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The Sells-Health-O Circus
THE SELLS-HEALTH-O CIRCUS The The The And
circu s has com e to tow n , elephan t and the clow n , k a n g a ro o fr o m T im b u cto o , bea rs o f cin n a m on b ro w n .
H E lure of the circus is traditional. T h e glare and flare of gaudy can vas, the odor o f sawdust, the noise, confusion and paint, the spectacle of acrobats and clowns, bareback riders and trained animals never grows old. Since time immemorial, the word circus has exerted a universal appeal. W riters and artists, stage and moving picture directors have used the theme with success.
T
T h e M ou th Hygiene Section, Child Hygiene Division, Illinois State Depart ment of Public Health, has developed a circus, woven a dental health message into its fabric, painted it with the gaudy colors of the tent flaps, endowed it with the odor of the sawdust ring, enlivened it with the voice of the barker’s ballahoo, softened it with the voices o f children, subdued it with the songs of childhood, and sent it forth to the various cities and towns o f the state to instruct enter tainingly its children and incidentally its adults as to how to develop and maintain good teeth. L. W . M orrey, Superintendent of M outh Hygiene, Illinois State Depart ment of Public Health, and M rs. M o r rey, authors of “ T h e Bad Baby M o la r,” and “ Stepping Stones to Happiness,” have >vritten and developed this latest dental educational feature, which they have appropriately named “ T h e SellsJour. A. Q. A ., October, 192S
H ealth-O Circus,” the greatest show on earth. T h e outside properties or material, consisting of an outside entrance resem bling as nearly as possible the main entrance to the “ Big T o p ,” and the in side properties, consisting o f ten minia ture stages, are made o f knockdown ma terial which can be shipped from place to place in four crates. T h e entire ship ping weight is 750 pounds. T h e project was designed to be shown in school auditoriums, club rooms or exhibition halls. As the audience approaches the box office, which is situated just outside the main door to the auditorium, they see a .large archway 7 feet high. This arch is made of seven sections or blocks. Six of the sections are lettered “ D iet,” “ Rest,” “ Exercise,” “ Sunlight,” “ Clean liness” and “ Dental Attention” — the six rules which the Illinois State Depart ment o f Public Health is teaching its children for building good teeth and good health. T h e seventh block or key stone of the arch is made in the shape o f the first permanent molar. T h e arch itself stands about 4 feet away from the doorway. A n orange colored canvas canopy is stretched from the arch to the main door. T h e frame w ork for the arch and canopy is made o f angle iron, and the seven sections including the tooth are made o f compoboard stippled to resemble stone and bolted in sections to the framework. T h e tooth is illumi nated with twinkling lights. A t the side of the archway is a lifesize mechanical clown which nods its
1994
Bureau of D en ta l H ealth Education
head from side to side and moves its hands and feet up and down. From the feet and hands are suspended large bal loons, which bob up and down, to the delight of the children. T o bring out further the circus eifect, large canvas posters proclaiming the w orld ’s most
1995
Either on the stage or placed around the room at regular intervals are ten minia ture stages 3 feet high by 2 ^ feet wide. These stages are painted and trimmed in various colors, but each minutely represents the proscenium of the main street theater. Each stage is placed upon
F ig. 1.— M a in entrance to S e lls-H e a lth -0 C ircus.
beautiful lady, and Hercules, the strong man, flaunt themselves in gaudy fashion on either side o f the entrance. Other signs featuring the “ Greatest Show on Earth” and the “ Famous Grinder Fam ily, 32 in Num ber,” are to be seen. A fter the audience gazes at this spec tacle for a while, they pass through the entrance way into the “ M ain T o p .”
a table 3 feet high. Behind each stage stands a 12-14 year old girl with her head thrust through the back drop. From the neck of each child is suspended a doll. Each o f these dolls represents a different character— milk, whole wheat bread, vegetables, fruit, sunlight, exer cise, rest, cleanliness, the dentist and lastly, a tooth. As the audience files into
Fig. 2.—“Allow us to call your attention to the long line of stages that adorn this room. Ten artists, each and every one depicting one of the major actors in the play of life.”
