ORGANIZATION OF THE GIRLS’ HEALTH LEAGUE CLASSES

I. Preliminary Meeting

The mothers and teachers should be invited and urged to attend the meeting for the organization of a class. The success of this movement for the health of our girls and for the saving of our babies depends largely upon the interest and coöperation of the mothers and teachers.

The organizer should preside, and the school physician should be asked to explain the object of the league.

At this preliminary meeting membership cards should be distributed to those desiring to join the class. These are not to be signed until the girls have taken them home and secured the signatures of their parents or guardians. While everything possible should be done to make the club proposition attractive, no girl should be urged to join against her will. An unwilling member is not a good member.

In order to secure careful personal supervision and free discussion, a class of not more than twelve is desirable, but as many as twenty-four may be directed by an experienced teacher.

The form of membership card is given below:

II. First Meeting of the Class

1. The membership cards should be collected.
2. The members elect a president, a vice president, and a secretary. The organizer and instructor are to be honorary president and vice president, respectively.
3. Membership cards are to be given to the secretary for filing. At each succeeding meeting these are to be checked to show attendance.
4. A card like that reproduced below should be filled out and forwarded to the headquarters of the Girls’ Health League.

III. Order of Business for the Meeting

1. Calling meeting to order by the president.
2. Calling the roll by the secretary.
3. Reporting the illness of any member.
4. A short quiz on the last lesson.
5. A twenty minutes’ talk by the instructor, followed by a half hour devoted to practical demonstrations on the subject of the lesson.

The following articles are suggested for use in the demonstrations:

Large-sized washable doll
A complete set of baby clothing
A bathtub
Scales
A pad for the scales
Clothes basket for baby’s bed
Mattress
Sheets
Stork sheeting
Mattress protector
Blankets
Spread
Two bath towels
Two face towels
Two wash cloths
Toilet articles
Utensils for preparing the baby’s food

The object of the demonstrations is to make the work of the league of practical value to the girls.

After attending three successive meetings of the class each member will be given a Girls’ Health League button, which is reproduced in the accompanying cut. The presentation of buttons signifies that the girls are members of the Girls’ Health League. On receipt of the button each girl agrees to do some definite act each day to make others well and happy.

IV. Finishing the Course

At the completion of the course each girl will be given an oral examination and will be asked to write an essay on the care of a baby. The following subjects are suggested:

1. What do you mean by personal hygiene?
2. What do you mean by home sanitation?
3. Give three reasons why a mother should nurse her baby.
4. If a baby must be bottle fed, what is the best substitute for breast milk, and who should direct how the food be prepared?
5. If a baby is bottle fed, how would you care for its milk?
6. What can you do to help save the babies?

The class average, together with one of the essays, should be sent to the headquarters of the league.

On receipt of the essays and the class records certificates will be presented to the graduates by the Public Health Department of the Massachusetts State Federation of Women’s Clubs. The form of certificate is given above.

APPENDIX B

RECIPES

Limewater. To make limewater, add one teaspoonful of unslaked lime to one quart of cool, boiled water. Pour into a bottle and shake thoroughly. Let it stand twenty-four hours; pour off the clear fluid at the top and strain. Keep in a cool place.

Barley water. Mix two teaspoonfuls of barley flour with a little cold water, then add one quart of water and boil twenty minutes in a double boiler. Strain through a very fine sieve and add enough boiled water to make one quart.

Rice water. Rice water is made in the same way as barley water, but only one teaspoonful of rice is used to one quart of water.

Oatmeal water. Mix two even tablespoonfuls of oatmeal with a little cold water; add one quart of water and boil for at least one hour in a double boiler. Strain through a fine sieve and add enough boiled water to make one quart.

Beef juice. Select the third cut of the round lean beef, broil it slightly on both sides, cut in small pieces, and squeeze the juice from it with a potato ricer or a meat press. Add a pinch of salt, and before using warm it slightly by standing the cup containing the juice in a dish of hot water.

Whey. Warm one pint of fresh milk to about 110° F. Add one teaspoonful of essence of pepsin or a junket tablet and stir until it is well mixed. Pour into cups and let stand until it jellies. Then break up the curds with a fork and strain through a sieve. The liquid is called whey, and it is sometimes used when babies cannot digest cow’s milk.

Two per cent boric acid solution. Put one teaspoonful of boric acid powder in a pint of boiling water and keep in a clean bottle.

Soap suppository. Take a piece of Ivory or castile soap and cut out a piece two inches long and about the size of a lead pencil. Narrow to a dull point at one end.