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7
The provision has been reviewed in the light of pamphlet No. 107 issued by the
Board on elementary school buildings. There is general agreement that, so far as
London is concerned, where children's homes are generally near to the schools and very
few children have to spend the whole day on the premises, the 1914 scale for w.c.'s is
sufficient, and the Board of Education have now concurred in the continued application
of this standard.

In reconditioned schools provision is to be as near to that standard as the circumstances
of each case will allow.
Replacement
of trough
closets
The policy of modernisation of sanitary offices at old schools in advance of rebuilding
or reconditioning is being steadily pursued. There are now only 49 schools
with trough closets. Of these, 14 will be dealt with during 1939.
There will remain 35 schools, of which 14 may possibly soon be closed, 4 are in the
current remodelling programme when the closets will be dealt with, there are another 7
in which early rebuilding or remodelling is probable, and a further 8 in which reorganisation
is under consideration.
Towels
The increase of ablution in the schools, the provision of hot water in lavatories
and of spray-baths in connection with gymnasia in all senior schools, has caused attention
to be paid to the provision of towels. Experiments in this direction have been
described in my recent annual reports.
The Council in May, 1938, approved the supply to public elementary schools of
individual towels, soap and towel hooks. As a further alternative to the use of the
common roller towel, an experiment has been conducted at a few schools in the installation
of automatic continuous towel cabinets. The machines contain rolls of
towelling 50 yards long by 12 inches wide, which provide for about 200 to 220 washes
for each machine. Clean towelling is drawn out in lengths required, and the soiled
towelling is returned automatically to the machines, the clean and soiled towelling
being separately stored. No specific charge is made for the installation and hire of
the machines and towel rolls, but 1s. 9d. is charged for the laundering of each roll.
In order to obtain conclusive data as to the cost of the machines if extensively
used, it has now been decided to conduct an experiment on a larger scale, for about
one year, at certain central schools and elementary and special schools attended by
senior pupils. About 130 machines in 40 school departments will be installed, on the
understanding that the Council will not be committed to any expenditure subsequently.
Medical inspection
The foundation of the medical work in the schools continues to be the periodical
examination of the children in certain age groups prescribed by the Board of Education.
By agreement with the Board, so far as London is concerned, the age groups
selected are four. These are (1) all children on first entrance to school, (2) all
children in their eighth year, (3) all children in their twelfth year, and (4) all children
in the term before that in which they normally leave school. Elsewhere in the
country generally the age groups, as prescribed by the Board, are three, viz., entrants,
children aged 8 and children aged 12.
The arrangements are as described in last year's report.