THINKS ESTIMATE TOO HIGH.
Mr. Greenwood Says Only 15 Per Cent
of Children are "Defective."
Superintendent J. M. Greenwood, of the Kansas City schools, vigorously challenges the estimate of Assistant City Physician Eugene Carbaugh that 67 per cent of the pupils in the Kansas City schools have their faculties impaired or are afflicted with disease of any kind. He thinks the estimate should be divided by 4.
"I do not believe that there are more than 15 per cent of the pupils in the schools who have anything at all the matter with them," said Mr. Greenwood yesterday. "This would cover all the ailments, impairment of vision, sore throat and disease of every sort. As to what we call 'defectives,' or those mentally deficient, there are only a very few. But Dr. Carbaugh's estimate included all manner of ailments, bad teeth, sore throat and the numerous troubles of children. Even then his figures are entirely too high. The records which we have kept for many years bear out my figures and utterly refute the estimate of Dr. Carbaugh. He must have got into a particularly afflicted district, if his estimate was based on experience and is not a mere generalization."
Mr. Greenwood sent out requests to all teachers for a report of the number in each room suffering from sickness, disability or any trouble whatever that would be classed as a defect, impairment of faculties or ailment.
