Chap. 327.-An ACT to provide for public health nursing, health examinatios
and physical education of school children, and to repeal an act entitled
an act to provide for public health nursing and medical inspection anc
health inspection of school children, approved March 15, 1918. [S B 67]

Approved March 19, 1920.

Whereas, the report of the education commission and the investiga-
tion of the State board of health reveal an alarming condition of
physical defects of children, particularly in the rural schools, and

Whereas, the effective promotion of the health and normal physi-
cal development of the children requires health examinations, health
instruction and the conduct of wholesome physical activities, there-
fore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the
board of supervisors of the several counties and the councils or other
poverning bodies of the several cities and towns be, and they are
hereby authorized to make appropriations out of the county, city or
town funds, as the case may be, to provide for the health examination
and physical education of school children and the employment of
school nurses, physicians and physical directors, and such appropria-
ions shall be placed to credit of the county or city, or town school
yoard. Previous to employment, all said nurses, physicians, or physical
lirectors shall be approved by the health commissioner of the Com-
nonwealth and the State superintendent of public instruction.

2. That an amount not exceeding one-half of the annual salary of
ach physical director appointed in accordance with section one of
his act may be paid by the State board of education to the local
chool trustees employing such physical director, and an amount not
o exceed one-half of the annual salary of each nurse or physician
ippointed in accordance with section one of this act may be paid by
the State board of health to the local school trustees employing such
nurse or physician.

3. That after the first day of September, nineteen hundred and
twenty, all pupils, in all the public elementary and high schools of
the State shall receive as part of the educational program such exami-
nations, health instruction, and physical training as shall be prescribed
by the State board of education and approved by the State board of
health, in conformity with the provisions of this act.

4. In order that the teachers of the Commonwealth shall be pre-
pared for health examinations and physical education of school chil-
dren, every normal school of the State 1s hereby required to give a
course, to be approved by the superintendent of public instruction
and the State health commissioner, in health examinations and physi-
cal education, including preventive medicine, physical inspection,
health instruction and physical training, upon which course every
person graduating from a normal school must have passed a satis-
factory examination, and every normal school certificate shall, there-
fore, indicate as a prerequisite a knowledge of preventive medicine,
physical inspection, health instruction, and physical training.

The State board of education, with the approval of the State
board of health, shall establish regulations whereby on or after Sep-
tember, nineteen hundred and twenty-five, no applicant may receive a
certificate to teach in the schools of this State who does not present,
first, satisfactory evidence of having covered creditably an approved
course in general physical education in a training school or course for
teachers recognized by the State board of education as a school or
course in good standing. But the State board of education may
modify or waive entirely the requirements of this section whenever
in its opinion such modification or waiver is necessary to prevent the
impairment of the teaching force of the public school system.

6. The State board of education, with the approval of the State
board of health, shall appoint a supervisor of physical education quali-
fied and authorized to supervise and direct a program of hygienic in-
struction and physical education for the elementary, secondary, and
normal schools of the State, and shall appoint such other employes and
authorize such expenses for personal service, printing, and so on.
as may be necessary to the proper and effective administration of
the program authorized by this act.