enough to carry great gliding boats, with deep, deep voices. “Toot,” said the little boats, tootoot-tooooooooot!” Now the song of the river was low and slow as it answered the song of the boats: “I grow and I flow As I carry the boats, As I carry the boats of men.” After the river had been running down hill for ever so long, it came to STORIES 51 a place where the banks were very high and steep on each side of it. Here something happened. The river was stopped by an enormous wall. The wall was made of stone and ce- ment and it stretched right across the river from one bank to the other. The little river couldn’t get through the wall so it just filled behind it. It filled and filled until it found that it had spread out into a real little lake. Only the people who walked around it called it a reservoir. In the wall was just one opening down near the bottom. What do you suppose that led to? A pipe! But the pipe was so big that an ele- phant could have walked down it swinging his trunk. Only of course there wasn’t any elephant there. Now the river didn’t like to have his race down hill stopped. So he began muttering to himself: “What shall I do, oh, what shall I do? Here’s a big dam and I can’t get through, Behind the dam I fill and fill But I want to go running, down the hill! If the pipe at the bottom will let me through I’ll run through the pipe! That’s what I’ll do!” So he rushed into the pipe as fast as he could for there he found he could run down hill again! He ran and he ran for miles and miles. Above him he knew there were green fields, trees, cows and horses. These were the things to which he sang be- fore he rushed into the pipe. After a long time he knew he was under something different. He could feel thousands of feet scurrying this way and that. He could feel thousands of horses pulling carriages, wagons and trucks. He could feel cars, sub- ways, engines;—he could feel so many things crossing him that he wondered they did not bump each other. Then he knew he was under the Big City. Again something queer happened. Every once in a while a pipe would go off from the big pipe. One of these pipes turned into a certain street, then a still smaller pipe turned off into a certain house and a still smaller pipe went right up between the walls of the house. In this house lived the dirty little boy. The water flowed into the street pipe, then it flowed into the house pipe and then, what do you think? It went right to that pipe between the walls of the house! For you see the top of that dirty little boy’s house is not nearly as high as the reservoir on the hill where the water started. The water can run up just as high as it has run down. In the bathroom was the dirty little boy. His face was dirty, his hands were dirty, his feet were dirty and his knees—oh! his knees were very, very dirty. This very dirty little boy went over to the faucet and slowly turned it. Out came the water splashing, crashing and dashing. “My! but I need a bath tonight,” said the dirty little boy as he heard the water splashing in the tub. The water was still the singing water that had sung all the way from the far- away hills. It sang a bubbling song when it gurgled up as a spring. It sang a tinkling song as it rippled down hill as a brook. It crooned a flowing song when it bore the talking boats. It muttered, throbbed and sang to it- self as it ran through the big, big pipe. Now as it splashed into the 52 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS dirty little boy’s tub it laughed and sang this last song: “I run from the hill,—down, down, down, Under the street of the town, town, town. Then in the pipe, up, up, up, I tumble right into your tub, tub, tub.” And the dirty little boy laughed and jumped into the Singing Water. —By permission, from “Here and Now Story Book,” by Lucy Sprague Mitchell. Published and copy- right by E. P. Dutton & Co. Taking a Bath in Finland When the boys in Finland want to take a bath this is the way they do it: In the first place, it is very, very cold in Finland, and the bathroom is not in the house at all, but in a build- ing quite separate. It is a round building, about the size of an ordinary room. There are no windows, so light and air can come in only when the door is open. Inside, benches are built all along the wall, and in the center is a great pile of loose stones. Early in the morning wood is brought in, and a great vessel standing near the stones is filled with water. Then some one cuts ever so many birch switches, and these are placed on the floor of the bath house. Next, the fire is made under the stones, and it burns all the morning. In the afternoon, when the stones are very hot, the fire is put out, the place is swept clean and all is ready. The boys undress in their houses, and run to the bath house. As it is generally thirty degrees below zero, you may be sure they do it in double- quick time. As soon as they are in the bath house, they shut the door tight, and begin to throw water on the hot stones. This, of course, makes the steam rise. More water is thrown on and there is more steam, until the place is quite full. Now comes the part that I think you boys would not like at all. Each boy takes a birch switch and falls to whipping his companions. This is to make the blood circulate, and, though it is a real hard whipping, no one objects, but all think it great fun. At last, looking like a lot of boiled lobsters, they all rush out, have a roll in the snow, and run for home. —Reprinted from and used by per- mission of Little Folks Magazine. 6. Cleanliness (Teeth) The Brushes’ Quarrel Once upon a time a little girl thought she was waked up one night by a noise of voices in the kitchen. It seemed to her that she pushed the kitchen door open softly and that this was what she saw and heard. The moonlight was shining brightly through the kitchen window, and sitting in a ring on the floor were all the brushes and brooms in the house. They were having a vigorous argument as to which one ought to be king. The broom was presiding at the meeting, because he was big- gest; but it had been agreed that the one that was most useful in the house- hold ought to be the king, and each was presenting arguments why he should be the one. STORIES 53 The hearthbrush declared that ashes from the fireplace made more dirt in the house than everything else put together, and that his work of keeping them back on the hearth and preventing them from being blown about was the most important thing a brush could possibly do. Mr. Broom, the chairman, put in his word. “There is nothing at all in the Hon. Mr. Hearthbrush’s claim.” (The broom was always very formal and polite.) “The open fires are only lighted in certain rooms and at certain times; but there is dirt in the house always and every- where. I am the one who has to keep it clean from attic to cellar, in July as well as in January, and my work is therefore most important of all.” The bottle brush and the sink brush applauded this (by rubbing their bristles against each other) ; but the clothesbrush jumped into the center of the circle, very much ex- cited, and gave the discussion a some- what new direction. “It is true that Temporary Chairman Broom prob- ably moves more dirt in a year than all the rest of us put together,” he said, “but I claim it is quality of work, not quantity, that ought to count. Mr. Broom is trusted for the heavy work of cleaning floors and stairways, but when they want a really good job done, when they want the clothes they wear to be spic-and- span, they call on me.” “There is a great deal in what Brother Clothesbrush has said,” inter- rupted a handsome silver-mounted hairbrush, “but his argument counts much more for me than it does for himself. The clothes are more im- portant than the carpets, but the head is more important than the clothes, and I have by far the greatest work of all to do.” There was silence for a moment, and it almost looked as if the hair- brush would carry the day. Sudden- ly a tiny little figure ran out into the moonlight, and a high squeaky voice cried out, “Wait a bit, wait a bit, until you have heard a plea from me, the Toothbrush. The clothes are more important than the carpet, and the head than the clothes, I agree. But the inside of the head is far more important than the outside. “If Mr. Clothesbrush or Mr. Hairbrush is neglected,” he went on, “our masters and mistresses will look untidy, but they will not get ill; while if I were not used, there would be toothache and misery and illness as a result. I am the one who ought to be king of the brushes.” There was a great hubbub and noise, some taking little Mr. Tooth- brush’s side and some opposing him; but just then the dreamer woke up and never knew who was finally chosen king. —C.-E. A. Winslow, from “Healthy LivingBook I. Copyright, IQ18, by Charles E. Merrill Co. Magic Pearls Once upon a time there was a little boy and a little girl. What do you think their names were? I will whisper it to you some day when we are alone. They lived in a country ruled by a good and great king who loved nothing more than to be gen- erous and kind to all the children in his kingdom. One day the king gave them two 54 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS beautiful boxes and told them what they must do with them. “Here is a box,” said the king, “inside of which you will find twenty perfect, white pearls. They are not very large but they are wondrous precious. You must guard them very, very carefully because you never can have any more just like them. Here they are, safe in this box, but I must tell you a strange thing about them. They are yours if you value them and care for them until I come. When I think that you are too large a boy and girl and are ready for another gift, I shall come again. “If you neglect them and forget all I have told you, you will lose your precious pearls. Sometimes you will not know when one goes. Cry- ing will not put it back in the box once it gets out. If these magic pearls are allowed to get unclean they disappear never to be found again. So you see why you must be very careful, and, I hope that when I come you will have them all safe and beautiful for me. You may look at them as often as you please—and you cannot keep them too clean! Every day and many times a day you may look at them and think that these beautiful pearls are yours.” Then the king went away. The children were so happy and proud that they showed their pearls to every one who would stop to look. After the newness wore off, they did not show them so often, but they took good care of them and looked at them every day. They polished them and kept them bright and beautiful. It was a pleasure to see the beautiful pearls. But when they went to school, they were very busy. Play- ing took so much time, that they be- gan to neglect the pearls. Oh, they didn’t mean to, but between work and play the minutes and hours slipped away so fast that there really seemed to be no time left to care for the pearls. One day they happened to glance in the box. The pearls had lost their beautiful shining whiteness and had turned yellow! How fright- ened they were, how they rubbed and polished, but they refused to look as they had before. Then for several days they remembered to clean the pearls beautifully until the day the boys and girls had a picnic. On that day they forgot. The next day they had to pick up apples and they were too tired to bother. Before long they found one of them black and although they cried and pol- ished it was too late and the next time they looked in the boxes, that one was gone. How badly they felt, how miserable they were; what should they say to the kind king! For a while things went better until they became careless again and very soon six of the pearls were gone! How they did hunt for them and when they found two, they tried sticking them in the box, but they just wouldn’t go in. One day when the boxes were al- most empty, the king came and asked to see them. How ashamed the chil- dren were when they saw the king open them and sorrowfully shake his head. “Children,” said he, “it will be a whole year before you can have your new and last box of pearls. If you couldn’t take care of your first gift what will you do with the new and last gift? If you had cared for this one you would not have a whole STORIES 55 year ahead of you with an almost empty box. How fine it would have been if you had kept your pearls until the new ones were ready! When you are a man and woman you prob- ably will not have one of the new ones left. You will go around beg- ging other people to please give you just one from their boxes, but they won’t be able to. This year while you are without your pearls you must think every day that when you get the new ones, you will not forget to pol- ish them every, single day.” The children felt sorry and ashamed because for a whole year, when people saw the box where the pearls should have been they knew that it belonged to a little boy and girl who had forgotten to polish and care for their precious pearls every day. But they resolved sincerely to do better when they received his sec- ond gift. Children, you have twenty beauti- ful, white, pearly teeth and if you do not remember them every day you will have exactly the same thing hap- pen to you. You will not like it at all if you have to appear for a year with all your front teeth gone! How funny you would look, but if you keep them well brushed with dental cream the first ones will not fall out until the second ones are ready to come in. If you lose the sec- ond ones, do you know what hap- pens? There, pass along this fairy tale To other boys and girls So they will learn to cherish and Protect their precious pearls. —Marian A. Goodyear—Used by permission of The Colgate Co. Old Grouchy Man Toothache Old Grouchy Man Toothache called his helpers to him one sunny morning in April. “Why don’t you let me into Teddy Boy’s mouth?” he said. “I have been waiting here a long, long time and you just won’t pound a hole in any of his teeth. You know quite well I cannot enter if there are no holes there. Why do you not use your mallets and chisels? Tell Me!” He looked so fierce and scowling that all his helpers were scared. But the bravest one replied, “We have tried to make a place for you, Mr. Toothache. Every day for a month we hop into his mouth and rest on tiny particles of food that have lodged between his teeth, his gums or tongue.” “Good! Good!” said Old Grouchy Man Toothache; “that is fine but why don’t you stay?” “Alack and alas,” said his helper. “Just when we think we can make a start he pushes in a fierce bristly tooth brush. And how he does brush. Me, oh my, up and down, up and down, over and across, round and round, the tops, the tongue, the gums, why we couldn’t find a lodg- ing place if we tried ever so hard. “Once we thought sure we could stay. Teddy Boy came home rather late for him. He was sleepy, tired and could hardly wait to get in bed. How we laughed and danced in glee. “Now we can stay,” we cried. “We will wedge in tight between two of his back teeth. We will hide so snug, stay so close that he never can find us in the morning. In a 56 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS little while Old Grouchy Man Toothache can come, whoopee!” “Yes, but why did I not come? Why did you not send for me?” said Old Grouchy Man Toothache. “Ah, we could not,” said his help- ers. “He had snuggled down in bed, was nearly asleep, when suddenly he sat up, climbed out of bed, put his rosy toes into his little, red bedroom slippers and pattered swiftly down the hall.” “What is it, son?” said his mother. “I forgot to brush my teeth, mother. Miss Johnson told us we must brush them always before going to bed, because the small particles of food there might be a resting place for Old Grouchy Man Toothache’s helpers. Besides our class has the best record for keeping our teeth clean of any one in school and I want to help keep it so.” “Who is Miss Johnson?” said Old Grouchy Man Toothache. “Oh she is a girl who takes care of the children in school. We do not know whether she is a nurse or a school teacher, but she surely keeps us from staying very long in Teddy Boy’s mouth!” “Just our luck,” said Old Grouchy Man Toothache. We might just as well give up and go to some school where there is no nurse or where the teacher doesn’t care whether we get in or not! We never will get in here.” So Old Grouchy Man Toothache and his helpers trudged away to find a school where it would be easy to enter. —Theresa Dansdill. 7. Contentment The Discontented Pig Ever so long ago, in the time when there were fairies, and men and ani- mals talked together, there was a curly-tailed Pig. He lived by himself in a house at the edge of the village, and every day he worked in his garden. Whether the sun shone or the rain fell he dug, hoed and weeded, turning the earth around his tomato plants, and loosen- ing the soil of the carrot plot, until the fame of his vegetables traveled through seven counties, and each year he won a prize at the royal fair. But after a time this pig grew tired of the endless toil. “What matters it if I do have the finest vegetables in the kingdom,” he asked himself, “since I must work from morning until night to raise them? I shall go out in the world and look for an easier way to earn my living.” So he locked the door of his house, shut the gate of his garden, and started up the road. A good three miles the little Pig traveled until he came to a cottage almost hidden in a grove of trees. Lovely music sounded around him, and he smiled, for he had an ear for sweet sounds. “I will try to find the source of that music,” he thought, following the direction from which it seemed to come. Now it happened that in that cot- STORIES 57 tage lived Thomas, a cat who made his living by playing on the violin. Little Pig saw him standing there in the door, pushing the bow back and forth across the strings of his violin. It put a thought into the Pig’s head. Surely, this must be an easier way of earning one’s living than digg- ing in a garden, and pleasanter, too. “Will you teach me to play the violin, Friend Thomas.” asked the little Pig. Thomas looked up from his bow and nodded his head. “To be sure,” he said, “only do as I am doing.” He gave the little Pig the bow and the fiddle, and the Pig began to saw, oh, squeak, quang! No sweet music fell upon his ear. The sounds he heard were like the squealings of his baby brother pigs when a wolf was near the house. “Oh,” he cried, “This is not mu- sic!” Thomas, the cat, nodded his head. “Of course not,” he said. “You haven’t tried enough. He who would play the violin must work, and work hard.” “Then I think I will look for something else,” little Pig said, “be- cause I find this as hard as digging in my garden.” He gave back the bow and fiddle, and started along the road. He walked on and on until, at last, he came to a hut where lived a Dog who made cheese. He was kneading and moulding the curd into cakes, and the Pig thought that it looked very easy. “I have decided to go into the cheese business myself,” he said, and he asked the Dog if he would teach him the trade. This the Dog was quite willing to do. A moment later the Pig was working beside him. But soon he grew hot and tired, and stopped to rest and fan himself. “No, no!” exclaimed the Dog. “You will spoil the cheese. There can be no rest until the work is done.” Little Pig opened his beady eyes in amazement. “Indeed,” he replied, “then this is just as difficult as rais- ing vegetables or learning to play a violin. I must go on and look for something easier.” Again he started on the road. On the other side of the river, in a sweet, green field, a man was tak- ing honey out of beehives. The lit- tle Pig saw him as he crossed the bridge, and he thought that he had seldom seen any trade that would suit him better than this. It must be wonderfully pleasant there in the meadow among the flowers. Honey was not heavy to lift, and ever so of- ten he could stop to take a taste. The little Pig ran as fast as he could to ask the Beeman if he would take him into his employ. This plan pleased the man as much as it did little Pig. “I’ve been looking for a helper for a year and a day,” he said. “Begin work at once.” He gave the Pig a veil and a pair of gloves, telling him to fasten them on well. Then he told him to lift the honey-comb out of a hive. The little Pig ran to do it, twist- ing his curly tail in the joy of hav- ing at last found a business that suited him. But, buzz, buzz! The bees crept under his veil and inside 58 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS his gloves. They stung him on his fingers, his .snout, his ears, and his tail until he squeeled, dropped the honey, and ran. “Come back!” called the Beeman. “No, indeed,” called back the lit- tle Pig, “the bees sting too hard.” The man nodded his head. “Of course they do,” he said. “That is part of the work. You cannot keep bees without being stung once in a while at least.” Little Pig blinked his eyes and be- gan to think hard. “You must prac- tice until your arm aches before learn- ing to play the violin,” he said to him- self. “When you make cheese, you dare not stop a moment until the work is done. In taking honey from a hive the bees sting you until your head is on fire. Working in my gar- den is not so bad after all. I am go- ing back to it.” So the little Pig went down the road toward home, and was soon at work in his carrot plot. He raked, hoed, and weeded, singing all the time, and there was no more con- tented Pig in all the kingdom. Every autumn he took his vegetables to the royal fair and never failed to bring home a prize. And sometimes, on holidays, the Cat, Thomas, and the Dog who made cheese, and the Beeman came to visit him. —From Cathers, Educating by Story Telling." Copyright, 1918, by World Book Co., Yonkers, N. Y. What You Look For, You Will Find There was once a queen who was very unhappy because her ladies and gentlemen were always quarreling. Every day they came to her with very unpleasant stories about one another. At last she called a secret council of her wise men and asked them how she could prevent this. Some of the wise men advised se- vere punishments. Others thought that the discontented courtiers should be sent away. At last one old man with snowy white hair stepped for- ward and said: “O queen, live forever! Your lords and ladies are like naughty chil- dren. They are jealous of one an- other; so they are always trying to find one another’s faults. Can you not in some way teach them how wicked such feelings are? If you can, they may be ashamed and maj do better.” The queen listened and was pleased. She dismissed her wise men, and sent for her lords and ladies. When all had come, she said: “I am going to send two pages out on errands in which you will all be interested. I have called you to- gether to see them start; and when they come back I will call you to- gether again to see what news they bring. “Call the first page.” When the page stood before her, she said: “I wish you to mount a trusty horse, ride through all my kingdom, and bring me the most beautiful flow- ers that you can find. You may start out by taking the road to the right.” The page bowed and was gone. A moment later they heard his horse’s hoofs on the pavement. STORIES 59 “Call the other page,” said the queen. When the other page stood before her, she said to him: “I wish you to mount a trusty horse and ride through all my king- dom. Visit all the gardens on your way around my kingdom and bring me the most bitter and harmful weeds that you can find. You may start out by taking the road to the left.” This page also bowed and was gone. The queen did not explain why she sent these pages on errands so strange. She merely said that they would all meet again when the pages returned. Several days passed. At last the queen was told that both pages had returned. She then sent for her lords and ladies. When all were assembled the queen said: “Admit the first page.” A moment later he entered, and his arms were filled with lovely flowers. These he laid at the queen’s feet. “Well,” said the queen, “what did you find?” “O queen,” said the page, “your kingdom is a kingdom of flowers. I never knew before that there were so many beautiful flowers.” “Were there no weeds?” asked the queen. “There may have been, but I did not see them.” She dismissed this page and ordered the other to be admitted. When the second page entered, his arms were filled with bitter and harmful weeds. Some of them were so poisonous that he had to wear thick gloves to protect his hands. “And what did you find?” asked the queen. “O queen,” said he, “your kingdom is filled with weeds. I did not im- agine there could be so many different kinds, or such poisonous ones.” “But did you see no flowers?” “There may have been flowers,” said the page, “but I did not see them. Of course there must have been some, but I was looking for weeds and did not notice the flowers.” When the second page was gone, the queen looked at her lords and ladies. They hung their heads in shame. She had intended to make a little speech, urging them to look for flowers instead of weeds in one an- other’s lives. But they seemed to understand; so she said nothing. After that she did not hear any more complaining, and the unhappy quarrelling ceased. —From Wheeler s Graded Readers, A Third Reader. Copyright, 1904, by William H. Wheeler. Used by special permission of the publishers. 