The Diphtheria Outbreak at Leavenworth's Schoolhouse
When an infectious disease forced the closure of the local school, the town’s newspaper demanded accountability, questioning why infected children were permitted in the classroom.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The public school of Leavenworth has been closed for the past three weeks on account of diphtheria. Three children from one family had attended school after having this dreaded malady in the stage when it is considered contagious. There is something wrong somewhere. The school law does not intend that the schools should be closed, but it does make provision for keeping children who have been exposed to any contagious or infectious disease out of school. Whose business is it to look after the interests of the public schools? Experience has shown that the spread of disease is very often traced to the schools where children are crowded in warm rooms.
“Whose business is it to look after the interests of the public schools? Experience has shown that the spread of disease is very often traced to the schools where children are crowded in warm rooms.”
Public health crises have long been flashpoints for debate over individual responsibility versus community welfare in Leavenworth. Today's residents might recognize the same tension between keeping communal spaces like schools open and the collective necessity of containment during outbreaks.
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