1996 The Journal of the American Dental Association
Bureau of D ental H ealth Education the room, all they can see are the ten artistic miniature stages in each o f which is an animated doll representing one of the actors in this play o f health. T h e high school band opens the show. Next the ringmaster introduces M other Nature, and M oth er Nature in turn introduces each of the characters. T h e characters in turn do their little song and dance, each describing how they can help build and maintain good teeth. T h e performance closes with a strong, stirring march by the band. Complete copies o f the words for each character in the circus can be obtained from the M ou th Hygiene Section o f the Illinois State Department of Public Health, Springfield, 111. T h e outside properties, as heretofore described, made up o f an outside en trance, and inside properties consisting of ten miniature stages and the bodies of the dolls which are used by each child actor on his individual stage, are avails able only within the state o f Illinois. H ow ever» this does not prevent persons outside the state from carrying out the idea and having a similar circus o f their own. Here is a wonderful project in health for a school or group o f schools to work on. A girls’ class in sewing could make the dolls and stage hangings; a boys’ manual training class could make the “ main entrance” and stages; an art class could do the painting or coloring o f all the properties. Lightweight materials could be used for the 'main entrance and stages, and the problem of shipping and breakage would not then have to be con sidered. T h e Sells-Health-O Circus was de veloped to entertain and instruct the young, but it has been equally successful in holding the attention of the adult for the full forty minutes of its performance.
1997
S U N L IG H T , U L T R A V IO L E T L A M P S AND H EALTH T h e U. S. P u b lic H ea lth S ervice sa y s: “ A lm o st e v e r y n ew d is c o v e r y in the scien tific o r m edical field becom es a fa d and is often ca r rie d to extrem es. S cientific w ork ers h a v e recen tly sh ow n the necessity and im p ortan ce o f sunlight fo r the m aintenance o f the health o f ch ild ren and adults. T h e ben e ficial action o f sunlight in the cu re o f c e r tain d iseases o f ch ild ren and adults has also been p ointed out. “ One o f the things w h ich h a v e been a d v o cated a g re a t d ea l recen tly, and w h ich h a v e p ro v e d o f m uch benefit fo r ch ild ren , is the sun bath. T h e se sun baths are h ealth ful not o n ly becau se the ch ild receiv es the beneficial d irect rays o f the sun, but also because o f the fre sh air w h ich it is thus bound to re ce iv e reg u la rly . “ Scientists h a v e sh ow n that d irect sun ligh t not o n ly p rev en ts rickets, but if g iv en reg u la rly , w ill w a r d off m any o f the ill nesses w h ich are com m on in ch ild ren . T u b e r culosis w o u ld su ffer a sh arp d eclin e am on g ch ild re n i f all m oth ers g a v e this sim ple treatm ent to their ch ild ren . “ In g iv in g sun baths to the ch ild ren , it is w e ll to keep the fo llo w in g fa cts in m in d : “ 1. E xposu re to the sun m ust be g radu al o r else the child m ay receiv e a sunburn. “ 2. A t first, g iv e the b a b y d irect sunlight fo r about ten m inutes, in crea sin g this bath fr o m three to five m inutes d a ily until he re ce ive s exposu re on e h ou r in the m orn in g and one hour in the aftern oon . T h is w ill v a ry , d e p e n d in g on h o w the skin reacts to the exposure. “ 3. B e sure that the ex posu re is carried on in som e spot sheltered fro m the w ind . “ 4. Sun baths m ay be g iv e n on enclosed porches o r in the house, p ro v id e d the sun can shine on the ch ild un obstructed by glass. “ 5. C ertain sp ecia l kinds o f g la ss have been d e v ised w h ich p erm it the passage o f the m a jo r ity o f the ben eficial rays o f the sun. Such g lass m ay be used i f desired. “ T h e fo r e g o in g d irection s also ap p ly to adults, w h o should o b se rv e sim ilar p reca u tions and a v o id p ro lo n g e d o r sudden ex pos ure to sunlight, as in ju riou s or ev en d a n g e r ous sunburn m ay result i f the sunburn is extensive. “ In case sunburn does occu r, the fo llo w in g has been fou n d to be u s e fu l:
circu s has com e to tow n , elephan t and the clow n , k a n g a ro o fr o m T im b u cto o , bea rs o f cin n a m on b ro w n .
