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8
MENTALLY DEFECTIVE CHILDREN.
The County Council is "the Local Authority" under the Mental Deficiency
Act of 1913, which came into force on 1st April, 1914. The " local education
authority " is the Edmonton Education Committee, in so far as my Council may
have transferred their powers under the Act to that Committee ; but they
have not.
Your certifying officers, Dr. Strong and myself, on receipt of information from
the head teachers, summon the child and mother for prolonged examination and
enquiry lasting for an hour, or over, in each case We are thus enabled to answer,
more or less, the 68 questions in Schedule "F." It concludes with the treatment
recommended ; and the child is placed as fit for one of four classes:—
1. An ordinary public elementary school.
2. A special class for dull or backward children.
3. A special school (day or residential),
4. Unsuitable for a special school.
It is only those cases allotted to the last class which are dealt with by the
County Council. During the year three cases ; D M.T. 14 years, I.L M.E. 12 years,
and F.M.H. 7 years, were sent to institutions by the County Council
I am glad to say that there appeared at the end of the year some probability
of joint action being taken to provide a special day school for children in class 3,
in co-operation with our neighbour, Enfield.
However, it remains for my Education Committee to take up their duty towards
these unfortunate children in the first 3 groups, not only for their own sakes,
but in order to clear them out of the ordinary classes, where their presence is a
trial to the teachers and subversive of the good conduct and discipline of the
other scholars.
During 1918, no other children were dealt with by us, except the three above
mentioned who were allotted to class 4.
Of the 30,000 mentally defective children capable of profiting by education
in England and Wales more than 15,000 fail to receive any educational facilities.
Others from this total stay at home, or enter ordinary schools where they fail to
learn.
Not until 1913 did Parliament pass an Act compelling the provision of
special schools. This Act has not been generally enforced. Villages and small
towns throughout the country include in their population " reasonable " defectives
who receive no education. Urgent need exists to erect additional special schools,
day or residential. No practical steps have yet been taken to meet this need.
Neither has any provision been made for backward children ; as yet, these pupils
form hindances to school progress as members of ordinary schools.
Special schools of England and Wales in 1918 numbered 177. Eighteen of
these were residential places, voluntary societies provided sixteen, and local
educational authorities accounted for two only.