8. Exercise The King and His Magic Clubs A king who was feeble and ill be- cause of ease and idleness, called upon his doctor for medicine. The doctor was wiser than the king and knew it was not medicine, but healthful exercise that the king needed. The king would not walk 60 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS or work however like the strong men about him. The doctor then pre- pared two heavy clubs of strange wood for the king’s use, and led him to think that the handles of these clubs contained medicine for his cure. To get the benefit of the medicine in the clubs, the king must grasp them by the handles, swing with them and play with them until his hands be- come moist from exercise, at which time the medicine would pass into his hands, and make his body strong. The king was easily deceived, and each day he might be seen in the open air at certain hours working with his magic clubs. His muscles grew strong, his blood became pure and his appetite for food increased. He praised the medicine of his clubs and the wisdom of his good doctor. The king never learned from his faithful servants that the clubs were nothing but wood and the secret of the wonderful cure was found in his own healthful exercise. —Virginia Lewis, Course of Study in Hygiene, State Department of Ed- ucation, Ohio. The Story of the Boy Who Walked Around Mont St. Michel In France there is a high and very steep rock with a church on the top of it, called Mont St. Michel. Once upon a time when bitter wars were going on, this rock was captured by the enemy, and the leader of the in- vading army made his headquarters in the chapel on its top. Here he ordered brought to him the citizens who had been taken prisoners. .Among them were one of the princi- pal men of the village, M. de Brette- ville and his little son, Louis. The cruel captain threatened to have de Bretteville thrown from the wall over the rock to punish him for his loy- alty to his own people of different religious beliefs. De Bretteville would not yield, and neither he nor his brave son showed any fear. “I have a good mind to throw you after him,” said the captain to the boy. ‘‘You would not make me a coward if you did,” said Louis, “and I would gladly leap off the wall myself if I could save my father’s life by doing it.” One of the other officers whispered something to the captain, and he turned quickly to the boy. “We will see how brave you really are,” he said. “There is a narrow ledge of rock outside the wall. If you can walk around the rock on that ledge, I will set both you and your father free.” “No, no,” cried de Bretteville, “I will not have it. I would rather a hundred times be killed myself.” “It shall be so, whether you like it or not,” replied the captain, “or I will have both you and the boy thrown over.” “Will my father be freed if I make the attempt, whether I get round safely or not?” asked Louis. “He will; you have my word on that.” “Then I am ready,” said Louis. He took off his shoes and stockings and was lifted over the wall so that he stood on the narrow ledge out- side, with hundreds of feet of steep jagged cliffs below. The shelf of rock on which he had .to walk was in STORIES 61 places only a few inches wide, and he could keep frcm falling only by clinging to bits of projecting stone or roots and branches of bushes growing between the rocks. Step by step he made his way onward, never looking downward into the terrible chasm, but carefully and skilfully selecting the places to put his feet and to hold on with his hands. Even the soldiers watched every step with eager anxi- ety, hoping that the brave lad would succeed—and perhaps you can imag- ine the suffering of his father while the minutes slowly passed. Louis came at last to a place where there seemed no hope of getting far- ther, for the ledge became narrower and narrower and he could see that ahead it disappeared entirely, leaving but a smooth wall of rock. To turn back was impossible, for he was al- ready on a ledge only a few inches wide. Slowly and carefully the boy looked downward along the face of the cliff. About three feet below, he saw a jutting point of rock from which another ledge extended on around the corner of the cliff. He measured with his eye the distance downward and forward, saw that there was a holly bush growing out from the rock just at a good place to give a handhold,—and then he jumped. He landed safely with his feet on the ledge and the holly branches in his hand. The rest of the way was easier, and, at last, after what had seemed like a year, but was really only fifteen minutes, Louis was again clasped in his father’s arms. They were both saved, saved by the courage and devotion of a boy. I always remember Louis de Bretteville and the cliffs of Mont St. Michel when I think of habits. It was the habit of strong muscles and well-trained nerves, and above all the habit of coolness, courage and the habit of loving service, that made it possible for him to do this splendid deed. —C.-E. A. Winslow, from “Healthy Living ” Book I. Copyright, IQ18, by Charles E. Merrill Co. 9. Eyes Elbe’s Wishes Little Elbe sat on the porch, her golden head over her book. The light had grown so dim, she could scarcely read the words, and her head bent lower and lower until it almost touched the page. “Elbe,” called her mother, “don’t try to read any more, it is getting too dark.” “Oh, just let me finish this story, Mother,” she pleaded and went on reading. “And Argus had one hundred eyes,” read Elbe. Just then, it grew so dark, she couldn’t see another word. She suddenly felt tired and sleepy; her eyes burned and her head ached; she got up and stretched lazily. “Oh, I wish I had a hundred eyes,” she cried, “then I could read all the time. When two were tired, I’d put them to sleep and use two others! Pretty soon 'I’d know all the stories in the world.” “Bed time!” called Elbe’s mother. “Oh, please let me stay up and finish my story!” “No, no. You’ll read 62 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS your two eyes into one, if you keep on; they’re all red now.” “I wonder how it would feel to have only one eye like the little girl in the fairy story I was reading yes- terday. I wish I could try it,” sighed Ellie, as she climbed the stairs to bed. “Don’t forget to bathe your eyes, Ellie,” called her mother. “You’ve used them altogether too much to- day.” “Oh, I wish I didn’t have eyes to take care of,” thought Ellie, as she reluctantly started to wash her face. It was very peaceful and quiet in her little room. The moon was shin- ing in through the open window, the stars twinkled merrily, and down in her garden, she could see the flowers nodding drowsily on their stalks, while the tiny brook sang merrily on its way. Presently Ellie jumped into bed; she pulled the clothes up comfortably and was just falling into a doze when she suddenly heard the tap, tap, tapping of a cane on the floor. Look- ing up, she saw the funniest little old lady, with a pointed hat, short bobbing skirt, buckled shoes, and a tiny shawl. Ellie was too surprised to speak, but the little old lady didn’t seem to mind that in the least. She walked up to the bed and tapped on one of the posts with her cane. “Well, well! Been wishing again,” she exclaimed. “Never saw a child yet, or a grown-up either, for that matter, satisfied with what she was; always wanting to be something or somebody else. You didn’t know your fairy godmother was so near with her ears wide open for wishes, did you? Perhaps you’d have chosen more carefully, but only three wishes are allowed, you know, and you’ve taken them all at once.” With that she waved her little cane, and Ellie felt a queer sensation in her head. She put up her hand, and found that her shining curls had disappeared, and, where they had been, there were only eyelids and eye lashes. Grad- ually eyes began to open, first one and then another, until she found to her astonishment that she had a hundred of them. “Why, now I’m like Ar- gus,” she thought, “he had a hundred eyes.” Where, only a few moments before, the moon had been shining in at her window, the sun was now rising quickly over the hills; how bright it was! She ran to the win- dow and looked out at her little gar- den. Where there had been one or two flowers on a stem, there seemed to be hundreds; the little brook was multiplied into many brooks. She tried to see them all, but the eyes in the back of her head were calling her attention to the things behind her, and the eyes on the top of her head would look up at the sky; it was all very confusing. She heard her moth- er call, and having somehow dressed, tried to run down to breakfast, but the stairs seemed to jump up to meet her, and the walls pressed very close at the sides. Her mother didn’t seem to think it strange that she had ninety-eight new eyes, all she could say was: “Why, Ellie, you know I warned you about reading so much yesterday; your eyes are tired and blood shot; run upstairs and bathe them with boric acid.” So Ellie found her way up again and then, such a task to bathe one hundred STORIES 63 eyes! She kept trying to count them, and got frightfully mixed up, wash- ing the same ones over and over, and leaving out others altogether. When at last she went downstairs, she found that it had taken her all morn- ing. Breakfast was over long ago, and dinner was ready. She felt tired and hungry and was glad to sit down. But she couldn’t keep all her eyes on her plate; some were looking out of doors, and some at the pictures on the wall. “Oh, dear,” thought Ellie, ‘‘It will take some time to get used to so many eyes; I wonder if a po- tato feels like this!” After dinner, she helped her moth- er with the dishes, but the task seemed greater than ever before. All her eyes were trying to peer round at them and they looked such a huge pile, that she thought she would never finish. But at last the end came, and she ran out to weed her garden; the sun was hot and the light shone in all of her hundred eyes; she tried to shade them, but no sooner did she get two or three, or perhaps a dozen comfortable, than the rest began to smart and burn. She decided to wait until the sun went down and remembering how fine she thought it would be to have a hundred eyes and read all the time, she ran up on the cool porch, and continued the story where she had left off the night be- fore. “And Argus had one hundred eyes,” read Ellie. Somehow it didn’t seem half as interesting or as won- derful as it did yesterday. She tried to use two eyes until they were tired, and then two more, but it didn’t work; all the eyes wanted to see at once, and finally she got so mixed up in the story, she couldn’t tell what she was reading. How glad she was when bed time came; her mother didn’t have to speak twice. “Now,” thought Ellie, “1 will have some peace, and by tomor- row I shall know better how to use my hundred eyes.” She closed two eyes as usual, ex- pecting to fall asleep right away, but she didn’t know how to manage the other ninety-eight. They kept bobbing open in the most unexpected manner, and they had grown so tired from the sunlight shining directly into them, that they all ached terri- bly. Poor Ellie felt so miserable, that without thinking what she was about, she began to cry, and then, oh dear, oh dear, the tears gushed out from one hundred eyes and nearly drowned her. She became so fright- ened that she screamed out: “Oh, please, fairy godmother, I don’t want a hundred eyes. Please, please take away the ninety-eight that don’t be- long to me!” Just then she awoke and found that a sudden shower had come up, and the rain was pouring through the open window. “And I thought it was tears from a hundred eyes!” she laughed, as she jumped to to close the sash. But she put her hand to see if her curls were really on her head; yes, there they were, and gratefully she cuddled down to sleep again. Hardly had she closed her two eyes when she again heard the tap, tap, tapping of a cane on the floor, and once again she saw the little old lady in the pointed hat. “Ah, thank you, good fairy godmother, for taking away those dreadful eyes!” cried Ellie. “But you haven’t had your 64 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS second wish yet!” exclaimed the little lady. “People mustn’t wish for things they do not really want or need!” With that she tapped once more on the bed post, and suddenly Ellie found herself in a strange coun- try. “How queer the people look! Whatever is the matter with them?” she thought. She tried to see more clearly; somehow it was very difficult for her to do so, but she realized that everybody had only one eye, right in the middle of the forehead. She put up her hands to shade her own eyes that she might see better, and found that she herself had only one eye, just like all the others. Some children near by were play- ing “Blind man’s buff.” She shyly joined in, and when it came her turn to be blindfolded, it seemed so queer to tie the handkerchief over one eye only; since it bulged right out from her forehead, there was no space be- tween it and the handkerchief, and it hurt. She didn’t enjoy the game at all, she was so uncomfortable she couldn’t catch the others who were used to one eye, and kept nimbly getting out of her way. Soon, she became quite discouraged. “Oh, let’s play something else!” she cried, tearing off the handkerchief. “All right, we’ll play puss in the cor- ner, but you’re it, you know, because you didn’t catch anybody. “Puss, puss,” they called to one another. Ellie tried to run into their corners, but found she couldn’t steer straight; she kept running into things and pres- ently struck her forehead against a wall. Her eye began to swell and pain, and the children took her over to a fountain near by, and bathed it, and tied it up for her; but then, of course, she couldn’t see at all. When she had two eyes, if one pained, she could see with the other and manage to get about; but this one seemed to hurt more than half a dozen other eyes. “Oh, dear fairy godmother,” she cried, “I don’t like it at all. Please give me back my own two eyes!” Just then she turned over in bed. “Why, I haven’t been away at all, I must have been dreaming that I had one great eye that hurt so!” She put up her hands; yes, her own two eyes were there sure enough, but they were aching dreadfully. “I think I won’t try to read any more after it gets too dark to see,” said Ellie to herself, as she fell asleep again. “Ho! Ho!” cried the fairy god- mother, suddenly appearing again at the window, “my little Ellie doesn’t seem to like her own wishes very well; she will surely be glad to have her own bright eyes before she gets through. She rapped so softly with her cane that Ellie only stirred a little. “Oh, dear, is it time to get up? Em so tired.” She stretched lazily and slowly sat up. Why of course it wasn’t time, it was still very dark. She was about to settle back on her pillow, when she heard her mother call: “Come, Ellie, you’ll be late for breakfast.” Whatever was the matter? There wasn’t a ray of light in the room. She felt for the side of the bed and cautiously got out. What had become of the little table at the head of the bed ? She reached out and finally found the matches; she struck one, and heard it splutter, STORIES 65 but that was all until it nearly burned her fingers. Why, she couldn’t see the light! She felt for her clothes and tried to put them on. She knew her shoes were on the wrong feet and that her dress was on crooked. Oh dear, oh dear! What a queer dark world! She groped her way down- stairs. She heard the family talking at the breakfast table; mother was saying how good it seemed to have the sun shining so brightly. “Where is it? Where is it?” asked Ellie. “Why,” said father, “surely little girls who don’t take care of their eyes are not interested to know anything about the sunlight!” She tried to eat her oatmeal, but great lumps kept coming up in her throat, and by and by she was glad to slip out into her garden, but she couldn’t see the flow- ers or the birds or the merry little brook that she heard running by. “Oh! it’s some terrible mistake,” she cried. “Please, please, dear fairy godmother, can’t I have one more wish,—just my own two eyes? I’ll take such care of them that mother’ll never have to scold me again.” “That,” said the fairy godmother, smiling, “is the greatest wish of all!” and she tapped softly with her cane; with that, the glorious sunlight burst in upon Ellie. It was morning, and she was in her own little bed, with her two eyes wide open. “Oh, I’m so glad! So glad!” she cried, and jumping up, ran to the window to make sure she could see her garden. The brook laughed up at her in a knowing way, and the flowers nodded wise little heads. Ellie clapped her hands and danced up and down for joy. “Now I’ll run right away and bathe these two precious eyes and I’ll take such care of them! I wish, oh I wish—” But just then Ellie splashed the cool water over her face, and was so happy that she quite for- got about wishing for anything else. —Winifred Hathaway. Used by permission of the National Committee for the Prevention of Blindness. Uncle Jim and the Bramble Bush “There was a man in our town, And he was wondrous wise, He jumped into a bramble bush, And scratched out both his eyes. “And when he found his eyes were out, With all his might and main, He jumped into another bush And scratched them in again!” Billy read the words over and over. What a funny man he must have been. Whatever was he doing jump- ing about in bramble bushes anyway? Only the day before, Billy himself had been out blackberrying, and he knew just how sharp the brambles were; his face and hands showed the marks. Just suppose he had scratched out his eyes in one of the bushes, how- ever could he have jumped into an- other bush to scratch them in again? It was certainly very perplexing. He must ask his mother about it some- time, but not just then, because he wanted to play marbles with the boys. He ran down the steps of the porch, and looking up the street, saw a fa- miliar figure coming from the rail- road station. It looked like Uncle Jim. With a whoop, he set off as fast as his legs could carry him to find out whatever brought busy Uncle Jim on a week day. He had a suit case, too, as though he meant to stay. 66 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Billy jumped up and down for joy as together they made their way back. Mother saw them coming and ran out to meet them. “Why, Jim, this is a surprise,” she cried. “However did you man- age to get away, and how long are you going to be able to stay?” “Oh, stay all the time,” pleaded Billy. “Well not quite that yet, little man!” Mother caught an anxious note in his voice, and hastened to ask: “Nothing the matter, is there, Jim?” Uncle Jim stopped to pick up the book Billy had dropped in his hurry. It was still open at the rhyme— “There was a man in our town, And he was wondrous wise.” “Well, you see,” he said, soberly, “I’ve been uncommonly like this fel- low who jumped into a bramble bush and scratched out both his eyes.” “And did you come out to the coun- try to find another bush so that you could scratch them in again?” asked Billy breathlessly. “Do you think you can help me to find one? I seem to need it pretty badly just now.” “But, Uncle Jim, you haven’t scratched them out at all,” cried Billy. “They’re right in your head, just where they always were.” “Sit down quietly, and give Uncle Jim a chance to tell us all about it,” and Mother led the way to the shady side of the porch. “Why, there really isn’t anything to worry about yet,” said Uncle Jim. “I always thought my eyes were so strong they would stand any strain, and the truth is, that I’ve used them so much, working all day, and read- ing far into the night, that they’re just about played out. I began hav- ing such headaches I couldn’t see, so I got frightened and went to an eye doctor. Well, he just said that peo- ple who used their eyes so, didn’t de- serve to have any! It was all right to make laws about people not work- ing more than eight hours a day, but it was high time to have some sort of law against overworking poor tired eyes. Until then I hadn’t realized that I had been keeping mine hard at it for about eighteen hours every day. He wouldn’t promise anything at all, until I’d given my word to take a real rest, and live outdoors for two whole months. So here I am!” Uncle Jim stayed all summer. What good times he and Billy had! When the sky was clouded they went fishing, and when the sun shone hot and bright, they took long walks in the cool, shady woods. Uncle Jim seemed to know so much about the birds and flowers, that Billy decided it was no wonder he had used his eyes eighteen hours a day. Soon Uncle Jim got the boys to- gether and they had a baseball team. On rainy days they played all sorts of games in the barn—blind man’s buff and hop scotch and hunt the slip- per. Sometimes when Uncle Jim was resting on the cool porch Mother or Billy would read to him, and every evening Father read the newspaper aloud. Billy wasn’t much interested in this at first, but by and by, he found a good many things he liked to hear about, and Mother had a STORIES 67 great time getting him off to bed at nine o’clock. The summer passed like a day, and it was school time when Uncle Jim went back to the city. He promised to return soon and let them know what the doctor said about his eyes. They felt so much better for the long rest, and the headaches were gone. Billy often ran down to the depot at train hoping Uncle Jim would come, and sure enough, one day there he was. How glad everybody was to see him! He shook hands all around, and the baseball nine, sud- denly appearing from nowhere, gal- lantly seized his grip among them and escorted him to the house. Mother and Father ran out to meet him. “What did the doctor say about your eyes?” they asked in one breath. “Why,” laughed Uncle Jim, “he said the sooner I jumped into another bush and got a new pair, the better forme. And here they are!” With that he pulled out a great pair of glasses with tortoise shell rims, and put them on. “Isn’t it fine? I can see as well as ever now.” Billy looked puzzled: “I didn’t know that was what the rhyme meant,” he said slowly. “Did the brambles hurt, Uncle?” “Indeed they did, laddie, so much that I’m not going to run the risk of getting into them again. Let’s go out and see if the boys will be ready for a game of ball tomorrow.” —Winifred Hathaway. Used by permission of the National Commit- tee for the Prevention of Blindness. Why Ned’s Example Wouldn’t Come Right Ned sat scowling at the paper on the desk in front of him. His head was propped up by his hands, and he looked the picture of misery. “Oh, bother the arithmetic!” he suddenly cried out, throwing down his pencil. “I can’t get this example right!” “What’s the matter, Ned?” asked his father who was reading his news- paper a little distance away. “My head aches, and I can’t work this example! I say, Dad, won’t you help?” H is father put down the news- paper, and went over to his son’s desk. “Why, no wonder your head aches and you can’t make the example come right. You can’t see!” for Ned had impatiently pushed up the shade of his desk lamp, and the glare of the elec- tric light was shining directly into his eyes. “Come over here and let’s see what we can do about it,” said Dad, plac- ing the paper so that both could read the figures clearly. “Oh, now I see the mistake,” cried Ned, “I thought that 8 was 3. No wonder it wouldn’t come out right! In two minutes the example was finished, and the papers put into the school bag ready for tomorrow. “Almost bed time, Ned,” called Mother. “Just time for one story.” So Father began. “In our time, Switzerland is a re- public, free and happy, but she had a hard struggle for her liberty. In the long ago, the Emperor of Austria claimed the land as part of his em- 68 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS pire; he had so many possessions he could not manage them all himself so he sent a man named Gessler to rule over the Swiss people. “Now Gessler was a cruel tyrant; he did not understand the indepen- dent nature of the people, and he ruled very unjustly, trying to make slaves of them. He built fortresses throughout the land, and filled them with soldiers to frighten the proud, brave people into submission, but he could not make them bow down to him as he wished. “He grew angry at this, and cast about for some new way in which to make them feel his power. In those days, every town had a public square called a market place. Here all the people came to buy and sell, even the men and women traveled down from the mountains with cheese and butter and game, and when they had sold these, bought things they could not make or grow in their mountain homes. “Knowing therefore, that sooner or later, nearly every one would come into the market place, Gessler de- cided that here was a good opportu- nity to show his power. In one of the little Swiss towns, Altorf, he had a huge pole set up, with his hat at the top, and he made a decree that every Swiss man, woman or child who passed by the place, should bow to his hat. In .this way they would be showing their submission to him, be- cause his hat was a sign of his power, just as a crown is a sign of a king’s power. “Now, one fine morning, there came down from the mountains, into the market place, a tall strong man named William Tell. He carried with him his bows and arrows, for this was in the days before guns were invented, and he was wont to shoot bears, wild goats and wolves with his arrows. “He had brought his little son, and together they crossed the market place. When they passed the pole, they never bent their heads; they walked by as straight as their own mountain pine trees. “The soldiers who had been sta- tioned there by Gessler to make the people obey, stopped the fearless hunter, and reminded him of the de- cree, but he refused to bow to the tyrant. Gessler’s spies, who had been watching, ran to tell their mas- ter of this defiance. He commanded the Swiss to be brought before him at once. Tell appeared, leading by the hand his little son. “ ‘They tell me that you are the most famous archer in all Switzer- land,’ said the tyrant. ‘Since you will not obey my decree, you shall give me a sign of your skill. Your boy, no doubt, is made of the same stuff as you. He shall stand yonder a hun- dred paces with an apple on his head, and do you stand here and shoot the apple with an arrow from your quiver.’ “All the people round turned pale with fear, but Tell looked straight into the face of Gessler, and drew two arrows from his quiver, one he held in his hand, and the other he stuck in his belt. Gessler motioned with his hand, for the soldiers to place William Tell and his son where he indicated. “Now it was still early in the STORIES 69 morning, and the sun, rising high over the mountains, shone directly into the eyes of the archer, so that he could not see his mark; looking with scorn at the tyrant, he said: “ ‘ ’Tis evident thou knowest little of archery. The sun should shine upon the mark, and not into the eyes of him who shoots.’ “Gessler motioned angrily with his hand, and the boy was placed so that the sun shone on the apple, while Tell stood with his back to the light. “Now the soldiers felt a great pity in their hearts for William Tell and his little son, so they turned the child with his back to his father. But Tell’s voice rang out clear and strong: ‘Face this way, my boy!’ “Instantly the child turned and faced his father! His arms hung motionless at his side; he stood with his head up, the apple poised upon it. He watched his father string the bow, he watched him test it to see if it were true, he watched him fit the notch of the arrow into the taut cord, and bring the bow into place; then he could look no more; he shut his eyes. “The next moment a great joyous shout arose from the crowd, the arrow had split the apple in two, and had sped beyond; Gessler, in a rage over his defeat, demanded why the archer had selected a second arrow and had thrust it into his belt. “ ‘To kill thee, tyrant, had I slain my boy!’ ” Ned sat silent when his father had finished the story; he was still in the market place, breathlessly watching the arrow as it sped on its way. “That’s a ripping good story, Dad,” he said at last. “My! I won- der how William Tell felt when the boy stood up so straight, and never doubted him for a moment! And wasn’t that fine where he saw through Gessler’s trick and called out: ‘The sun should shine upon the mark, and not into the eyes of him who shoots!’ Of course he couldn’t see with the sun in his eyes; he’d just have kept blinking and blundering, and wouldn’t have been able to aim straight. Oh, I say, Dad, was that what you meant tonight when you said I couldn’t see to work the ex- ample because the light was shining right into my eyes? It seemed funny then, because you’d think the light in your eyes would help you to see, wouldn’t you?” “Bed time, Ned,” said Mother. “Yes, I’m going, but look, Father, Mother’s sitting with the light in her eyes too. Let’s swing her chair around—there! Good night, Mother, the sun should shine upon the mark, you know!” —Winifred Hathaway. Used by permission of the National Committee for the Prevention of Blindness. io. General The Choice of Hercules Hercules was growing out of boy- hood into youth and had come to the time when young men become their own masters, when they show plainly whether they will take the path which 70 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS leads to virtue’s way or the path which lies through sin. Two queenly women appeared and drew near to him. The one was fair to look upon, noble in form, of fine presence with grave bearing, clad in white garments. The other was tender and soft and so adorned as to seem fairer and ruddier than the former, with a bearing that seemed more stately and in garments that shone as the day. Oft she admired herself and looked to see if any other were gazing upon her. As they came to Hercules the first one was keeping on her way but the other made haste to get before her, and running to Hercules said:— “O Hercules, I perceive that thou art considering by which of the two paths thou wilt travel to thy life’s end. If thou wilt make me thy friend I will lead thee by the pleas- antest and easiest path. Thou shalt not fail to taste of pleasures and shalt go thy way unvexed by hardships. “First thou shalt cast about to see what pleasant thing thou mayst have to eat and drink, how thou mayst enjoy things with the least trouble. Have no fear that I will call thee to toil, weariness and hardness of life. Know that whatever others labor for, that thou shalt have without labor. Always do I give power to those that follow me to have their heart’s de- sire.” When Hercules heard these words he said: “What is thy name, lady?” She answered, “My friends call me Pleasure, but those who hate me call me names and say I am Vice.” The other coming near said: “I have come to thee, Hercules, because I know those who gave thee birth and taught thee in thy childhood!. If thou wilt take the path which I take thou wilt become a good laborer in all that is pure and holy. I will not make thee deceitful promises of pleas- ure but I will show thee truthfully what the gods have appointed. The gods give no good or fair thing to men without labor and care. Dost wish to be beloved by thy friends? Thou must do thy friends good deeds. Art thou eager to be honored by thy city? Thou must be of use to thy city. Dost thou wish to have a strong body? Thou must make it obedient to thy mind and thou must exercise it with labor and sweat of honest toil.” Here Vice interrupted and said: “Dost thou know, Hercules, by what a hard and long path this woman would lead thee to pleasure? I will take thee by an easier and shorter way to happiness.” Goodness said to her: “What art thou good for or what real pleasure dost thou know who art not willing to do aught to earn these delights? “Thy young men are weak, thy old men are senseless. When they pass their youth without tasks well performed they drag through age with toil and burden, ashamed of what they have done. “I am the companion of the gods and of all good men. No beautiful deed is done without me. I am the beloved fellow to the craftsman, a faithful guard to the master of the house, a gracious aid to the towns- man, a good partner to the labors of peace and the best comrade in the world. STORIES 71 “My friends have a sweet enjoy- ment at their ease. Sleep to them is more refreshing than to those who toil not. The young rejoice in the praises of the old and the old are glad at honor from the young. They are blessed in their present work for by me they have men to love them, and their country to honor them. When- soever the end comes, they lie not down in unhonored forgetfulness but with joy at the hymns of praise which are sung over them forever. Such things are possible to thee, O Hercu- les, child of good parents. To thee it is given by toil to win the most blessed happiness.” —Horace E. Scudder, from “The Childen s Book.” Used by permission of and special arrangement with Houghton Mifflin Co., the author- ized publishers. The Fairy’s New Year Gift Two little boys were at play one day when a fairy suddenly appeared before them and said: “I have been sent to give you New Year’s pres- ents.” She handed to each child a package and in an instant was gone. Carl and Philip opened the pack- ages and found in them two beautiful books with pages as pure and white as the snow when it first falls. Many months passed, and the Fairy came again to the boys. “I have brought you each another book,” said she, “I will now take the first ones back to Father Time who sent them to you.” “May I not keep mine a little longer?” asked Philip. “I have hardly thought about it lately. I’d like to paint something on the last leaf that lies open.” “No,” softly said the Fairy, “I must take it just as it is.” “I wish I could look through mine just once,” said Carl. “I have only seen one page at a time. When the leaf turns over it sticks fast and I can never open the book at more than one place each day.” “You shall look at your book,” said the Fairy, “and Philip at his.” She lighted for them two little silver lamps by the light of which they saw the pages as she turned them. The boys looked in wonder. Could it be that these were the same fair books she had given them a year ago? Where were the clean, white pages as pure and beautiful as the snow when it first falls? Here was a page with ugly, black spots, and scratches upon it, while the very next page showed a lovely little picture. Some pages were deco- rated with gold, silver and gorgeous colors, others with beautiful flowers and still others with a rainbow of softest, most delicate brightness. Yet even on some of the most beautiful pages were ugly blots and scratches. Carl and Philip looked at the Fairy. “Who did this?” they asked. “Every page was white and fair as we opened to it, yet now there is not a single blank space in the whole book.” The Fairy smiled at the two little boys and said, “See, Philip, the spray of roses blossomed on this page when you let the baby have your playthings. This pretty bird which looks as if it were singing with all its might, would never have been there if you had not 72 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS tried hard to be kind and pleasant that day. “But what makes this blot?” asked Philip. “That came when you said you brushed your teeth when you didn’t,” said the Fairy sadly, “and when you did not mind mother.” “All these blots and scratches that look so ugly both in your book and in Carl’s were made when you did not do the things you should do. Each pretty thing came on its page when you remembered and were good.” “Oh if only we could have the books again,” said Carl and Philip. “That cannot be,” said the Fairy. “See, they are dated for this year and now they must go back into Father Time’s bookcase. But I have brought each of you a new book. Perhaps you can make these more beautiful than the others.” She vanished and the boys were left alone. Each held in his hand a new book open at the first page. On the back of each book was written in letters of gold “For the New Year.” —Frances Olcott, from “Good Stories for Great Holidays.” Used by permission of and by special ar- rangement with the Houghton, Mif- flin Co., the authorized publishers. His Sentinels The Angel of Light bowed low in adoration before the Giver of Gifts and said: “Master of Life, wilt Thou coun- sel me, help me that I may lead the dwellers in the Land of Some Where back to happiness and to Thee?” The Master of Life looked afar into that Land and saw the dwellers there striving, toiling, hating, seeing no visions, dreaming no dreams, all because they had never known the paths that lead to love and laughter, joy and unselfish service. “It is little thou canst do to change them, O Angel of Light. Too many years have they wandered afar to be brought back entirely but thou canst help them, thou canst save from this darkness the ones who shall take their places in the coming days. Be- hold!” He pointed to the Land of Todays. The Angel of Light gazed long and saw men struggling with their weary burdens of distress and disease; saw them trudging along neither stopping to cheer the lagging ones, nor pausing to greet the faltering ones. “They are so dark, so sordid, the pictures I see,” said he. “How, how can I change them?” The Master gazed in love at the Angel of Light and made reply: “In hovel, in mansion, in sunlit homes, in homes dark with foulness, on prairie, on plain, by rushing stream and shaded glen, tiny bits of humanity shall come to take their abode. Some shall find an enfolding love, an in- finitely tender welcome, others shall be met with a curt tolerance because they come unbidden. But when the first tiny wail reaches the dwellers it will open their hearts and before they can close them the tiny ones have entered there to abide for a time. “These are the ones who must know and learn to love my sentinels if thou wouldst strengthen and help the future dwellers in the Land of Some Where.” “Where are thy sentinels, O Mas- STORIES 73 ter?” asked the Angel of Light. “My sentinels are placed at out- posts all along the way from the Yesterdays, through Everydays to the Tomorrows. Always, have they been waiting there ready, faithful to their appointed tasks, but the dwellers in the Land of Some Where saw them not.” “How shall we teach them to know and love thy sentinels, O Master?” “Attune their ears to listen to the message of the wind singing among the trees, to hear its soothing melody when care besets them. It will let them pass into fair dreamland places where they shall rest and come back refreshed. “Touch their eyes that they shall see and love the stars—my silent sen- tinels that keep watch over the night. They shall bring comfort to them, a comfort that shall lift their souls from the fading green of the earth to the unchanging glory of the infi- nite spaces beyond. “Give them power to see the sun- sets—my radiant, glorious sentinels that calm the souls of men. “Reveal to them the soothing magic of the laughter of the waters, the roar of the storms, the beauty of the woods and the fields. “Build a body as strong and healthy as can be made with the materials thou shalt find. Purify their thoughts and elevate their desires.” “All this would I do, but I cannot work alone, O Master! Who is there to help me?” said the Angel. “Thou shalt find in the Land of Some Where, doctors with the love of mankind in their hearts. They will give of their wonderful talent to aid thee. And no one there among all the dwellers can help thee more. “Working with them, eager to carry out their plans, anxious to make their dreams come true are women with radiantly beautiful souls. They are the nurses who by counsel and example lead the dwellers to happier living. “Then there are the ones who work, who direct and who make pos- sible the plans of the doctors. They in their own way lead the dwellers back to Me by teaching them that which will give them healthy bodies or by leading them back to health once it has fled. “Go to every association which fights disease in any form, go to every organization whose purpose is for the public welfare. Wherever these exist thou shalt find ones ready to help thee. I send thee on thy way. But before thou goest, gaze and be strong, O Angel of Light.” Slowly, lovingly the Master drew aside the curtains from the Tomor- rows. The Angel gazed into the shadowy depths of the coming days and a look of infinite peace came into his eyes. He saw the children of Yesterday now grown tall. Brother was helping brother. Toilers were working to- gether for universal good; health was their birthright, happiness their daily portion because they were well and strong. Slowly he turned to the Master and said: “Thus through teaching them to know and to obey thy sentinels, shall we bring them back to Thee.” —Theresa Dansdill. 