H E lure of the circus is traditional. T h e glare and flare of gaudy can vas, the odor o f sawdust, the noise, confusion and paint, the spectacle of acrobats and clowns, bareback riders and trained animals never grows old. Since time immemorial, the word circus has exerted a universal appeal. W riters and artists, stage and moving picture directors have used the theme with success.
T
T h e M ou th Hygiene Section, Child Hygiene Division, Illinois State Depart ment of Public Health, has developed a circus, woven a dental health message into its fabric, painted it with the gaudy colors of the tent flaps, endowed it with the odor of the sawdust ring, enlivened it with the voice of the barker’s ballahoo, softened it with the voices o f children, subdued it with the songs of childhood, and sent it forth to the various cities and towns o f the state to instruct enter tainingly its children and incidentally its adults as to how to develop and maintain good teeth. L. W . M orrey, Superintendent of M outh Hygiene, Illinois State Depart ment of Public Health, and M rs. M o r rey, authors of “ T h e Bad Baby M o la r,” and “ Stepping Stones to Happiness,” have >vritten and developed this latest dental educational feature, which they have appropriately named “ T h e SellsJour. A. Q. A ., October, 192S
H ealth-O Circus,” the greatest show on earth. T h e outside properties or material, consisting of an outside entrance resem bling as nearly as possible the main entrance to the “ Big T o p ,” and the in side properties, consisting o f ten minia ture stages, are made o f knockdown ma terial which can be shipped from place to place in four crates. T h e entire ship ping weight is 750 pounds. T h e project was designed to be shown in school auditoriums, club rooms or exhibition halls. As the audience approaches the box office, which is situated just outside the main door to the auditorium, they see a .large archway 7 feet high. This arch is made of seven sections or blocks. Six of the sections are lettered “ D iet,” “ Rest,” “ Exercise,” “ Sunlight,” “ Clean liness” and “ Dental Attention” — the six rules which the Illinois State Depart ment o f Public Health is teaching its children for building good teeth and good health. T h e seventh block or key stone of the arch is made in the shape o f the first permanent molar. T h e arch itself stands about 4 feet away from the doorway. A n orange colored canvas canopy is stretched from the arch to the main door. T h e frame w ork for the arch and canopy is made o f angle iron, and the seven sections including the tooth are made o f compoboard stippled to resemble stone and bolted in sections to the framework. T h e tooth is illumi nated with twinkling lights. A t the side of the archway is a lifesize mechanical clown which nods its
1994
Bureau of D en ta l H ealth Education
head from side to side and moves its hands and feet up and down. From the feet and hands are suspended large bal loons, which bob up and down, to the delight of the children. T o bring out further the circus eifect, large canvas posters proclaiming the w orld ’s most
1995
Either on the stage or placed around the room at regular intervals are ten minia ture stages 3 feet high by 2 ^ feet wide. These stages are painted and trimmed in various colors, but each minutely represents the proscenium of the main street theater. Each stage is placed upon
F ig. 1.— M a in entrance to S e lls-H e a lth -0 C ircus.
beautiful lady, and Hercules, the strong man, flaunt themselves in gaudy fashion on either side o f the entrance. Other signs featuring the “ Greatest Show on Earth” and the “ Famous Grinder Fam ily, 32 in Num ber,” are to be seen. A fter the audience gazes at this spec tacle for a while, they pass through the entrance way into the “ M ain T o p .”
a table 3 feet high. Behind each stage stands a 12-14 year old girl with her head thrust through the back drop. From the neck of each child is suspended a doll. Each o f these dolls represents a different character— milk, whole wheat bread, vegetables, fruit, sunlight, exer cise, rest, cleanliness, the dentist and lastly, a tooth. As the audience files into
Fig. 2.—“Allow us to call your attention to the long line of stages that adorn this room. Ten artists, each and every one depicting one of the major actors in the play of life.”
