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Report of the Medical Officer (Education).
The County scholarships are of four grades (junior, supplementary junior, intermediate and
senior) and provide a complete scheme by which a boy or girl may proceed by various stages from the
public elementary school to the highest grades of education, whether at a university, technical college
or other institution, providing advanced training for a professional career. In medically examining
these candidates the stage of the scholarship is carefully noted, as the strain increases with the award,
and it sometimes happens that a candidate who has been accepted for a junior county scholarship is
rejected for the succeeding awards because attendance at higher institutions would be injurious to
health.
The medical examination of junior county scholars practically gives the defects of the brightest
children of the age group, 11 years old last birthday, and, as the children must, in any case, remain
in school until 14 years of age, the rejections are few. Most useful work is done, however, by making
it a condition of award that all remediable defects shall be treated before the children are allowed to
take up the scholarships.
Supplementary junior coutity scholarships are reserved for children of less than 14 and not less
than 13 years of age who by reason of late development or other cause fail to obtain the junior county
scholarships.
The intermediate county scholarships are open to boys and girls who are from 16 to 17 years of
age on 31st July in the year of competition, and are tenable at approved secondary schools or technical
colleges until the end of the school year in which the scholar attains the age of 18, but may be renewed
for a further period of one year.
The senior county scholarships are intended to assist candidates of the age of 18 and upward!
who desire to pursue a course of study at an institution of university rank. Appendix X. shows tha
number of candidates examined and the conditions found. -
Of the 825 junior county scholars who were referred back for various defects, excluding those 28
whose scholarships were finally withdrawn, 197 (67 boys and 130 girls) were referred again owing to
the conditions not having been remedied.

Some of the scholars were referred again for more than one defect.
Of the 97 supplementary junior county scholars who were referred back for various defects, one
boy was referred again owing to defects of throat not having been remedied, and two girls were also
referred for defects of vision and one girl for teeth.
Of the 38 intermediate county scholars who were referred for various defects, 1 boy was referred
again as he had not obtained satisfactory treatment for defective eyesight.

Two supplementary junior county scholars (girls) were rejected owing to unsatisfactory personal
hygiene.
Of the candidates passed as fit 93 junior county scholars, 8 supplementary junior county scholars,
and 2 intermediate county scholars were accepted with defects that did not easily lend themselves
to treatment but which would not interfere with their studies.
^•« . • • • - ^ m• •
The Council's scheme of trade scholarships is intended to encourage students to devote themselves
to special branches of technical or industrial work. In medically examining the candidates the
standard of examination is varied according to the trade that the scholar proposes to follow, because
each trade has its peculiar effect upon the health of the workers. Appendix X shows the number of
candidates examined in connection with each award, and the conditions found.
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