74 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS The Little Toy Soldier He was the bravest, finest Toy Soldier in all the shop, and he was wonderfully dressed. You never, never could; guess what color his trousers were. No not khaki, al- though our soldier boys dress that way, not scarlet nor green; they were blue with nice black stripes along the sides. And his coat was green with beautiful shiny gold buttons on it. H is little round hat sat on one side of his head and was fastened under his chin with a strap. You never, never could guess what was under his nose—a tiny black mustache that curled tight at the ends. And how do you think his mouth was painted? In a smile. And he smiled and smiled all the while. One day a big man came into the store and took him away to live in a house with a little boy named Charles. The little Toy Soldier liked it there the first day, but when night came, the little mother said, “Did you brush your teeth, Charles?” “No, I don’t want to brush my teeth. It is too much bother.” And what do you think? Charles scowled and pouted. “Well, well,” said the little Toy Soldier, “I do not want to live with a little boy who doesn’t want to brush his teeth.” He couldn’t get away just then, but the next morning Charles left him on the front porch rail. He tumbled right down to the sidewalk below. A small boy named Harold came along, picked him up and played with him all day. That night at supper Harold’s mother said, “Did you wash your hands, little son?” “No, I don’t want to wash my hands. Just little girls wash their hand all the time.” “Well, well,” said the little Toy Soldier, “I am not going to live with a little boy that doesn’t want to wash his hands before he eats.” He waited until the next day when Harold put him in his pocket and started to school. The little Toy Soldier dropped out of his pocket down to the curb below. He lay there awhile when James came along, picked him up and took him home. At lunch that day James said, “I want coffee, mother.” And what do you think? He drank a great big cup of coffee. “Oh,” said the little Toy Soldier, “I do not want to live with a little boy who drinks coffee.” He was standing on the library table near the waste-basket. He tumbled into it, was carried out with the waste paper and dumped into a box at the rear of the house. A man came along with a wagon and took the paper and the little Toy Soldier to a factory. Here men were sorting paper. “See the little Toy Soldier,” said one big man, “I shall take him home to my small son.” Now this little boy could not walk so very well because he had hurt his foot. He tried to be cheerful anyway and helped his mother pre- pare the evening meal. When his father came home he said, “Have you had a nice day, son?” “Yes,” said the little boy. “I can mark all my health chores tonight, and when I went to the store a man asked me the way to the depot. I STORIES 75 tried to be polite when I told him.” ‘‘Well, well,” said the little Toy Soldier, “this is the kind of boy I should like to live with. I believe I shall stay here all the time.” I haven’t heard, so I suppose he is still there. —Adapted from The Little Toy Sol- dier—“Story Telling for Patriotism” ii. Good Health Habits The Color Bearer Zoom — Zoom — Zoom—sounded the gong on Oak Knoll School giving its warning that it was time for work to begin. Quickly the children trooped into the building, eager to be- gin work but more eager to know who was to have the honor of carrying the flag in the procession. This proces- sion was to march down the main street of the county seat tomorrow in honor of the visit of a great and good man who was coming for one day to this the town of his boyhood days. When he was a small boy he had gone to school in this district, so one from this school was to have the honor of carrying the flag. The week before the schoolmaster had announced that the flag bearer would be the one who in the judg- ment of the school served his coun- try best. There was Charles Mathews, straight, tall, likable, the football player who had carried the township team to victory. But as soon as the season closed, Charles became care- less of the daily niceties of life. He neglected brushing his teeth daily, forgot to change his linen and even grew careless of his posture. There was Jean Braman, beautiful, slender, girlish, who had won first honors in the inter-school declama- tion contest. She was always clean, always dainty but she was apt to be petulant and quick tempered if any- thing went wrong. She could not stand defeat, nor could she be patient in disappointment. There was Teddy Brown, merry, wholesome little seventh grader, who had broken the state record for the broad jump, but as soon as he no longer needed to keep in training he insisted upon spending all his money for candy and ice cream cones. Then there was precious little Frances Marie Colson whose child- ish treble attracted the attention of 76 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS the great song leader at the annual community festival. He said, “She has a voice of surpassingly sweet vol- ume and tones; with it some day she will win honor and renown if nothing happens to mar its beauty.” But Frances Marie pouted and sulked when even for a little while her moth- er asked her to care for little baby brother. So on through the entire list the desirable and undesirable qualities appeared. Who was there in all the school most worthy to be the happy flag bearer on the morrow? Who was there who served his country best? All the pupils were on tip toe with excitement because each one was hop- ing that he would have this honor. After they were all in their seats the schoolmaster rose and there was an expectant silence. The children loved this boy who had dropped his studies at the State University for a year to teach this school. He had been so merry in play with them, so eager in work with them, so under- standing of their needs and so quick to try to respond to them. Now he was to decide who of all the school was to be the flag bearer. “It is hard to decide, girls and boys,” he began, “because all of you have most desirable qualities which will help you serve your country as only a good citizen can serve. After thinking hard for a long time about it I have decided to let you put your- selves to the test; to give you a measuring rod by which you can de- termine for yourselves who deserves most to be our color bearer.” Looking at his pupils with love in his heart he said, “A good citizen is clean, inside and out. He does not forget the daily acts of cleanliness which make him healthy, good to look at and desirable to be with.” Charles Mathews and several other pupils, remembering neglected teeth, nails, hair and skin, knew that they were not eligible for the honor to be conferred. “It is written that a happy con- tented spirit is more to be desired than gold. But happy and contented does not mean being so when every- thing is just as you want it to be. It means being unselfish and helpful to others even when we would like best to be doing something for our- selves. A good citizen helps his country by sharing the burdens of others when he can share them.” Frances remembering the baby broth- er whom she would not care for knew that she could not be classed as the one who served her country best. “To save something out of the daily allowance or wage is far more important in the serving well our country than you now realize. If you begin early, the habit of saving will become so deeply grounded that it will never be entirely discontinued. Every good citizen tries to save, how- ever small the sum may be because it gives a sense of security to know there is something for time of need, for giving to others or for the posses- sion of that which we appreciate all the more because it came through self-denial.” Remembering the mon- ey he spent every day Teddy Brown knew he, too, could not gain the coveted honor. “Victory is to be desired in any contest. There are few more thrfll- STORIES 77 ing or more satisfying things in all the world than winning. There is just one thing greater and more desir- able. That is to lose gracefully after you did all in your power to win.” Jean, thinking of her defeats and how she bore them, knew she no longer could lay claim to lead the procession. Who was there in all the school? Who was clean, cheerful, generous and true? Each pupil thought hard because each wanted to help make the decision. There was a little Southern boy, John Lawrence, who had come to the school at the beginning of the year. His parents were poor, pitifully so, yet they worked bravely on, never contracting a debt they could not see the way clear to pay, and they taught John the same thing. His clothes were patched and mended but were always clean as he himself was always clean. He was so merry that they loved to choose him for their games, and he played to win. They remem- bered last fall, once when the team lost in football he said to the opposing captain, “You played better ball than we did. You won the game fairly, but we are going to try hard to beat you next time.” And beat them they did. With one accord the children said, “John Lawrence shall be our color bearer. He has shown that he serves his country best.” John Lawrence could hardly stand when the teacher called to him be- cause his heart was pounding so mer- rily with a happiness that made a big lump in his throat and tears in his eyes although he wouldn’t for the world have let the others know the tears were there. He could not be- lieve so great an honor had come to him because he felt so unworthy and could remember so many things he had left undone. But the flag seen from the window waving proudly from the staff seemed to say, “He loves me best and serves me best who loves and serves his fel- low men.” And John Lawrence standing to receive the emblem gravely kissed its folds and whispered softly, “How happy mother will be to know.” —Theresa Dansdill. 12. Helpfulness Careful and Careless Once upon a time there were two small fairies, Careful and Careless. Careful dressed neatly; her hair was combed; her face, teeth, neck and hands were clean. Her home was or- derly and light; her windows were clean; there were no dark places. Careless had on a torn dress, fas- tened with pins; her shoes were half buttoned; her hair was uncombed; her hands and face unwashed. Her home was disorderly; her windows dirty. The rooms were dark; matches were thrown around; there was a tub of hot water on the floor. Both saw a little boy named Carl, and wanted to play with him. They decided Careless was to play one day, Careful the next. Next morning, when Carl awoke, Careless was by his bedside. She 78 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS would not give him time to dress or bathe properly. His shoes were left unlaced. The laces caught on the stairs. He fell and bumped his nose. He could not wait to eat all his breakfast. He took his glass of milk into the yard. He stumbled over a toy he had left and broke the glass. He left pieces of glass where he fell, and later cut his hand on them. He took off his unlaced shoes. He stepped on a rusty nail. His foot was dirty. A bad sore resulted. How do you think he felt when he went to bed at night? Next day when Careful came she gave him plenty of time for dressing and bathing. She helped him to put things away, and to pick up the glass broken the day before, put the board away, and played with him so nicely that when he went to bed that night, mother said, “What a good little helper I have had today!” Which little fairy would you like to have visit you? —From “Safety Education in Ore- gon Schools”—State Department of Public Instruction. A Kindness Every Day Once there was a great king who had a son whom he loved dearly and for whom he did everything. He gave him beautiful rooms in which to live, costly toys, pictures and books. He gave him horses to ride and drive, boats to row and servants to help him. But the prince was not happy. He wore a frown wherever he went and was always wishing for something he did not have. One day a magician came to the court, noticed the sullen lad and pro- posed to make him happy. The king consented and offered him a large re- ward if he succeeded. The magician took the boy into a private room, wrote something with a white substance on a piece of paper, gave the boy a lighted candle and told him to hold it under the paper to see what he could read. The boy did as he was told and the white letters changing into a beautiful blue, formed the words, Do A Kindness To Some One Every Day. The magician went away asking no price for his secret but the prince, making use of it, became the happiest youth in the kingdom. —Adapted from an old folk story. The Lame Squirrel’s Thanks- giving There was once a little gray squir- rel and he was lame. Some one had set a trap in the woods and the little gray squirrel never saw it until his poor, wee foot was caught fast. When he pulled his foot out it was very lame indeed. All summer he limped. All fall he limped too. It was such hard work for him to stoop over that the red squirrels, the brown squirrels and the small boys gathered all the nuts before he could get any. After a while it came to be Thanks- giving Day in the woods. All the animals, the squirrels, the wood- chucks, the field mice, the rabbits and the chipmunks were cooking their Thanksgiving dinners. Mrs. Striped Chipmunk was down STORIES 79 in her cellar at the roots of an old fir tree sorting out nuts for a pud- ding. “I wonder if the little lame squir- rel is sick. The last time I saw him he looked pretty thin. I believe I will carry him some Thanksgiving dinner.” Mrs. Striped Chipmunk took off her apron, filled the largest basket she owned with every kind of nut— chestnuts, hazel nuts, walnuts, and off she started for the gray squirrel’s house. She had not walked far when she passed the house of the oldest woodchuck. The oldest woodchuck peered out from his window and said, “Where are you going, Mrs. Striped Chipmunk?” “Oh, I am just going over to the lame squirrel’s house with a bit of Thanskgiving dinner for him.” “Hold on a minute,” said the oldest woodchuck. “I am boiling turnips. I found two in Farmer Gray’s turnip patch. I will put one turnip in your basket if there is room.” Mrs. Striped Chipmunk said there was room and she started on again, but she had not gone very far when she met a rabbit. “Where are you going, Mrs. Striped Chipmunk?” said the rabbit. “Over to the lame squirrel’s house with a bit of Thanksgiving dinner,” said Mrs. Striped Chipmunk. “Just wait a minute,” said the rab- bit, “I have something I can send too.” He hopped away to his hole, and he presently came back with a beautiful slice of cabbage which he put in Mrs. Striped Chipmunk’s basket. By this time the basket was very heavy in- deed. Mrs. Striped Chipmunk went on a little farther when she met two young field mice. “Where are you going so early in the morning?” said they. “Just over to the lame squirrel’s house with a bit of Thanksgiving dinner,” said Mrs. Striped Chip- munk. The two young field mice whis- pered together and said, “Could you take along an ear of corn, too, Mrs. Striped Chipmunk?” Mrs. Striped Chipmunk said she would try so the field mice went home and dug up one of their very own winter ears of corn for the lame squirrel’s Thanksgiving dinner. Now the basket was so very heavy that Mrs. Striped Chipmunk could not lift it, but the two young field mice said they would help. They tied their tails to the handle of the basket and pulled. Mrs. Striped Chipmunk went behind and pushed, and they very soon came to the lame squirrel’s house. What do you suppose that little lame squirrel was doing as they rapped at his door? He was trying to nibble a wormy chestnut. It was the only nut he had, and he was so hungry. Mrs. Chipmunk emptied her market basket and set the table for him. Then the two field mice took his paws and helped him over to the table. And the little lame gray squirrel just ate and ate and ate his Thanksgiving dinner. —Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, from “Stories and Rhymes for a Little 80 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Child’’ copyrighted and used by per- mission of the Milton Bradley Co. Lincoln’s Unvarying Kindness Abraham Lincoln loved not only men, women and children but animals as well. If he saw an animal in trouble of any sort he always stopped to aid it. Even in the most crowded day he found time to be merciful. When Lincoln was twenty-one he helped his father move out west. Other friends went too. They packed their goods in large wagons drawn by oxen. It was quite a little company. They started on their journey in February. The roads were heavy with frost and mud. There were no bridges, so the streams had to be forded. Again and again they had to break the ice to let the wheels pass. At one of these fords a little dog was left behind on the farther shore. He ran up and down the bank howl- ing pitifully but no one seemed to notice him. At last tall bony Abra- ham Lincoln turned. The dog looked pleadingly at him. “Am I to be left behind to die in this wilderness?” his soft dark eyes seemed to say. Lin- coln hesitated. The water of the river was icy cold. However, he took off his shoes, turned up his trou- sers and waded across. He caught up the shivering little animal who licked his hands and face in gratitude. When Lincoln set him down on the right side of the river, the little dog showed his gladness by leaping upon every one and barking wildly. “His frantic leaps of joy repaid me for what I had done,” said Lin- coln. Years afterward, when Lincoln was a busy lawyer he was one day riding to court on horseback. With him were some friends of his who were also lawyers. The small party had some distance to go. The day was warm and the roadsides were soft with spring mud. Suddenly their gay talk was inter- rupted. “Cheep! Cheep! Cheep! they heard. On the ground not far from the roadside two little birds lay in the grass. They had fallen from the nest in the tree above them. Their mother fluttered about, uttering fear- ful cries. “See those young robins that have fallen from their nest,” said one man. “That is too bad,” said another. “They are sure to die down there.” “Some cat will get them,” said an- other. On they went but soon they missed Abraham Lincoln. They looked be- hind, but a turn of the road hid him from sight. “We can guess what kept him,” laughed the leader. “He has stopped to put those robins back into their nests.” They were right. Abraham Lin- coln was even then climbing the tree to the nest with the tiny birds cuddled tenderly in the big hand. Soon he rejoined his friends. One of them raised his riding whip and pointed at Lincoln’s muddy boots. “Confess now, Old Abe,” he said, “wasn’t it those young robins that kept you?” “Yes, you are right,” Lincoln re- plied. “But if I hadn’t put those birds back into the nest, I should not have slept a wink all night.” —Fanny E. Coe, from "The Sec- STORIES 81 ond Book of Stories for the Story- Teller/' Used by permission of and by special arrangement with the Houghton, Mifflin Co., the author- ized publishers. The Littlest Child The king of the Land-of-Make- Believe lived in his palace away up on the mountain top. Sometimes, when the people at the foot of the mountain looked up, it seemed as if the castle were a part of the blue of the sky. Sometimes the white clouds seemed to rest lovingly upon it. Sometimes, when the sun rested upon it, its walls seemed turned to gold. Sometimes the clouds in the western sky seemed to turn its windows to precious stones. At all times the castle was beautiful in the eyes of the people, for it was the home of a good king. Now one day the king’s herald came down the mountain side. He blew a blast upon his trumpet and called the people to him saying, “It is the king’s wish that all the children of the Land-of-Make-Believe should visit the castle after the harvest time”; and the children were happy. They said one to another, “Let us each take a gift to our king when we visit him after the harvest time.” Then for a long time all the factories in the Land-of-Make-Believe were busy till each little child had been pro- vided with a basket in which to carry his gift. The children thought and thought what they should carry to the king. Each child hoped that his gift would be the choicest and the best. Each little child hoped that his gift would be the one which the king would praise the most. Every one hoped way down deep in his heart that the king would give him some beautiful treasure because of the gift he had brought and the labor he had given in carrying it way, way up the steep sides of the mountain. That is, every one but the Littlest Child of All. Soon all were hunting for their gifts. One began to gather fruit. Only the choicest kinds he put into his basket. High up to the handle he piled the beautiful fruit, and then he began to climb toward the castle. By and by the child became very tired. It seemed as if he could climb no longer. The fruit began to tumble and he began to cry. The Littlest Child of All came beside him and said, “I will help you,” and he did. Then he said: “The king likes fruit. I help because I love the king.” One child filled her basket with flowers, the loveliest that grew in the gardens. But as she climbed, the sun grew hotter, the flowers began to droop and she was sad. The Littlest Child of All came beside her and dried her tears, saying, “Let us gather others,” and he helped her. After the basket was again filled she said, “But look at your basket; it is empty.” The Littlest Child of All answered: “The king likes flowers. I help because I love the king.” All day long the Littlest Child of All helped those who were staggering up the mountain side with their heavy baskets. When the children said, “But look at your basket, it is empty,” the Littlest Child of All answered, “I help because I love the king.” 82 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS By and by evening had come and the setting sun had seemed to change the palace windows to precious jewels. Each child had reached the palace of the king, that is, all but the Littlest Child of All. The Littlest Child of All looked down at his empty basket and his eyes filled with tears. He had no gift for the king whom he loved more than all the other chil- dren loved him. Just one minute was left before the palace gates should be closed. The Littlest Child of All stooped down and gathered a handful of the heather which covered all the sides of the mountain. Soon all the children stood with their gifts before the king. The king took the baskets and he was glad, for he loved the children, every one. But when the Littlest Child of All brought his light basket with its one handful of heather blossoms, he gath- ered him in his arms and kissed him. Then he said: “This little one’s basket is the dearest and the best. It is weighed down with the help he gave to others and with love for me,” and he kept the Littlest Child of All to live with him always in his castle. —From the Children s Friend, Salt Lake City. Old Man Rabbit’s Thanksgiving Dinner Old Man Rabbit sat at the door of his little house eating a nice, ripe, juicy turnip. It was a cold, frosty day but Old Man Rabbit was all wrapped round and round and round with yards and yards and yards of his best red wool muffler. He didn’t care if the wind whistled through his whiskers and blew his ears up straight. Old Man Rabbit had been exercising too, and that was an- other reason he was so nice and warm. Early in the morning he had started off, lippity, clippety down the little brown path that lay in front of his house and led to Farmer Dwyer’s corn patch. The path was all cov- ered with shiny red leaves. Old Man Rabbit shuffled through them and he carried a big bag on his back. In the corn patch he had found two or three fat, red ears of corn that Farmer Dwyer had missed so he dropped them into his bag. A little farther along he found some turnips, some carrots and quite a few russet apples that Farmer Dwyer had ar- ranged in little piles in the orchard. Old Man Rabbit went in the barn, squeezing under the big front door by making himself very flat and he filled the chinks in his bag with po- tatoes. He took a couple of eggs in his paws because he thought he might want to make a pudding for himself before the day was over. Then Old Man Rabbit started down the path, his mouth watering every time his bag bumped against his back. He did not meet any one on the way because it was so very early in the morning. When he came to his little house he emptied his bag and arranged all his harvest in piles in his front room; the corn in one pile, the carrots in one pile, the turnips in another, the potatoes in another and the apples in the last pile. Then he beat his eggs. When he had put his pudding in a bag, and set it boiling on the stove, he went outside to sit awhile and to eat a turnip thinking STORIES 83 all the time what a fine old, clever rabbit he was. While he was sitting there in front of his house, wrapped in his red muf- fler and munching the turnip, he heard a little noise in the leaves. It was Billy Chipmunk traveling home to the stone wall where he lived. He was hurrying and blowing his paws to keep them warm. “Good morning, Billy Chipmunk,” said Old Man Rabbit, “Why are you running so fast?” “Because I am cold and I am hun- gry,” answered Billy Chipmunk. “It’s going to be a hard winter, a very hard winter, and there are no apples left. I’ve been looking all morning for an apple and I couldn’t find one.” And with that Billy Chipmunk went chattering by, his fur standing out straight in the wind. No sooner had he passed than Old Man Rabbit saw Molly Mouse creep- ing along through the little brown path, her long, gray tail rustling the red leaves as she went. “Good morning, Molly Mouse,” said Old Man Rabbit. “Good morn- ing,” said Molly in a small, wee little voice. “You look a little unhappy,” said Old Man Rabbit. “I have been looking and looking for an ear of corn,” said Molly Mouse in a sad chirping voice. “But the corn has all been harvested. It’s going to be a very hard winter, a very hard winter.” And Molly Mouse trotted by out of sight. Soon Old Man Rabbit heard some one else coming along by his house. This time it was Tommy Chickadee hopping by and making a great to-do, chattering and scolding as he came. “Good morning Tommy Chicka- dee,” said Old Man Rabbit. But Tommy Chickadee was too much put out about something to re- member his manners. He just chirped and scolded because he was cold, hungry and could not find a single crumb, berry or anything to eat. He flew away, his feathers puffed out with the cold until he looked like a little round ball and all the way he chattered more and more. Old Man Rabbit finished his tur- nip eating every single bit of it even the leaves. Then he went in his house to poke the fire in his stove and to see how the pudding was cooking. It was doing very well indeed, bump- ing against the kettle as it bubbled and boiled smelling very fine. Old Man Rabbit looked around at the apples, corn and vegetables and then he had an idea. It was a funny idea and very different from any idea Old Man Rabbit had ever had before in all his life. It made him scratch his head with his left hind foot, think, and wonder but it pleased him very much. Such a funny idea too. First he took off his muffler, then he put on his gingham apron. He took his best red table cloth from the drawer, put it on the table and set it with his gold banded china set. By the time he had done this the pudding was boiled. He lifted it sweet and steaming from the kettle and set it in the middle of the table. Around the table Old Man Rabbit piled heaps and heaps of corn, carrots, potatoes, turnips and apples. Then he took down his old dinner bell that was all 84 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS rusty because Old Man Rabbit very seldom rang it. He stood in the doorway, rang it very hard and called in a loud voice. “Dinner’s ready! Come to dinner, Billy Chipmunk, Molly Mouse, and Tommy Chickadee.” They all came and they brought their friends with them. Tommy Chipmunk brought Rusty Robin who had a broken wing and could not fly South for the winter. Billy Chip- munk brought Chatter Chee, a lame squirrel whom he had invited to share his home for a month. When they all tumbled into Old Man Rabbit’s house and saw the table with the pud- ding in the center they forgot their manners and began eating as fast as they could, every one of them. It kept Old Man Rabbit very busy waiting on them. He gave all the currants in the pudding to Tommy Chickadee and Rusty Robin. He se- lected juicy turnips for Molly Mouse and the largest apples for Billy Chip- munk. Old Man Rabbit was so busy he didn’t have any time to eat a bite of dinner himself but he didn’t mind that, not one single bit. It made him feel so warm and full in- side to see the others eating. When the dinner was over and not one single crumb left on the table, Tommy Chickadee hopped up on the back of his chair and chirped. “Three cheers for Old Man Rab- bit’s Thanksgiving dinner.” “Hurrah! Hurrah!” they all twit- tered, chirped and chattered. And Old Man Rabbit was so surprised he didn’t get over it for a week. You see he had given a Thanksgiving din- ner without knowing it was really and truly Thanksgiving Day. —Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, from “The Story Tellercopyrighted and used by the permission of the Milton Bradley Co. The Queer Little Baker Man All the children were glad when the little Baker Man came to town and hung his sign above his queer little brown shop. “Thanksgiving Loaves to Sell.” Each child ran to tell the news to another child until soon the streets echoed with the sound of many run- ning feet and the clear November air was full of the sound of merry voices as a crowd of little children gathered near the little Baker’s shop. They crept so close that they could feel the heat from the big brick oven and could see the gleaming rows of bak- er’s pans. The little Baker said never a word. He washed his hands, unfolded a spot- less table, set it up before the door and began to mold the loaves while the children crowded nearer to watch him. He molded big long loaves, tiny round loaves, wee small loaves filled with currants, square loav'es with queer markings on them, fat loaves, flat loaves and loaves in shapes such as the children had never seen before. As he molded he sang a soft tune to these words: “Buy my loaves of brown and white Molded for children’s delight. Who forgets another’s need Eats unthankful and in greed; But the child who breaks his bread With another, Love has fed.” By and by the children began to STORIES 85 whisper to each other. “I shall buy that very biggest loaf,” said the biggest boy. “Mother lets me buy what I wish. I shall eat it alone which is fair if I pay for it.” “Oh!” said the tiniest girl, “that would be greedy. You never could eat so large a loaf.” “If I pay for it, it is mine,” said the biggest boy, “and one need not share what is his own unless he wishes.” “Oh,” said the tiniest little girl but she said it more softly this time, drew away from the biggest boy and looked at him with eyes that were big and round. “I have a penny,” she said to a lit- tle boy, “you and I can have one of those wee loaves together. They have currants in them so we shall not mind if the loaf is small.” “No, indeed,” said the little boy whose eyes had grown wistful when the biggest boy had talked of the great loaf. “No, indeed. But you shall take the larger piece.” Then the Little Baker raked out the bright coals from the great oven, and put in the loaves every one while the children crowded closer with eager faces. When the last loaf was in he shut the door with a clang so loud that the children shouted merrily with laughter. Then the Little Baker said: “Clang, clang my oven door, My loaves will bake as oft before And you may play where shines the sun Until each loaf is brown and done.” Away ran the children laughing and looking back at the door of the shop. Some played hide and seek among the sheaves of ungarnered corn, some ran gleefully through the heaped-up leaves of russet and gold. Some returned home for pennies to buy a loaf when the queer little Baker Man should call. So the hour passed, till above the sound of rustling corn, and all the other voices the children heard the Queer Little Baker Man call: “The loaves are ready, white and brown, For every little child in town Come buy Thanksgiving loaves and eat But only Love can make them sweet.” Soon was heard the sound of swift running feet as the children came in answer to the Little Baker’s call. “This is mine,” said the biggest boy. Laying down a silver coin he snatched the great loaf and ran away to eat it by himself. Then came the impatient boy cry- ing, “Give me my loaf! This is mine. Give it to me at once. Do you not see my coin is silver? Give it to me at once. Do not keep me waiting.” The Little Baker said never a word. He did not smile, he did not frown and he did not hurry. He gave the impatient boy his loaf and watched him as he hurried away to eat his loaf alone. Then came others crowding and pushing with their money, the strong- est and ruddiest gaining first place. Snatching a loaf they ran off to eat without a word of thanks, while some very little children looked on wist- fully not able even to gain a place. All the time the Queer Little Baker Man kept steadily on laying out the beautiful loaves on the spotless table. A gentle lad came when the 86 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS crowd grew less and giving all the pennies he had, bought loaves for all the little ones, so that no one was without a loaf. The tiniest little girl went away hand in hand with the little lame boy to share their wee loaf, and both were smiling. Who- ever broke one of the smallest loaves found it larger than it seemed at first. Now the biggest boy was begin- ning to frown. “This loaf is sour,” he said angrily. “But is it not your own loaf,” said the Baker. “Did you not choose it yourself and choose to eat it alone? Do not complain of the loaf since it is of your own choos- ing.” Those who had snatched the loaves ungratefully and hurried away with- out a word of thanks came back. “We came for good bread,” they cried, “but these loaves are sodden and heavy. See the lad there with all those children. His loaf is light. Give us too, light bread and sweet.” But the Baker smiled a strange smile. “You chose in haste,” he said, “as those choose who have no thought in sharing. I cannot change your loaves. I cannot choose for you. Had you forgotten that mine are Thanksgiving loaves? I shall come again when you can buy more wisely.” Then these children went away thoughtfully. But the very little children and the gentle lad sat eating their bread with joyous laughter. Each tiny loaf was broken into many pieces as they shared it with each other. To them the bread was as fine as cake and as sweet as honey. Then the Queer Little Baker brought cold water, put out his fire, folded his spotless table, took down the boards of his little brown shop, packed everything into his wagon and rode away merrily singing: “Who forgets another’s need Eats unthankful and in greed But the child who breaks his bread With another, Love has fed.” —Carolyn S. Bailey, from "Stories Children Need ’’ published and used by permission of the Milton Bradley Co. The 'Woman Who Shared Her Last Loaf (i Kings 17) In a land where no rain had fallen for long months the grass and flowers were withered, the fruit trees were dead, the grain-fields and gardens were hardened and parched, and the streams were almost dried up. In the time of this fearful famine a poor woman looked into her jar of flour and cruse of oil, and saw that they were almost empty. She said: “There is just enough flour to make one more little cake, and just enough oil to mix it. I will gather a few sticks and bake this little cake for my boy and myself. We will eat it and die.” She went out to gather the sticks, when she heard some one speak. She looked up. A strange man was stand- ing near. He was tired, worn and dusty, as though he had been walking many miles in the hot sun. He said to her, “Bring, I pray you, a little water, that I may drink.” She forgot for a moment how hungry and sad she was. She started STORIES 87 at once toward her house to get the water for him, when he called to her, “Bring me, I pray you, a morsel of bread in your hand.” She turned back with a sigh and said: “O sir, truly, I have not a cake; I have only a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the cruse. Now I am gathering two sticks that I may go in to prepare it for me and my boy that we may eat it and die.” The man said: “Fear not; go and do as you have said, but make me a little cake first, bring it out here to me, and afterward make a cake for yourself and your boy. For Jehovah, the God of Israel says, ‘The jar of meal shall not be empty neither shall the little bottle of oil be empty, until it rains upon the earth.” She stood and looked at this strange man with his strange request—to share her very last piece of bread. She did not know who he was, nor who the God was of whom he spoke; she only knew that this man with the tired face was hungry too, and he had not even one piece of bread. She said to herself, “I will share what we have with him.” She went back into her kitchen, kindled the fire with the sticks, scraped the last bit of flour from the jar, and poured in the last drop of oil from the cruse. But, when she had taken out enough for the little cake and looked into the jar and cruse, there was just as much flour and oil as before. She made the cake, took it to Elijah, God’s wonderful prophet, and she and her son had plenty to eat from the jar of meal that did not empty and the cruse of oil that did not fail all the days of that famine. And it all came about because that good woman, though hungry herself, was willing to share the little she had with another who was in need. Is thy cruse of comfort failing? Rise and share it with another, And through all the years of famine It shall serve thee and thy brother. Love divine will fill thy storehouse, Or thy handful will renew; Scanty fare for one will often Make a royal feast for two. For the heart grows rich in giving; All its wealth is living grain; Seeds, which mildew in the garner, Scattered, fill with gold the plain. Is thy heart a living power? Self-entwined its strength sinks low; It can only live by loving, And by serving love must grow. —W. J. Sly, from “World, Stories Re-told.” 13. Knighthood and Heroes A Friend of the King On a brightly fair autumn morn- ing away back in the I2th century, Richard, King of England, set forth with his gallant squires and knights to hunt. He was clothed in the green color worn by the huntsmen of that period, and his mass of yellow hair was adorned by a cap on which was fastened the feather of an eagle. Sitting erect on his horse, each in rhythm with the other, he was indeed a kingly figure. Suddenly a noble stag darted from the thicket. Waving aside his fol- lowers Richard dashed in pursuit of it 88 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS a time Richard rode in silence. Then he said, “I love music more than I can tell thee, lad. Its strains lead my soul to thoughts of honor, tenderness and love. When I hear it in its sweetest strains I fain would be strong in body that I may follow the dictates of my mind and heart. You ask me who am I ? I am Richard, the King.” Blondel was overwhelmed to be so near the king and begged to be put down that he might kneel at his feet. “Nay, nay, lad. Thy wounds de- mand attention now. When thou art stronger thou shalt play for me. Per- haps thou art the singer for whom Richard long hath waited.” Blondel was tenderly cared for in the castle by the king’s own physician. When his wounds were healed he was given a harp and taken to the king. He drew his fingers across the strings and their music made the king and his train think of fair dreamland places under a star-lit dome. Again the strain changed and there was the music of soft sighing winds among the trees. A medley of chords brought to mind the battlefield with its din, its horror and its gore. Touching the strings lightly again Blondel with a voice of surpassing sweetness sang of the home land. Richard, overcome with emotion, took the lad in his arms and said, “Thou art the one! Thou art the one for whom I have longed. We shall sing together, play together and make songs all our own.” Time passed, Richard responded to the call of the Crusade, and Blon- del, his faithful friend went with him. Richard fought long and val- alone. He rode some distance know- ing his men would follow. His horse shied, Richard drew rein and Saw two figures prone in the dust, one in the coarse ragged garments of an outlaw and the other a slender graceful youth in the costume of a squire. Dismounting, Richard saw that life was extinct in the outlaw. He knelt beside the inert body of the youth, laid his hand upon his heart and discovered it was beating faintly. He called to his men but there came no response. He blew on his silver whistle but still no answer came. He had ridden farther than he thought. Tenderly lifting the boy to his saddle bow he remounted, sup- ported him against his breast and rode toward home. The motion of the horse, the cool breeze on his brow, revived the boy. He opened his eyes and asked, “Who are you and where am I ?” “Nay, nay, be not impatient, lad. Thou art in good keeping. No further harm shall come to thee this day if I can keep it away from thee. Now tell me who thou art.” “I am Blondel, a minstrel on my way to visit the king. I have heard he loves music and hath a voice of surpassing sweetness. I hope to play before him, perchance to have my music find favor in his eyes. This morning I was beset by robbers who took my harp and my purse after a struggle in which I was wounded. I would know whom thou art that I may thank thee. If thou lovest music, perhaps sometime I may play for thee.” Gazing into the far distance, for STORIES 89 iantly but finally was forced to ar- range a truce. He set sail for home unaccompanied by Blondel who was given an important message to an- other king. Richard was captured by his enemies in Germany and made prisoner in a lonely fortress. He was guarded carefully and his place of imprisonment kept a profound se- cret. Blondel was overwhelmed with grief at the loss of his beloved master and set out to find him. He wan- dered here, there, everywhere in Ger- many trying to find the fortress that held the king. There was one song which he and the king sang many, many times together, one they loved and one which they alone knew. Be- fore every fortress or possible place of concealment he would play the strains of this song knowing if the king heard he would make reply. But no answer came. Disappointment and grief made Blondel pale and weary. “I must keep well,” he said, “if I am ever to find my king.” He bathed every day in clear streams, ate only the coarse food that would give him strength, kept his body straight as an arrow and at night time slept under the open canopy of the stars. If the storms raged he made a rude shelter carefully planning it that the winds could pass through it freely. “I shall not let worry deplete my strength. I shall do all in my power, by night and by day to find my mas- ter, leaving the rest in the Father’s hands.” One day after a long fruitless search Blondel came to the edge of a thick forest. Its branches were so close, its undergrowth so thickly en- twined that it seemed useless to try to penetrate its depths. But Blon- del pressed onward with a hope he could not express. Now he was grateful for the health habits that gave him strength for the rough way that taxed it to the limit of his en- durance. After a long, long march he came to a stone tower. He stopped before it and sang the song. Imme- diately the answering strains in the voice he so loved came to him. At last he had found his beloved friend. He hastened away fearing his pres- ence might excite alarm and the captors would remove the king to an- other hiding place. He returned to England as fast as he could, told his story and at once Richard’s friends set out to free him. This was accomplished within a short time and again happy strains of music were heard in the castle. One evening as the western after glow flooded the landscape with light, Richard tenderly laid his arm across the shoulders of his friend and said, “Hadst thou not been strong in body, my lad, thou couldst not have en- dured all the hardships and couldst not have found me. Great and pre- cious indeed is the love of a true friend.” —Theresa Dansdill. How a Boy Became a Knight Five hundred years ago, in Eng- land, France and the other principal countries of Europe, the leaders of the people were a special class of men called knights. A knight had to be a soldier, absolutely free from fear. He must always be true to his king, 90 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS his country and his friends. He must be generous and ready to give away anything he had to those in need. He must always be modest, courte- ous in his manner and thoughtful of the feelings of others. So people came to feel that there was nothing nobler in the world than to be “a good knight.” It was not easy to become a knight. The boy who desired this great hon- or went through a long period of training. It began when he was seven or eight years old. He waited on and helped the older people in the household, and was trained there in courtesy and gentleness. As years went on, he learned to carry him- self like a soldier and how to use the spear and the sword, with which men fought in those days. He learned to ride, swim, climb and jump, and he trained himself to bear the heavy weight of the suits of armor which the knights wore in battle. As he grew older, he learned to endure heat and cold and to go for a time without food or sleep, so that he might be strong to bear the hardships in the life of a soldier. At last, after perhaps fifteen years of this training, he was brought before the king of the country. As he kneeled down the king touched him on the shoulder with his sword and made him a knight. We do not have knights of this kind in America today; but we want boys and girls who will serve our country as faithfully as the knights of old-time served their king. We honor men and women who are brave and loyal, generous and gentle—just as they did five hundred years ago. It is just as true as it was then that girls and boys cannot grow up to be good citizens and faithful servants of their country, unless they train themselves to be strong, as well as to be brave and true and kind. —C.