1996 The Journal of the American Dental Association
Bureau of D ental H ealth Education the room, all they can see are the ten artistic miniature stages in each o f which is an animated doll representing one of the actors in this play o f health. T h e high school band opens the show. Next the ringmaster introduces M other Nature, and M oth er Nature in turn introduces each of the characters. T h e characters in turn do their little song and dance, each describing how they can help build and maintain good teeth. T h e performance closes with a strong, stirring march by the band. Complete copies o f the words for each character in the circus can be obtained from the M ou th Hygiene Section o f the Illinois State Department of Public Health, Springfield, 111. T h e outside properties, as heretofore described, made up o f an outside en trance, and inside properties consisting of ten miniature stages and the bodies of the dolls which are used by each child actor on his individual stage, are avails able only within the state o f Illinois. H ow ever» this does not prevent persons outside the state from carrying out the idea and having a similar circus o f their own. Here is a wonderful project in health for a school or group o f schools to work on. A girls’ class in sewing could make the dolls and stage hangings; a boys’ manual training class could make the “ main entrance” and stages; an art class could do the painting or coloring o f all the properties. Lightweight materials could be used for the 'main entrance and stages, and the problem of shipping and breakage would not then have to be con sidered. T h e Sells-Health-O Circus was de veloped to entertain and instruct the young, but it has been equally successful in holding the attention of the adult for the full forty minutes of its performance.
1997
S U N L IG H T , U L T R A V IO L E T L A M P S AND H EALTH T h e U. S. P u b lic H ea lth S ervice sa y s: “ A lm o st e v e r y n ew d is c o v e r y in the scien tific o r m edical field becom es a fa d and is often ca r rie d to extrem es. S cientific w ork ers h a v e recen tly sh ow n the necessity and im p ortan ce o f sunlight fo r the m aintenance o f the health o f ch ild ren and adults. T h e ben e ficial action o f sunlight in the cu re o f c e r tain d iseases o f ch ild ren and adults has also been p ointed out. “ One o f the things w h ich h a v e been a d v o cated a g re a t d ea l recen tly, and w h ich h a v e p ro v e d o f m uch benefit fo r ch ild ren , is the sun bath. T h e se sun baths are h ealth ful not o n ly becau se the ch ild receiv es the beneficial d irect rays o f the sun, but also because o f the fre sh air w h ich it is thus bound to re ce iv e reg u la rly . “ Scientists h a v e sh ow n that d irect sun ligh t not o n ly p rev en ts rickets, but if g iv en reg u la rly , w ill w a r d off m any o f the ill nesses w h ich are com m on in ch ild ren . T u b e r culosis w o u ld su ffer a sh arp d eclin e am on g ch ild re n i f all m oth ers g a v e this sim ple treatm ent to their ch ild ren . “ In g iv in g sun baths to the ch ild ren , it is w e ll to keep the fo llo w in g fa cts in m in d : “ 1. E xposu re to the sun m ust be g radu al o r else the child m ay receiv e a sunburn. “ 2. A t first, g iv e the b a b y d irect sunlight fo r about ten m inutes, in crea sin g this bath fr o m three to five m inutes d a ily until he re ce ive s exposu re on e h ou r in the m orn in g and one hour in the aftern oon . T h is w ill v a ry , d e p e n d in g on h o w the skin reacts to the exposure. “ 3. B e sure that the ex posu re is carried on in som e spot sheltered fro m the w ind . “ 4. Sun baths m ay be g iv e n on enclosed porches o r in the house, p ro v id e d the sun can shine on the ch ild un obstructed by glass. “ 5. C ertain sp ecia l kinds o f g la ss have been d e v ised w h ich p erm it the passage o f the m a jo r ity o f the ben eficial rays o f the sun. Such g lass m ay be used i f desired. “ T h e fo r e g o in g d irection s also ap p ly to adults, w h o should o b se rv e sim ilar p reca u tions and a v o id p ro lo n g e d o r sudden ex pos ure to sunlight, as in ju riou s or ev en d a n g e r ous sunburn m ay result i f the sunburn is extensive. “ In case sunburn does occu r, the fo llo w in g has been fou n d to be u s e fu l: