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Open-air
classes in
parks and
playgrounds.
The number of open-air classes held in connection with the elementary schools
in 1933 was 209. Of these 11 were of type A (children selected on medical grounds
from a group of schools); 75 were of type B (children selected on medical grounds
from the various classes of a single school); 35 were of type C (consisting of a single
class from one school, educated continuously at one open-air station); and 80 of
type D (consisting in a rotation of classes from one school occupying one open-air
station).
Eight classes are permanent, that is to say they are outside the yearly programme
and do not need re-authorisation each year. In addition, 58 classes were continued
throughout the winter, where the suitability of the sites had been approved by the
school medical officer. About one-third of the classes were held in parks, gardens,
playing-fields and other open sites, while the others were held in school playgrounds.
Children in classes of the types A and B are kept under special observation by
the school doctors. Long experience has shown that in London there are two types
of children who are weakly and anaemic, and require special care. They may be termed
for shortness the bronchitic type and the rheumatic type. The former thrive only
on open-air treatment of the sanatorium type, and for these the more exposure they
get the better they are, provided that the additional nourishment required is available,
and that they are adequately clothed and shod, while the latter cannot stand
such treatment and require warmth and coddling.
The medical reports again illustrate these results. Thirty-five detailed reports
were received from the school doctors on the open-air classes.
While the great majority of the classes are highly successful and exercise a
powerful effect upon the health of the children, a few do not give such satisfactory
results.
As an example of a satisfactory class, Dr. C. N. Atlee reports of the King-square
open-air class:—
This class consists of 29 girls drawn from Bath-street Central-street and Corapton-street
schools, and works under a shelter at King-square. It is open during the winter as well as the
summer. The children are drawn largely from overcrowded homes in a slum locality, and are
discharged and replaced by others as found necessary. Attendance was actually better during
the winter months than during the summer.
Four of the children in attendance now are on free dinners and two on free milk. Many
of the remainder are supplied with milk, and next term it is expected that the whole class will
have a milk meal, with the exception of those who do not like it, of whom, there is quite a
considerable proportion. Without exception, all the children have definitely improved in health
as a result of the open-air. The figures for height and weight show great variability, some cases
exhibiting a definite loss in weight, probably due to physiological and natural reasons, and I do
not attach much importance to these figures personally. Of greater importance is the fact that
the teacher in charge observes that there is, in all cases, a definite improvement in the general
brightness and demeanour.