-E. A. Winslow, from “Healthy LivingBook I. Copyright, IQ18, by Charles E. Merrill Co. The Knights of the Silver Shield There was once a splendid castle in a forest. It had great stone walls and a high gateway, and turrets that rose above the tallest trees. The forest was dark and dangerous, and many cruel giants lived in it. But in the castle lived a company of sol- diers called the knights who were so brave and good that they were kept there by the king of the country to help all travelers passing through the forest and to fight the gi- ants. Each of these knights wore a beau- tiful suit of armor and carried a long spear, while over his helmet floated a long red plume that could be seen far off by any one in trouble. But the most wonderful thing about the knights’ armor was their shield. All of the shields had been made by a great magician. These shields were of silver. Every new shield when it was first given to a young knight was cloudy and dull. As the knight helped the poor travelers in the for- est or conquered the giants their shields would grow brighter and brighter. But if the knight let the giants get the better of him or if he did not care what became of the trav- elers, then the shield became more and more cloudy until the knight STORIES 91 would become ashamed to carry it. This was not all. When a knight had fought a very hard battle and won it, or had done some hard errand for the lord of the castle then in the center of the shield would shine a golden star. This was the greatest honor a knight could win. The star hardly ever came into the shield of a knight until he was old and tried. When it did happen the other knights would say that such a one had “won his star.” There came a time when the worst of the giants gathered together against the knights; all the knights made ready to fight them. The windows of the castle were closed and barred and the air was filled with the noise of armor being made ready for use. Now there was a young knight in the castle named Sir Roland who was the most eager for the battle. Though he was young, his shield al- ready shone enough to show that he had done brave deeds, and now he hoped that in the coming battle he would be put in the most dangerous place of all so that his shield would shine even more brightly. On the morning of the battle all the knights gathered in the great hall of the castle to receive the commands of the castle lord. As he went about in full armor he spoke to each of the brave knights. When he came to Sir Ro- land he said: “One brave knight must stay behind and guard the gate- way of the castle, and it is you, Sir Roland, being one of the youngest, that I have chosen for this.” At these words Sir Roland was so disappointed that he bit his lips to keep back the angry words, and he closed his helmet over his face that other knights might not see how badly he felt. But he said nothing and went quietly to look after his duties at the gate. Now all around the castle was a deep ditch or moat filled with water, and the only way to enter the castle was over a narrow bridge that crossed the moat and led to the narrow gate. If any one was seen coming toward the castle this bridge was fixed so that it could be pulled up on one end against the castle wall and then there was no way of crossing the moat and the castle was safe. It was here at the gateway at the end of this bridge that Sir Roland was put on guard. Soon all the other knights marched out, their armor flashing, their red plumes waving, their long spears gleaming in their hands. Sir Roland looked after them sadly till the last red plume disappeared in the gloom of the forest. It was a long time before anything happened at the gate. At last Sir Roland saw one of the knights come limping down the path to the castle and he went out on the bridge to meet him. Now this knight was not brave like the other knights and had really not been badly wounded but mostly frightened. “I have been hurt,” he said, “so that I cannot fight any more. I can watch the gate for you if you wish to go back in my place.” At first Sir Roland’s heart leaped with joy, then he remembered what the lord of the castle had said, so he answered, “I should like to go, but a knight belongs where his lord has placed him. My place is here at the gate and I can let no one in, not even 92 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS you. Your place is at the battle.” The knight was ashamed when he heard this. He stood thinking a min- ute, then turned and went back to the fight. An hour passed. Then there came an old beggar woman down the path to the castle. She asked Sir Roland if she might come in and have some food. Sir Roland told her that no one might enter the castle, but that he would have food sent out to her. “I have been in the forest where the battle is going on, said the wToman while she was eating the food. “And how is it going,” asked Sir Roland. “Badly for the knights, I am afraid,” she said. “The giants are fighting as they never fought before. I should think you had better go to help your friends.” “I should like to, indeed,” said Sir Roland, “but I am set to guard the gate of the castle and can- not leave.” “One fresh knight there would make a great difference,” said the old beggar woman, “I suppose you are one of the kind that likes to keep out of fighting. You are lucky to have such a good excuse for staying at home,” and she laughed at Sir Roland. That made poor Sir Roland very angry, but as she was an old woman he shut his lips tight, gritted his teeth and did not answer back. When the porter came with the food he gave it to her and shut the gate. It was not long before he heard some one calling outside. He opened the gate and saw standing at the other end of the draw bridge a queer little old man in a long black coat. “Why are you calling here?” asked Sir Rol- and, “the castle is closed today.” “Are you Sir Roland?” asked the little old man. “Yes,” said Sir Rol- and. “Then you should not be stay- ing here when your lord and his knights are fighting so hard with the giants. Listen to me. I have brought you a magic sword.” As he said this the little old man drew from under his cloak a wonderful sword. It flashed in the sunshine as if it were covered with diamonds. “This is the sword of all swords. It is for you if you will leave your idling here by the gate and carry it into the battle. Nothing can stand before it. When you lift it the giants will fall back. Your lord will be saved and you will be the victor.” Now Sir Roland believed it was a magician who was speaking to him. The sword seemed so wonderful that he reached out his hand to take it. As he did so the little old man came forward as if to cross the bridge. Just then Sir Roland remembered again that he had been sent to guard the gate and he called out “NO” so loud that the old man stopped sud- denly. He waved the beautiful sword again and cried, “It is for you; take it, save your lord and win.” Sir Roland was really afraid if he looked at it any longer he would be unable to stay by the gateway, so he struck the great bell. At the signal the porters inside the gate pulled the great chains of the draw bridge and the latter came up so that the old man could not cross it to enter the castle, nor could Sir Roland go out. Then, as Sir Roland looked across the moat he saw a wonderful thing. The queer little old man threw off his cloak. As he did so he STORIES 93 began to grow bigger and bigger and in a moment more he was a giant as tall as any in the forest. Then Sir Roland knew that he had come in disguise to try to enter the castle while the other knights were away. Sir Roland thought what might have happened if he had taken that sword and left the gate un- guarded. No, he would not open that gate again until the lord and knights came. It was not long until Sir Roland heard a sound that filled his heart with joy. It was the bugle of the lord and the bugles of the knights who were with him. They were sounding so joyfully that Sir Rol- and knew they had won the fight. He gave the signal to let down the draw bridge and went out to meet them. They were dusty, weary and wounded, but they had won a great victory. Sir Roland greeted them all as they passed in over the bridge and when he had closed the gate and fas- tened it he followed them into the castle hall. The lord of the castle took his place in the highest seat with the other knights all about. Sir Rol- and came forward to give the key and to give an account of what had happened that day. Just as he be- gan to speak one of the knights cried out, “The Shield, the Shield, Sir Roland’s Shield!” Every one turned and looked at Sir Roland’s shield which he carried on his left arm. There shining in its center was the golden star of knight- hood. Sir Roland himself could only see the top of the shield and did not know what the knights could mean. “Speak, Sir Knight,” said the lord of the castle, “tell us all that happened at the gate today. Were you at- tacked? Did any giants come? Did you fight them alone?” “No, my lord,” said Sir Roland, “only one giant came and he went away when he found he could not enter.” Then he told all that had happened through the day. When he had finished the knights all looked at one another, then again at Sir Roland’s shield to make sure they had really seen the star. There the golden star was still shining. After a moment the lord of the castle spoke. “Men make mis- takes,” he said, “but our shields are never mistaken. Sir Roland has fought and won the hardest battle of us all today.” —From “Why the Chimes Rang and Other Storiesby Raymond Mac- Donald Alden, copyright, 1908. Used by special permission of the publishers, the Bobbs Merrill Co. The Making of Our Country’s Flag “This morning, as I passed into the Land Office, the flag dropped me a most cordial salutation and from its rippling folds I heard it say: ‘Good morning, Mr. Flag-Maker.’ “I beg your pardon, Old Glory, I said, you are mistaken. I am not the President of the U. S. nor the Vice President, nor a member of Congress nor a General in the Army. I am only a Government clerk.” “I greet you again, Mr. Flag- Maker,” replied the gay voice. “I know you well. You are the man who worked in the swelter of yester- day straightening out the tangle of that farmer’s homestead in Idaho.” 94 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS “No, I am not,” I was forced to confess. “Perhaps you are the one who dis- covered the mistake in that Indian contract in Oklahoma?” “No, wrong again,” I said. “Maybe you helped to clear that patent for the hopeful inventor in New York, or pushed the opening of that new ditch in Colorado, or made that mine in Illinois more safe, or brought relief to the old soldier in Wyoming. No matter, whichever one of these beneficent individuals you may happen to be, I give you greeting, Mr. Flag-Maker.” I was about to pass on, feeling that I was being mocked, when the flag stopped me with these words: “You know, the world knows that yesterday the President spoke a word that made happier the future of ten million peons in Mexico, but that act looms no larger on the flag than the struggle which the boy in Georgia is making to win the corn club prize this summer. Yesterday the Con- gress spoke a word which will open the door of Alaska, but a mother in Michigan worked from sunrise until far into the night to give her boy an education. She too is making the Flag. Yesterday we made a new law to prevent financial panics; yesterday a school teacher in Ohio taught his first letters to a boy who will write a song that will give cheer to the millions of our race. We are all making the Flag. “But,” I said impatiently, “these people were only working.” Then came a great shout from the Flag. “Let me tell you who I am. The work that we do is the making of the real flag. I am not the flag at all. I am but its shadow. I am whatever you make me, nothing more. I am your belief in yourself, your dream of what a people may become. I live a changing life, a life of moods and passions, of heart breaks and tired muscles. Sometimes I am strong with pride, when men do an honest work like fitting the rails together truly. Sometimes I droop, for then, purpose has gone from me, and cyn- ically I play the coward. Sometimes I am loud, garish and full of that ego that blasts judgment. But always I am all that you hope to be and have the courage to try for. I am song and fear, struggle and panic, and en- nobling hope. I am the day’s work of the weakest man and the largest dream of the most daring. I am the Constitution and the court, statute and statute maker, soldier, dread- naught, drayman and street sweep, cook, counselor and clerk. I am the battle of yesterday and the mistake of tomorrow. I am the mystery of the men who do without knowing why. I am the clutch of an idea and the reasoned purpose of resolution. I am no more than what you believe me to be, and I am all that you believe I can be. I am what you make me, nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself, the pictured sug- gestion of that big thing which makes this nation. My stars and my stripes are your dreams and your labors. They are bright with cheer, brilliant with courage, firm with faith be- cause you have made them so out of your hearts, for you are the makers STORIES 95 of the flag, and it is well that you glory in the making.” —Franklin K. Lane. (Delivered by Mr. Lane, when U. S. Secretary of Interior before an audience com- posed of government employees at IVashington.) The Round Table Whenever Arthur wanted anything especially difficult done, outside of fighting, it was to Merlin he turned —Merlin, the magician, of vast wit and a hundred winters. So it was Merlin who contrived the Round Table. But first Arthur ordered built in Camelot a magnificent castle, in whose spacious halls the table was to stand. In twelve niches around the wall stood statues of twelve kings whom Arthur had vanquished, each one holding a blazing torch. In the midst of the hall stood the great table of polished wood, liter- ally a round table. The king made the table round so there would be no head to it and no higher positions. All were to meet as equals, with no feeling of pride or superiority on the part of any one. Some say that the table seated one hundred and fifty knights, the flower of King Arthur’s fighters. The more popular story is that it had seats for only a few, but that it had the magic power of extension to make room for any knight who should prove himself worthy of the honor. When all was finished, King Ar- thur viewed his work with pride and joy, saying to his magician: “Behold! the hall is erected; the table is here; the seats are ready. Name me now the knights worthy to sit here.” To the knights whom Merlin chose, Arthur gave a great banquet; and all their hearts were lifted in exaltation, for had they not been chosen by their king? And from this time on each man’s heart was fixed on the doing of pure and noble deeds. At the Round Table there was one seat that had no guest. This was known as the Siege Perilous, or the “dangerous seat.” That it was dan- gerous was well proved when once a haughty lord, coming uninvited, seated himself in the Siege Perilous and the earth immediately opened and swallowed him. Merlin knew, however, that a pure and stainless knight could sit there with safety. A magic power had written the name of each knight over his own seat, and no one else dared sit there. When a seat was made vacant by death or dishonor, no one could suc- ceed to it without proving himself greater in deeds than his predecessor. If one tried to take a seat for which his exploits had not fitted him, a sud- den unseen force would expel him from the seat. Of all the knights of the Round Table perhaps the greatest was Sir Lancelot—he who had been reared by the Lady of the Lake, and who was the mirror of knightly honor, courtesy, and valor, he before whose sword and spear all adversaries fell. Each of the knights of the Round Table was a star, and King Arthur was their sun. Arthur bound these companions of the Round Table by oath to assist one another at the risk 96 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS of their own lives, to attempt singly the most perilous adventures in aid of those who were distressed, or to lead, when necessary, a life of mon- astic self-denial. He also swore them to fly to arms for their country at the first summons and never to retire from battle until the foe was de- feated or night had come to end the combat. There was one adventure that only the purest and bravest knights under- took. It was called the Quest (or search) for the Holy Grail. The adventures of the knights-er- rant in this Quest were many and strange. They encountered wild beasts and dragons; they fought for fair ladies; they besieged frowning castles and fought giants. Some of them forgot their vows, and others were overcome by temptation. In the end, only three of the knights— Sir Percival, Sir Bors and Sir Gala- had—obtained a vision of the Grail; and to them life was forever a more sacred thing. —Abridged from “The Round Ta- ble? by Hester Jenkins, in “The Perfect Gentle Knight.” Copyright, IQ2I, by the World Book Co., Yonkers, N. Y. (A complete version of this story and a collection of other stories of knighthood are found in this delightful book. For the upper grades it is a fine supplementary reader.) A True Knight The raindrops were falling, falling, pat, pat, pattering on the roof, on the window panes, on the walks. No one in school No. 3 could go home, although the long hand of the clock pointed to twelve and the short hand pointed to four. “The rain is falling so rapidly it seems best to wait awhile here,” said Miss Patton, the teacher. “What shall we do while we wait for the clouds to break?” “Tell us a story,” said the little wee children. “Please, please tell us a story,” said the older children. “Once upon a time,” the teacher began, and every pupil in the room was still, still as little mice because they knew Miss Patton’s “Once upon a time” always meant a nice story and they loved to have her tell stor- ies to them. “Once upon a time in the long, long ago, there lived brave knights who were good, kind, honest, cour- teous and true. They loved to help others who needed them, loved to do kindly deeds and to bring smiles to weary faces. “But of all earthly things they loved their country best. They fought the enemies who would de- stroy their people, they valiantly drove away the foes who would do STORIES 97 them harm. With shining armor, shield and sword they rode away bravely to battle, ready to fight and even to die that their loved country might be free. When the' foe was vanquished they returned home sing- ing songs of praise and gratitude be- cause a true knight always tried to keep a merry heart even when the battle seemed to be going against him. “ ‘To do the best I can to be clean, brave, neat, courteous, loving and cheerful,’ was what each knight said to himself over and over until he wanted more than anything else in the world to be all these things. Dagmar was the youngest knight of all the assembly. He was brave and hoped that some day he might sit at the head of the table where sat the one chosen as the very bravest, finest, truest knight of all. “ ‘Just to be brave will give me this honor,’ said Dagmar. ‘In the next battle I will show them how fearless I am.’ “ ‘What sayest thou, Dagmar ?’ gently asked the Knight who was sitting in the courtyard near him. ‘Dost thou think that being brave is all a true knight must be to win that which he wants most? “ ‘Nay, nay, thou must keep thy body clean, thy thoughts pure, thy words kind. Shining, bright and spotless must be thine armor, thy daily apparel neat, they smile ready and cheerful. Lovingly must thou help the weak and aged, carefully protect them, willingly serve them. All these must thou do if thou are to become a knight of whom thy coun- try shall be proud.’ “That was long, long ago when this old world was a very young world indeed. But Dagmar because he loved his country and loved his fellowmen tried hard to do and to be all the older knight had asked him. Not in a day, nor in many days did he become a knight brave, courteous, kind and true but after a while be- cause he tried hard and tried every day he finally won what he wanted most—the honored place at the head of the knight’s table. “Today we need brave knights to nght for our country just as they were needed in the days gone by. Disease, dirt, uncleanliness, unloveli- ness, unkindness are the enemies that shall destroy our people if they are not conquered. Each one must be a brave knight, using for his weapons, soap, water, clean clothing, tooth- brushes, sunshine, good food, rest, a merry smile, kindly thoughts and un- selfish deeds. Each of you is a brave knight because you are using these weapons faithfully, are performing your health chores daily and regu- larly.” The children sat very still as Miss Patton finished and the tiniest wee one said, “Tell it again.” “No, it has stopped raining. Good night, children,” said Miss Patton. Slowly the children trooped away from the school room, the tiniest wee one saying, “I’m doin’ to be a knight for sure”; the tallest big one saying, “To do the best I can to be clean, brave, neat, courteous, loving and cheerful. This is what true knight- hood means. I want to be a knight.” —Theresa Dansdill. 