During the 1930's and 40's, the Maine Public Health Association ran a program in the public schools called 7 Points of Health. As part of this program, public health nurses would visit elementary school children around the state, checking each child in 7 different areas: teeth, hearing, vision, posture, throat, growth, and birth registration. The last category probably required the child to bring some documentation to school.
In those days, children did not visit pediatricians on a regular basis, like they do today. Sometimes, this was the only means by which parents could gauge their child on his or her growth and development.
For successfully meeting the requirements each year, children were rewarded with a pin and a certificate.
This is my father's pin from Grade 3 at Hutchins School in South Portland, Maine. He was 10 years old.
My father's colored 7-point star, with his picture pasted in the middle.
My father's Seven-Point Certificate.
I loved this post! I'm forwarding this to my cousin. She's a school nurse in Maine. She'll love it, too.
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