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child to the Specially Referred Centre on the next appointed day, and the
case kept under observation until a 'may return' certificate could be given.
" The School Attendance Department has greatly helped the work by
hunting up children absent or excluded from school for defects, who were
irregular in their attendance at the centre, and in many cases, where the
cause of the child's absence was doubtful, has, by causing the parent's or
guardian's attendance with the child at the Centre, prevented what I should
call ' inexcusable non-attendance.'
" Taken as a whole, this method has given satisfactory results during
the past year."
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. We have carried out our duty under section 31 (a., b, c), but the
County Council have only taken action with respect to one chil,d, the girl S.H.
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
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 1916, seven children were dealt with by your Certifying Officers,
Dr. Strong and myself j one case was nearly 16 years of age. Of these, four
were cases adjourned from 1915, of whom one boy (J.R.) left Edmonton before
his examination could be concluded. None were left unfinished at the end
of the year.
TUBERCULOSIS.
The number of boys with a family history of consumption was 323, and
325 girls.
During 1916 Dr. Strong sent four "B" notifications to the M.O.H. Of
these, three—two boys and one girl—referred to pulmonary tuberculosis, and
one—a boy—to another form of tubercle.