Department of School Health Services subject files

Medical inspection of schools in this country was started in Boston in 1894 under the direction of the Boston Board of Health, with the purpose of controlling in the public schools the spread of contagious and infectious diseases. As the causes of ill health among school children became better understood the conviction grew that these matters were of greater scope and complexity than those associated with epidemic diseases, hence the development of the department of hygiene as a part of the school system. The Department of School Hygiene was established by Chapter 295 of the Acts of 1907. Regular medical inspection of the schools was maintained by the Health Department from 1894-1915. The School Committee took charge of this function on September 1, 1915. In order to modernize titles, the name of the department was changed on May 4, 1964 to Department of School Health Services.