98 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS 14. Microbes Billy’s Pal One day Billy was left home alone because he had not done his arith- metic. There he sat absent-mindedly chewing his pencil, and never once trying his examples. Suddenly he was startled by a wee voice saying, “Ouch!” He had been left alone in the house. Where did the voice come from ? He listened again, ever so hard, but heard nothing, so he fell to chew- ing his pencil harder. “Ouch! Ouch!” Again the same pitiful little voice. Billy began to feel queer and a bit frightened. Where in this lonely house could the sound come from? He meant to know. Billy sat ever so quiet. He was not going to be surprised again, thought he. In his uneasiness, he started to gnaw harder at his pencil, and as he put his teeth deep into the shiny red wood— “Ouch, ouch! Please stop!” And who do you suppose it was? The pencil! In his fright, Billy dropped the pencil from his mouth, onto the table. And then the queerest thing hap- pened ! The pencil didn’t roll; it just rose up on its point—but it wasn’t a point at all. It was a pair of tiny black boots. The pencil was a little thin man in a glossy red suit and a bright brass helmet. Billy gasped. “Sorry I frightened you, Billy,” said the pencil, “but you were hurting me terribly.” “Why did you say, ‘ouch,’ and where did you come from, and”—Billy was all upset. Think of a pencil talking! “Guess maybe you’d say ‘ouch’ and ‘stop,’ and more too, if some one chewed your head, and spoiled your best suit,” answered the pencil. “But nobody ever knew it hurt pen- cils,” said Billy, less frightened now. “Just look closely at my bright red coat,” said the pencil, “and you’ll see the marks of my suffering.” Billy picked up the pencil and gently set it on his hand. “See here,” continued the pencil. “These are the teeth marks of Mary who is sick at home with the whoop- ing cough. She got me from John. John traded me in for four marbles. He fished me out of the waste basket where I slipped to, from a hole in Tom’s pocket. That was just before Tom left school with scarlet fever. Tom discovered me in a gutter where I was glad to fall after being perched all day back of a peddler’s ear.” “You don’t mean to tell me that you’ve had whooping cough and scar- let fever, and have lived in waste baskets and gutters,” asked Billy in surprise. “Oh my, yes. That’s only a bit of my life. I’ve had many an unpleas- ant trip since I left my home.” “Your home,” questioned Billy. “Where was that?” “My home was a bright clean fac- tory. All my brothers and sisters were dressed just like I’m dressed— in shiny red suits. We all had our names put on us in silver letters. We were so proud of our names. Look at mine!” STORIES 99 “Why, I can’t make it out. It has been chewed up,” said Billy disap- pointed. “That’s just it,” said the pencil. “My brothers and sisters all left the factory, hoping to be owned and loved by some boy or girl, who would keep them clean and not hurt them. We all wanted to help children draw and write and do lessons—help them, so they would keep us for work. But we are chewed on and gnawed at by every one; we have mumps and measles until we make every one who touches us sick.” The pencil could say no more, for a big tear was rolling down his little face. And Billy, too, was sorry; so he washed his little visitor gently and said, “From now on you are to be my little pal. I’ll not lose you, nor bite you, but I’ll keep you bright and clean.” And Billy and the pencil worked together and did the arithmetic lesson. —Aimee Zillmer. Used by per- mission of the Wisconsin Anti- Tuberculosis Association. Germs Are Everywhere Do you know that there are mil- lions and millions of living one-celled animals and plants lying around everywhere? Well there are hundreds and thou- sands and millions of them, so many that you cannot count them. You don’t know about them, because you cannot see them—they are so tiny and colorless. These little animals and plants are called GERMS. There are at least 1,500 kinds of them. Many of them look very much alike, but, as in other things with which we are more familiar, there are differences. You know there are countless kinds of fish, some of which look alike; but they are not really alike. Some are large, others, small. Some have bodies which seem to have no bones at all except the backbone; and others are just full of bones. It is the same with plants. There is no end to the number of plants you can think of and name. Many of them are more or less alike. The poison ivy closely resembles other plants which are harmless. So it is with the germs. For the present, we may divide the 1,500 kinds into two classes; those which carry disease, and those which do not carry disease. From 50 to 75 of the 1500 kinds do carry disease and those are the ones for which we must watch out. They carry infectious diseases, like scarlet fever, diphtheria, pneumonia, tetanus (lockjaw) and many other dreadful diseases. The other class of germs usually does us very little harm. Some of them even are of service to us, and help us a great deal. Did you know that the yeast which makes the bread we eat rise until it is light and flaky, is one kind of germ? And that our bread would be hard and heavy without it? These germs are the workers which help to change cabbage into sauerkraut, milk into cheese, and cider into vinegar. Germs of all kinds are present in the school rooms. Occasionally some of these germs are disease germs which make boys and girls feel tired or even make them ill. Some find homes in the grocery stores, spoil the 100 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS rosy red apples which lie in the win- dows or in the open, and make them unfit for boys and girls to eat. Others haunt the public drinking cup, and though we cannot see them, often just heaps of them lie .waiting for us on the public towel or hair brush. After every meal, our moth- ers, or big sisters, or perhaps the maid, should pour boiling water over the dishes we have used to kill the germs which might be sticking to' the plates, cups, or silverware. The milk we drink ought to be boiled so that any germs which might be living in it will be killed so that they can neither spoil the milk, nor harm us. We keep our homes free from flies, because flies carry germs from place to place, and some of the germs which they carry might be disease germs. Germs are tricky little ras- cals, too. They wait around on the streets, on the steps of buildings, on railings, banisters, and bell-ropes; on street-car straps and store coun- ters. These usually are not disease germs, however, because disease germs are seldom found any place except in or on the body. We carry many germs around with us, on our hands, our gloves, handkerchiefs, and shoes. Germs are abundant in dark, musty, vile smelling places, and seldom are they strong enough to stay long in the bright sunlight. They hold colony meetings in damp, moldy places, such as old cellars and neglected places where rubbish and garbage is stowed away. —Honora Costigan, from ,vHealth Stories'J used by permission of the Minnesota Public Health Association. The Sunbeam Soldiers to the Rescue Once upon a time the Queen of the Good Health Fairies was very much worried because she heard that a large army of Germs was coming to kill all of her fairies. So she called together her council to talk over what they might do. One fairy said, “Let us ask the Sunbeam Soldiers to help us.” The Queen replied, “That is a fine idea, and you may act as a messenger.” Quickly the fairy spread her wings way out, and flew and flew right up to the Sun. There she found the Captain of the Sunbeam Soldiers and asked him for his help. The Captain said, “Of course we will help you. My soldiers are al- ways glad of a chance to fight Germs.” So he called his soldiers together, and told them to prepare for battle. The Sunbeam Soldiers carry shields but they are not like ordinary shields. Theirs are made all of gold. Each soldier polished his shield until it shone just like the sun, took several golden pointed arrows; and the Sun- beam army was ready to start. From her high lookout tower the Queen saw, coming along one road, a big army of Germs, all carrying black shields. With them they were bringing Dirt and Disease, and it made her frightened. But soon after, coming right down out of the sky she saw the Sunbeam Soldiers with their wonderful golden shields and it made her feel better. If you have ever tried to look straight at the sun, you may remem- ber that you cannot do it. The sun STORIES 101 hurts your eyes and you have to turn your head away. So it was with the Germs. When they came up to the Sunbeam Soldiers, they could not stand the light from the polished shields, and they had to turn their heads away. It was so bright all around that the Germs were afraid they would be blinded, and they turned to run back home. However, the Sunbeam Soldiers were not going to let the Germs get away so easily. They chased right after them, shooting their golden ar- rows as they ran. Every time an ar- row hit a Germ, it struck him in the back. You see he did not have any shield back there to protect him, and so it killed him. A great many of the Germs were killed, all the rest were chased away, and none of the Good Health Fair- ies were hurt. You can just im- agine how happy the Queen was as she thanked the Captain of the Sun- beam Soldiers for his help. —M. S. Furbeck, Bureau of Asso- xiated Charities, Brooklyn, N. Y. 15. Nutrition Bread-Making Among Various Peoples It was in the heat of the day when Abraham looking up from his tent- door beheld three men standing by him. Wishing to entertain them he said, “I will bring a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts.” This is the first specific mention we have of bread. And the way in which that bread was made is described in verse six of the eighteenth chapter of Genesis, in Abraham’s words to Sarah when he said, “Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.” But even before Abraham, bread- making was a practiced art. Ex- cavations have revealed not only stones for the grinding of meal at that early date, but bread itself has been dug up in large quantities. The form of the bread thus found is cakes, somewhat round, and about an inch to an inch and a half in diamete*. These cakes are not made of meal, but of grains of corn more or less crushed. In some specimens the halves of barley grains can be plainly seen. The underside of these cakes is sometimes flat and sometimes con- cave and from all evidences it appears that they were baked by being laid on hot stones and covered over with glowing ashes. Though all methods of bread-mak- ing follow the same principles, the kinds of bread are of many shapes and varieties. The Egyptians were the first people to carry to a high per- fection the bread-baking art. They baked cakes and loaves of many va- rieties and shapes and flavored them with various aromatic spices. The Greeks were the next to learn it, and history says they made no less than sixty-two varieties. The Romans learned next. They were the first to form the baking-trade into an incor- poration, or a guild. Public bakeries were scattered throughout the city, and slaves were kept to perform the 102 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS heavy and more disagreeable tasks. There were no separate mills then for grinding the grain. It had to be pounded and sifted in the bakeries. The art of making bread made its way northward, but slowly. Even now loaves of bread are seldom seen in some of the northern European and Oriental countries. In Sweden rolls are more common than loaves; and in some parts, no bread but rye cakes are used. These are baked about twice a year and stored away for fu- ture use, and, of course, become very hard. In Norway a flat bread of coarse barley meal and water is made. El- derly women often sit under a little shelter of dried branches and bake it. The batter is rolled thin, then placed on a round, flat baking-stone under which a fire of fagots is kept burning. Piles of bread are baked in this way, then stored in a dry place for the winter, when it is used as a chief food by the peasants. In Scotland barley bannocks and oaten cakes are still a staple food ar- ticle. The oaten cakes are made by mixing oatmeal, warm water, salt, and sometimes butter-fat, into a stiff paste and kneading it out into a thin cake. It is then baked in front of an open fire. In Eastern countries, as well as in Scotland, wheat flour is kneaded with water and rolled out into thin sheets called scones. In Egypt the bakers appear to aim at getting the biggest loaf out of the smallest possible amount of flour. The dough is rolled out like pie-crust and the edges are joined all around. The out-door ovens are fired, then the fire raked to one side, or drawn out, to give place for the loaves, which are nothing more than thin cakes. These are pushed in on a board. The heat from the oven puffs them up into a balloon of bread. So the Egyptian cake is “largely a hole wrapped in a crust.” Syrian bread is made in much the same way. In America there are quite as many kinds and as many ways for making bread as in foreign countries. The Mexicans make a sort of flapjack called tortilla. Forked sticks are set in the ground, and these support a dough board of stone. On this the cakes are rolled out with a crude rolling-pin. Some Indians make bread much as the Syrians do. In a certain province in Canada very primitive customs still linger. Peculiar-looking structures, protected only by a few boards put together in a rough way, are occasionally seen by the roadside. These are ovens and are used by a number of people in the locality. Upon certain days these ovens are heated, and the people bring their bread to be baked. In some parts of the United States various flour and meal cakes are con- sumed in quantities. But the bakery products average more than $400,- 000,000 yearly. All breads can be divided into two great classes, the leavened and the un- leavened, or those that rise, and those that do not. Of the unleavened breads the simplest form and rudest baking are seen in the Australian damper, a kind of cake made from a dough composed of flour, salt, and water, and baked in the dying embers of a wood fire. The dough is laid STORIES 103 on a flat stone, covered with a tin plate, and the hot ashes heaped around and over it. Perhaps the most interesting of un- leavened breads is the Passover bread, which has been used by the Jews during Passover week from the time of Moses until now. It is a mixture of flour and water baked in small round cakes until it is dry and hard. It is not unlike plain water crackers. —Eskell L. Blore. Used by per- mission of the Gospel Trumpet Co. How Robinson Crusoe Made Bread It might be truly said that now I worked for my bread. It is a little wonderful, and what I believe few people have thought much upon, viz., the strange multitude of little things necessary in providing, producing, curing, dressing, making, and finish- ing this one article of bread. First, I had no plow to turn up the earth, no spade or shovel to dig it. This I conquered by making me a wooden spade, as I observed before ; this did my work but in a wooden manner; and though it cost me a great many days to make it, yet, for want of iron, it not only wore out the sooner, but made my work the harder, and performed much worse. However, this I bore with too, and was content to work it out with pa- tience, and bear with the badness of the result. When the corn was sown, I had no harrow, but was forced to go over it myself, and drag a great heavy bough of a tree over it to scratch it, as it may be called, rather than rake or harrow it. When it was growing, or grown, I have observed already how many things I wanted, to fence it, secure it, mow or reap it, cure and carry it home, thresh, part it from the chaff, and save it. Then I wanted a mill to grind it, sieves to dress it, yeast and salt to make it into bread, and an oven in which to bake it. I had long studied, by some means or other, to make myself some earthen vessels, which, indeed, I wanted sorely, but knew not where to come at them. However, considering the heat of the climate, I did not doubt if I could find out any clay, I might botch up some such pot as might, be- ing dried by the sun, be hard enough and strong enough to bear handling, and to hold anything that was dry, and required to be kept so. As* this was necessary in preparing corn and meal which was the thing I was upon, I resolved to make some as large as I could, and fit only to stand like jars, to hold what should be put into them. It would make the reader pity me, or rather laugh at me, to tell how many awkward ways I took to raise this paste; what odd, misshapen, ugly things I made; how many of them fell in, and how many fell out—the clay not being stiff enough to bear its own weight; how many cracked by the over-violent heat of the sun, being set out too hastily; and how many fell to pieces with only remov- ing, before as well as after they were dried. In a word, how, after hav- ing labored hard to find the clay—to dig it, to temper it, to bring it home, and work it—I could not make above 104 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS two large earthen ugly things (I can- not call them jars) in about two months’ labor. However as the sun baked these two very dry and hard, I lifted them very gently up, and set them down again in two great wicker baskets, which I had made on purpose for them, that they might not break. Between the pot and the basket there was a little room to spare, I stuffed it full of the rice and barley straw. These two pots being to stand al- ways dry, I thought would hold my dry corn, and perhaps the meal, when the corn was bruised. Though I miscarried so much in my design for large pots, yet I made several smaller things, with better success, such as little round pots, flat dishes, pitchers, and anything my hand turned to; and the heat of the sun baked them strangely hard. But all this would not answer my end, which was to get an earthen pot to hold what was liquid, and bear the fire, which none of these could do. It happened after some time, making a pretty large fire for cooking my meat, when I went to put it out after I had done with it I found a broken piece of one of my earthenware vessels in the fire, burnt as hard as a stone, and red as a tile. I was agreeably surprised to see it, and said to myself that certainly they might be made to burn whole, if they would burn broken. This set me to study how to order my fire so as to make it burn me some pots. I placed three large pip- kins, and two or three pots, in a pile, one upon another, and placed my firewood all around it, with a great heap of embers under them. I plied the fire with fresh fuel round the out- side, and upon the top, till I saw the pots in the inside red-hot quite through, and observed that they did not crack at all; when I saw them clear red, I let them stand in that heat about five or six hours. I slacked my fire gradually till the pots began to abate of the red color, and watched them all night, that I might not let the fire abate too fast. In the morning I had three very good (I will not say handsome) pipkins, and two other earthen pots, as hard burnt as could be desired. After this experiment, I need not say that I wanted no sort of earthen- ware for my use; but I must need say as to the shapes of them they were very indifferent, as any one may sup- pose, when I had no way of making them but as the children make dirt pies. No joy at a thing of so mean a nature was ever equal to mine, when I found I had made an earthen pot that would bear the fire; and I had hardly patience to stay till they were cold before I set one on the fire again, with some water in it, to boil me some meat, which it did admirably well. With a piece of a kid I made some very good broth, though I wanted oatmeal and several other things to make it as good as I would have had it. My next concern was to get me a stone mortar in which to stamp or beat some corn. As to the mill, there was no thought of arriving at that with one pair of hands. After a great deal of time lost in searching for a stone, I gave it over, STORIES 105 and resolved to look out a great block of hard wood, which I found indeed much easier. Getting one as big as I had strength to stir, I rounded it and formed it on the outside with my ax and hatchet. Then, with the help of fire and infinite labor, I made a hollow place in it, as the Indians in Brazil make their canoes. After this, I made a great heavy pestle, or beater, of wood called the iron-wood. This I prepared and laid by against I had my next crop of corn, which I pro- posed to myself to grind, or rather pound into meal, to make my bread. My next difficulty was to make a sieve, or searce, to dress my meal, and to part it from the bran and the husk; without which I did not see it pos- sible I could have any bread. All the remedy that I found for this was, that at last I did remember I had, among the seamen’s clothes which were saved out of the ship, some neckcloths of calico or muslin; and with some pieces of these I made three small sieves, but proper enough for the work. Thus I made shift for a good many years; how I did afterwards, I shall show in its place. The baking part was the next thing to be considered, and how I should make bread when I came to have corn. First, I had no yeast. As to that part, as there was no sup- plying the want, I did not concern myself much about it. But for an oven I was indeed in great pain. At length I found out an experiment for that also, which was this: I made some earthen vessels very broad, but not deep, about two feet in di- ameter, and not above nine inches deep. These I burned in the fire, as I had done the other, and laid them by. When I wanted to bake, I made a great fire upon the hearth, which I had paved with some square tiles, of my own making and burning also. But I should not call them square. When the firewood was burned pretty much into embers, or live coals, I drew them forward upon the hearth to cover it all over. There I let them lie till the hearth was very hot. Then sweeping away all the embers, I set down my loaf or loaves, and turning down the earthen pot upon them, drew the embers all round the outside of the pot, to keep in and add to the heat. Thus, as well as in the best oven in the world, I baked my barley-loaves, and be- came, in little time, a good pastry- cook into the bargain. I made my- self several cakes and puddings of the rice. I made no pies, neither had I anything to put into them, suppos- ing I had, except flesh of fowls or goats. —Elizabeth Lewis, from "Won- derland StoriesCopyright by the J. B. Lippincott Co. 16. Nutrition (Cereals) The Bowl of Porridge There was once a little boy who had a bowl of porridge for his supper. It was the most delicious porridge you ever ate. There had been a tiny yellow seed deep down in the ground. 