In fact, the desire for this new Eye in the school seems to have asserted itself and freed itself from the spirit of mere officialism, so that the movement develops here and there in most unexpected ways, and even shows in some places great freedom and originality. It is a people's movement, born in a state-governed country. In ten years one-fifth of all the German people have caused their children to be educated under the eyes of a school doctor. The whole movement seems to have united a great boldness with great confidence on the part of the people and of the school authorities. As evidence of the confidence, there is the fact that, though examination by the school doctor is not compulsory, barely 4 per cent of all the parents have preferred to have their children examined at home, and even this percentage was reached only because 9·5 per cent of the middle-class (Burgherschule) withdrew their children. Only 1·1 per cent of the working people have withdrawn their children. And the information they receive is not flung away. Leipzic reports that three-fourths of all the parents of delicate and
doctor is engaged to visit the school every three months, and to note those who are ill and give information to the parents. For these services he receives twenty-five marks a year, and for every child examined a fee of four pfennige!
