Chicago Tribune
VIEWS FRISCO AS WICKEDEST
CITY
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Dean Sumner Says Chicago Never Was Nearly as Bad as Western Place.
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SEES "BARBARY COAST."
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Dr. Evans Urges Teachers to Investigate Health of School Children.
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San Francisco. Cal., July 12. — [Special] — The title of "wickedest city in the United States," insofar as the segregation and regulation of the social evil are concerned is to be accorded to San Francisco, according to Dean Walter T. Sumner, chairman of the Chicago vice commission.
Following a day of addresses on social hygiene teaching in the public schools before the departments of the National Educational association, Dean Sumner made an extended tour, accompanied by police officials, through the "red light" district, known as the "Barbary coast." The trip was in line with the clergyman’s study of social conditions in other large cities.
"Never in any large city have I seen conditions so revolting," he declared. "Never have I seen so little attempt at regulation and so open disregard for law and decency. Chicago in its worst days was lily-white by comparison. San Francisco may be well governed in other ways, but in its regulation of the social evil, it is the height of reckless lawlessness. The vice industry is monopolized by the liquor interests and it is maintained for their profit without let or hindrance."
Plan Fight on Ills.
A broad investigation of health conditions which prevail among children in large cities of the United States and of adolescent ailments which have a direct hearing on education will be undertaken by a joint committee of the National Education and American Medical association.
This movement, which further contemplates more active cooperation of boards of education and departments of health to reduce child delinquency and crime was laid before the national council of the big teachers’ organization today by Dr. W. A. Evans, former commissioner of health of Chicago.
Dr. Evans is chairman of a committee appointed at the convention of the American Medical association in Los Angeles last month to confer with the teachers’ national council upon undertaking the joint campaign for the better health of school children ,
Following Dr. Evans’ appeal before the national council it was voted to name a committee to act with the medical association. The head of this committee will be Dr. David Starr Jordan, president of Leland Stanford University.
Appeal Made by Evans
"A study of the health of the school children of our large cities and a movement to improve that health is as vital in the work of education as any of the theories of education," said Dr. Evans to the teachers’ council. "It is also vital in the work of medical research.
"We have come to understand and we have incontrovertible proof that a large share of child delinquency is directly traceable to adolescent ailments.
"We have learned the retarding influence of adenoids, bad teeth, toenail and improper nourishment in the work of educating children. We have proved that their elimination by timely medical attention meets with an immediate reduction in delinquency and youthful crime.
"But the trouble is that in most of our largest cities the school and health authorities have not reached the basis of cooperation that is most desirable to eliminate these preventable evils.
Tells Progress in Chicago
"In Chicago we have arrived at that basis of cooperation that seems most desirable and productive. We have school clinics in which the teeth of our children are given attention. If their parents are poor, the work is done without cost."