106 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Then the seed had burst its coat and pushed up two green seed leaves to- ward the yellow sun. The sun warmed the seed leaves, and pres- ently there came a long ear of corn with a green coat and a yellow tassel cap. The miller ground the ear of corn into yellow flour, then the little boy’s mother mixed and stirred some fine porridge, and put it all steaming hot and covered with milk and sugar in the little boy’s best china bowl. “Here is your supper, dear,” said the little boy’s mother. “You may go out and sit on your little stool and eat your supper in the garden before you go to bed.” The little boy went out, sat down in the garden, and began to eat his porridge fast because he was very hungry. But as he was eating, along came the little boy’s little red hen. “Cluck, Cluck,” said the little red hen, “I am hungry too.” Now you know the little boy was very hungry himself, but he put a spoonful of porridge on the ground and the little hen ate it. Then along came the little boy’s gray tabby cat. “Mew, Mew,” said the tabby cat. “I am hungry, too.” So the little boy poured out some milk from his bowl of porridge and let the tabby cat lap it up. Then along came the little boy’s black dog, Fido. Now, Fido, had run, played, fetched, and carried for the little boy all day, so, of course, he had to have some porridge, too. The little boy put out very large spoonfuls indeed for Fido and by the time he had finished there was very little porridge left for himself. “Why, where’s my porridge gone?’’ said the little boy. But all at once the bowl seemed very full of supper again. Perhaps the little boy’s mother came up softly and filled it, but he did not see her. And it did not taste like porridge this time, even very good porridge. It tasted like taffy and lollipops, and chocolate cake, and vanilla ice cream, and cream puffs, and all the other delicious things a child never is al- lowed to eat at tea. So the little boy sat out in the garden and had a very good supper, indeed. —Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, from “Stories and Rhymes for a Little Child.” Used by special permission of the Milton Bradley Co. Corn The Day of Love tells a story of a plant that loves much. It happened way back when In- dians lived here. They had painted faces, and feather crests. An In- dian stood wrapped in a green blanket watching a tiny green point break the crust of earth. “Who are you?” said the Indian. “I am corn,” said the green point. “Blessed be thy fruit,” said the Indian. He nursed the plant, and it grew to man’s height. Its fruit waved feathers just like the Indian’s head and was wrapped in a green blanket just like the Indian. It painted its ear red when ripe, just the color of the Indian’s skin. Corn has come into the white man’s mouth with the compliments of the STORIES 107 Indian. And the white man has done justice to corn. And corn now paints its ear after the color of the white man’s skin. —C. H. W. Hasselriis. Used by permission of the author. Psyche and Cupid (A Story of Sorting Grains) There was once a beautiful maiden named Psyche, who loved to roam about in the woods and fields gather- ing bright blossoms and weaving them into wreaths. Every one loved the dear child. She had many friends and playmates, but dearest of them all was the little winged Cupid, who used to fly down from lofty Olympus, the home of the gods. Although Psyche loved her little playmate dearly, she was very thoughtless and one day she so of- fended Cupid that he spread his wings and flew away. She thought he would return the next day, but when many days passed and he did not come, she grieved deeply. She was sorry she had been so foolish, but her grief or repentance did not bring back her little friend. She wondered how she could make amends. She went to the beautiful Venus, mother of Cupid, to tell her of her trouble. “Perhaps she will help me,” thought Psyche. When she finally reached the shin- ing palace of the gods, far above the clouds on Mt. Olympus, she humbly told her story to Venus, who said, “My child, there are many very difficult tasks to be performed be- fore you can win back what you so foolishly lost.” Then she led Psyche to a granary upon the floor of which was a great pile of wheat, barley, oats, and rye, all mixed together. “Before evening,” said Venus, “these grains must all be separated and each pile placed by itself.” Poor Psyche! Would she ever be able to finish so great a task in one day? She feared not, but saying, “I will do the best I can,” went to work. Her fingers fairly flew as she sorted and sifted the tiny grains. But her little piles grew so slowly, and the great pile on the floor seemed as large as ever. It was now late afternoon and her task was not half done. Although she began to feel very discouraged she worked steadily on. Then who do you think came to her aid? An army of ants came trooping through the cracks of the granary floor. Of all the busy creatures none are more busy than they. When Psyche saw the ants each set to work at sort- ing the grain her heart grew light. They tugged away at kernels as large as themselves, putting each kind in the right pile. At last when the great red sun sank behind the distant hills, all the piles of wheat, rye, oats, and barley were neatly sorted. “Dear friendly ants,” she said, “what would I ever have done with- out your help?” She did not know that Cupid had sent these ants to help her, because he could not come himself. Many other just as difficult tasks 108 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS were set for Psyche, but at last all were finished and she looked long- ingly for Cupid to come to the gar- den to play. She had almost de* spaired of ever seeing her playmate again, when one day she heard the flutter of wings and Cupid alighted beside her. He brought her a beautiful pair of velvety butterfly wings which were soon attached to her shoulders. Then she sailed with Cupid to be happy forever in the beautiful home of the gods. —Marian George. From the “Plan Book.” Used by special per- mission of the A. Flanagan Co., Chi- cago. The Sweet Rice Porridge There was a little girl who was very poor. When noon came there was very little dinner on the table for her and sometimes at night she went hungry to bed. One morning when she awakened she went to her mother and found her ill. When the mother was well she worked hard. She picked up wood in the forest, she washed clothes and scrubbed floors. With the money she earned she bought food for her little daughter and herself. But now she was ill and could not get food for either of them. Do you think the little girl cried and fretted? No indeed! She knew if she cried it would make her mother sorry. She thought, “Is there not some- thing I can do to help my sick mother? I must work. What can I do? I am too small to wash clothes or to scrub floors. But I can go out into the woods. I will find herbs there and berries. I can gather them and sell them, then I can buy bread and we need not be hungry any more.” So the little girl went out into the woods. There she found ripe ber- ries. She began to pick them and put them into her little basket. An old, old woman saw her. She stood and watched the child. She saw her poor, thin little face. She saw that the child did not jump about, laugh and sing as other children did when they came into the woods. She saw too, that this child did not eat even the smallest berry. As fast as she picked them she dropped them into her small basket. The old woman’s heart was full of pity for the little girl. She said, “My child, I will help you.” She gave her a little earthen kettle. It seemed a queer thing to give to a child who had so many empty pots and kettles at home. But this was a wonderful kettle. The old woman told the child all about it. She said, “My child, this little kettle will cook very sweet good rice porridge for you and you need not put anything in it at all. Just say, ‘Lit- tle Kettle, cook!’ and it will begin to cook sweet, rice porridge. When you have enough say, ‘Little Kettle, stop!’ and it will stop. The little girl thanked the kind old woman and ran home with the wonderful pot. When she arrived at her home she went to her mother and said, “O dear Mother, see what a good old woman gave me. All we need do is to say, ‘Little Kettle, cook!’ and it will cook rice porridge for us. STORIES 109 When we have enough, we must say, ‘Little Kettle, stop!’ and it will stop cooking.” The little girl set the kettle on the hearthstone. The mother called out, “Little Kettle, cook!” The little kettle began to cook. Soon it was full to the very top with sweet rice porridge. Then the mother called out, “Little Kettle, stop!” and the wonderful little kettle stopped. Oh, how quickly the little girl ran to the cupboard. She brought out plates and spoons. Soon she and her mother were eating sweet rice por- ridge. The mother was soon so well and strong that she could go to her work again. Every day she and her little daughter had sweet rice porridge for breakfast. —Adapted from the story by Samuel B. Allison. JJsed by permission of the A. Flanagan Co., Chicago. Wheat A few years ago some archeologists, exploring among the tombs of that Egypt where the Pharaohs once ruled, found, wrapped in the cerements of a royal mummy, some grains of wheat. They had been buried with the aris- tocratic remains forty centuries be- fore, or perhaps fifty; a thousand years doesn’t make much difference to an archeologist or a grain of seed wheat. It didn’t occur to anybody to try artificial respiration or the administra- tion of oxygen on the mummy; he was conceded to be hopelessly dead. Not so with the grains of wheat. They had lain in the tomb while dynasties had grown and gone, while empires had flourished and fallen and been forgotten. Their long sleep had spanned the splendor of the Ptole- mies, “the glory that was Greece, and the grandeur that was Rome.” Civil- izations had been made, wrecked, and made again around their vast tomb a score of times. A world had been reorganized; new races, reli- gions, institutions, continents, peoples, had come and gone. Mussulman and Christian had come into the world and fought over the fields of the Pyramids, and still the wheat grains had slept on and on. Napoleon had brought his crashing cannon and wakened the echoes of the ancients; the barbarians of far- off Britain had come and brought new life and inspiration and hope to old Egypt; but the grains of wheat slept on, nurturing the precious germ of life. Then, at last, when all that the world knows about its own history had passed in long procession around the resting place of these grains of wheat, these faithful guardians of the life principle in the plant which has furnished man in all his generations and changes with his favorite food, were brought out, and planted, and they grew! The waters of the ancient Nile, now no longer a mystery to be wor- shipped, watered them back to life and germination; and the seed from the land of the Pharaohs brought forth in the land of Cromer and Kitchener! Has not wheat deserved its epic? It came from the birthplace of the race; it has gone wherever the race has gone, to all the continents, to the 110 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS islands of the sea, to the frozen north and the tropic south. Man has con- quered the land, the seas, the air; he has harnessed the forces of nature, of science, of a thousand arts, to the chariot of his empire, but he has never seen the day when wheat was not his first guarantee of substance, of suste- nance, and of life. How good and gracious, how gen- erous and responsive, it has been to his appeals! Whether he scratched with a twig or plowed with a forked stick or hoed with a painfully shapen flint, the wheat has answered and supplied his needs. When the population of the earth had so increased that it filled the waste places with its count- less millions, the wheat asked only that man should provide the gang- plow and the reaper, the harvester and the steam thrasher, and it would go on feeding him and his children. Every day in all the cycle of the year, somewhere in this world, man is harvesting the wheat that means life to him. Every day, too, in some region, other men are sowing it. The picture of the ever-beginning and never-ending wheat harvests of the world will be a splendid section of the great wheat epic when it is written. It will show on the first day of the southern hemisphere’s spring, which is September 21, that the harvest of wheat opens in Ecua- dor, right under the equator; and how that same day, the first day of the northern hemisphere’s autumn, wheat will be sowti in Scotland for the next year’s crop. From Ecuador the harvest will travel gradually southward as the season advances; through Peru and Chile and the hun- dred-league fields of Argentina, until South America sees the last of its wheat harvest in Patagonia, in mid- dle February. The early days of October will see wheat harvesting in Ecuador and also in Scotland. This picture will also show the va- riety of races, costumes, implements, methods, that would be engaged, all at once, in the wheat harvest of the earth—from the Indians of the East to the Indians of three Americas; from Norway, where the harvest- workers may toil under the summer night’s sun till midnight, to the pla- teaus of the tropic lands where day and night are precisely equal every day in the year. In this great picture the most primitive and the most enlightened peoples on earth will be seen, with tools and processes corresponding to their varying states of culture, all coaxing the wheat to serve them. Among them would be the coolie of Japan or Korea, painstakingly trying to raise the last possible stalk and the last possible grain from his pitiful little plat of land, by methods so in- tensive that they make an American think of farming under a microscope; the peasant of Europe, working his small fields with tools that would be hopeless in the wide-flung operations of America, Russia, or Australia; the wheat magnates of the Canadian and the American prairies, using six horses to a self-binder on which the driver sits under a green umbrella on a deli- cately adjusted spring seat—with a cushion. Or perhaps, in the still more ambitious farming of the big plains, we should see the traction me- chanism, driven by a petrol engine, STORIES 111 which cuts, thrashes, measures, and even sacks the grain in one huge op- eration, and looks without tremor at the prospect of a ten-thousand-acre field. —Wheeler s Graded Literary Read- ers, with Interpretations, A Seventh Reader. Copyright, IQIQ, by Wil- liam H. Wheeler. JJsed by special permission of the publishers. 17. Nutrition (Coffee) The Boy and His Pets I want to tell you a story of a little boy who lived in the country. He did not have any little boys or girls to play with him. His play- mates were a pussy cat, a little red hen and the nicest, cleanest piggy that you ever saw. This little boy had a fine time playing with them, and was very fond of his friends. One morning the little boy had just a great big cup of coffee for his break- fast. He liked it so well that he thought he would give his friends some coffee for their breakfast, too. He poured out a saucerful of coffee for the pussy cat; a little tin dish full of coffee for the little red hen and a great big bowl full of coffee for the piggy, because piggies are al- ways so hungry, you know. When the pussy cat saw her break- fast she said, “Meow! Meow! What is this?” “Cluckity, cluck, cluck,” said the little red hen; I do not know.” But the piggy said, “Oow, oow! Let us taste it and find out.” The pussy cat tasted hers and she said, “Meow, meow! It is coffee. Coffee is bad for pussy cats and I do not want any.” So she did not drink hers. The little red hen tasted hers and she said, “Cluckity, cluck, cluck! Coffee is not good for chickens, either. I do not want any.” So she did not drink hers. Then the piggy tasted his. Now, you wTouId think piggy would surely drink his, because piggies always are so hungry. But’he just tasted his, and said, “Oow, oow! Coffee is bad for piggies, too; and I’m so hungry, oh, I’m so hungry!” And he did not drink his. Just then the little boy came out, and he said, “What is the matter, Mrs. Pussy Cat? You did not drink your breakfast.” “Meow, meow,” said the pussy cat. “I cannot drink coffee. It is bad for pussy cats. Please bring me a big saucerful of—” What do you think the pussy wanted for her break- fast? Yes, she wanted a big saucer- ful of milk. The little red hen said, “Cluckity, cluck, cluck! Please take this bad 112 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS coffee away and bring me some oats for my breakfast.” The piggy ran up and said, “Oow, oow! I am so hungry! Please bring me some bread and milk for my breakfast.” When the little boy had given them all just the breakfast they wanted, he said, “Oh, Mrs. Pussy Cat, is that why you are so nice and fat—because you drink milk?” And the pussy cat said, “Meow, meow! That is just the reason.” The little red hen said, “Cluckity, cluck, cluck! See how strong I am, and I eat oatmeal.” “I’m strong and fat, too,” said the piggy; “and I like bread and milk.” Then the little boy ran in the house and said to his mother, “Mother, if coffee is bad for pussy cats and little red hens and piggies, I think that it must be bad for little boys, too. I do not want any more coffee. May I please have a glass of milk to drink and a big bowl of oatmeal with milk on it? I want to grow strong and fat and healthy, just like my friends, the pussy cat, the little red hen, and the piggy.” —M. S. Furbeck. Adapted from "The Little Red Hen,” Brooklyn Bu- reau of Charities. 18. Nutrition (Fruit) The Apple Tree Story Once upon a time there was a child who wished very, very much for a red apple. He wanted to look at it and to make a picture of it with his red pencil. He wanted to cut it into quarters, to give one quarter to his mother, one quarter to his sister, one quarter to his little friend and to eat one quarter himself. So he started out to find a red apple, saying as he went, “A little red apple, round and sweet, I want to look at, share and eat.” The first person whom the child met was a farmer. When the child spoke to him the farmer said: “If you want a red apple, round and sweet To look at, share and then to eat You must farther go until you’ve found An apple seed sleeping in the ground.” The child went farther until he came to an orchard where apple seeds had been planted deep down in the rich earth. The child called to one of the seeds and said: “Apple seed, apple seed, planted deep, Wake, oh wake from your orchard sleep. A rosy red apple, round and sweet I want to look at, share and eat.” But the apple seed said: “If you want a red apple, round and sweet To look at, share and then to eat. You must farther go until you’ve found A place where rain has softened the ground.” The child went on farther until he came to a place where gray clouds were sending silver raindrops down to the earth. He said: “Fall, little raindrops, all around To soak and soften the orchard ground. A little red apple, round and sweet I want to look at, share and eat.” The rain said: “If you want a red apple, round and sweet STORIES 113 To look at, share and then to eat, You must farther go until you’ve found A place where sunshine has warmed the ground.” The child went on farther until he came to a place where the great round sun was sending down a host of bright sunbeams to the earth. The child spoke to the sunbeams: “Shine, little sunbeams, all around To warm the earth of the orchard ground. A little red apple, round and sweet I want to look at, share and eat.” The sunbeams said: “If you want a red apple, round and sweet To look at, share and then to eat You must farther go until you see A seed that has grown to an apple tree.” The child went farther until he came to a place where a new straight little apple tree had sprouted through the ground in an orchard. The child said to the apple tree: “Little new apple tree that grew From an apple seed the season through A little red apple, round and sweet I want to look at, share and eat.” The apple tree fluttered its leaves and said: “If you want a red apple, round and sweet To look at, share and then to eat You must farther go until you see Pink apple blooms on an apple tree.” The child went on farther until he came to a place where an apple tree was all covered with a great many pink blossoms. The child said to the apple blossoms: “Pretty pink blooms on the apple tree Whisper when you will give to me A little red apple, round and sweet To look at, share and then to eat.” Then the child said to the wind singing just outside the orchard gate: “Come to the orchard, wind, and blow Till all the apple blooms’ petals go A little red apple, round and sweet I want to look at, share and eat.” The wind came into the orchard. It blew and blew until all the petals of the pink apple blossoms were blown away. In the place of each blossom was a wee, wee, green apple. Each wee, wee green apple grew with the summer to a red apple. The child came then, picked a red apple and carried it home. He looked at the apple’s rose red cheeks, then he made a picture of it with his red pencil. When the pic- ture was finished he cut the apple into quarters. He gave one quarter to his mother, one quarter to his sister, one quarter to his little friend and ate one quarter himself. —Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, from “The Outdoor Story Book,” copy- righted and used by special permission of The Pilgrim Press. 19. Nutrition (General) Chubby Children and How to Grow Them Mamma Glum gave Papa Glum his hat and saw him off to work. She looked at the clock. “My goodness, it’s half-past seven!” she said. “Molly will be late for school. Molly! Molle-e-e!” Molly came running into the room, tying up her hair ribbon. “Molly,” said Mamma Glum, “you will just have to make out a meal the best 114 HEALTH TRAINING IN SCHOOLS way you can. It is late and I haven’t time to fuss over you. Here is some- thing left from your papa’s break- fast.” This is what Molly had: Two Doughnuts A cup of Coffee Molly barely took time to sit down to the table, she ate so fast. Then she hustled off to school, calling for her best friend, Susie Gay, on the way. * * # * Just across the street from the Glum house lived Mr. and Mrs. Gay and their daughter Susie. At half-past seven Mama Gay gave Papa Gay his hat and he went off to work. Susie was still sitting at the table eating her breakfast. Mama Gay had given Papa Gay bacon, eggs and coffee, but for Susie, remembering that she was just a child with a child’s digestion, she had pro- vided something different. This is what Susie was eating: Stewed Prunes, Oatmeal Crisp Toast, Milk Susie heard her best friend, Molly Glum, calling her as she started for school. She kissed her mother good-bye and ran off. * * * * Molly and Susie had the same teacher and liked her very much. They studied hard and did everything they could to please her. Susie however, stood better in class than Molly did, try as Molly might. The first part of the morning Molly felt just like working. Lessons were interesting and it was easy to put her mind on her work. Then she got tired and restless, and her teacher would have to speak to her about wiggling so much and not keeping her attention on the lesson. She not only behaved badly herself but she disturbed the other children. After the school lunch Molly gen- erally felt better. “This is what the Lunch-Lady gave Molly and Susie for lunch: Rice Soup, Bread and Butter Stewed Rhubarb, Cocoa * * * * “Pa,” said Mrs. Glum to Mr. Glum that night at dinner, “it strikes me that Molly isn’t looking as well as she ought to.” “She is at the growing age,” said Papa Glum. “All children are thin when they are growing.” “Susie Gay is just Molly’s age,” answered Mama Glum, “and she is fat and rosy.” “Molly takes after me,” said Papa Glum. “I was thin at her age. Here Molly, pass your plate for your dinner.” This is what was set at Molly’s place: Pork Chop, Fried Potatoes Hot Rolls and butter Apple Pie, Coffee Over the way, Susie Gay was hav- ing her plate filled. What she was getting was slightly different from what Papa and Mama Gay were hav- ing. This is what Susie was eating: Broiled Meat Cake, Baked Potato Creamed Carrots, Bread and Butter Bread Pudding and Milk * * * * Next morning Molly made her STORIES 115 usual hasty breakfast and Susie and she ran off to school. Her mother followed her to the front door to watch her go. Molly was certainly thin and pale. Mama Glum couldn’t help being worried about her. Meanwhile Mama Gay was watch- ing Susie. The two women met over Mrs. Glum’s front fence. “How do you keep your Susie look- ing so well and hearty?” asked Mrs. Glum. “My daughter is getting thinner and thinner.” “Children at the growing age need to go to bed early and sleep with the windows open. They need just the right kind of food also,” answered Mrs. Gay. “I’m careful to give Susie for breakfast the right balance of fruit, cereal and milk, and plenty of each. So far I haven’t had to worry.” “This is what I gave Susie this morning: Apple Sauce, Cream of Wheat Toast and Milk.” * * * * “Molly,” said the Teacher that day, “whatever is the matter with you? You and Susie were doing equally good work and now Susie is ahead of you. You can do just as well in your lessons as Susie, if you try. “And you used to behave just as well as Susie. I never had to speak to you about paying attention. Now everything I say goes in one ear and out the other!” Molly liked her Teacher and what her Teacher said hurt her feelings very much. But try as she might, she couldn’t seem to improve. “That child is undernourished,” said the Lunch-Lady to the Teacher at noon. “I had an especially good lunch for the children today and you should have seen how hungry