Caring for teeth

A circular has been received by the head masters of all the schools in Otago from the Education Department, in which instructions are given that ‘‘teethcleaning drill’’ shall be given to the children in the infant room by the head mistress. The idea of

the department apparently is that, by starting with the present infant classes, it will be possible to continue the drill as they move up into the standards. It will thus be noted that automatically as the infants pass on through the school the teachers in every class room will eventually be called upon to supervise ‘‘teeth drill’’ before the commencement of the ordinary school duties each morning. According to the circular the department is of the opinion that it will not take more than 10 minutes to ‘‘drill’’ each group of 20 children, but this opinion is not shared by those who have to handle in some cases considerably over 100 infants every day, and it is feared that this innovation will make considerable inroads on the time at present devoted to ordinary school work. While the care of the teeth is no doubt a very laudable abject, it would seem as if this was only a beginning, and some teachers who are devoted to their duties, are inclined to the opinion that

it might not be long before what are manifestly the duties of the parents will almost entirely devolve upon the teachers in our public schools. The department, it is understood, is to supply the brushes, cups, and tooth paste.